“What about noise restrictions after ten?” he asked. “County ordinance?”
Kendra answered smoothly, outlining the cutoff times, the decibel limits.
“And transportation?” he continued. “Guests will imbibe, so we want shuttles. Can they idle here?”
“Yes,” Kendra said. “Within reason.”
Lacey added, “We can coordinate silent dancing with rented headsets.”
“We’ve been to a wedding at a winery with that,” he said. “Great fun.”
“And no violating ordinances for our neighbors,” Kendra added, launching into a story about a wedding last week that just…took too long to tell.
The garden tour stretched on, and Rachel focused on florals—what was native, what could be brought in, and could they move the sea oats for better water views?
Move the sea oats?
Kendra just smiled at that one while Lacey stole a glance at the time, her heart dropping as she realized they were way past an hour now and pushing two.
Sebastian had a whole new set of practical questions regarding security, timing, and the possibility of arriving or leaving by helicopter.
Seriously?
Meanwhile, Rachel paused at each transition path, testing the walk in heels, asking what happened if the ground was wet. If it rained. If the wind picked up. If thesky fell.
Kendra calmly—and slowly—explained everything. Lacey was grateful for her knowledge, but it was thorough enough that she could give the tour next time. And each explanation took forever and generated ten new questions and endless discussions.
She could feel time evaporate—not just intellectually, but physically. At one point, she just gave up the fight. That trip, that apartment, that day in Jacksonville, five hours away, might not happen today.
Lacey’s tablet flashed with a new message from Roman.
How’s it going? Still going to make 11:30?
She typed back under the pretense of checking notes.
Wrapping up. Almost done.
But it didn’t feel almost done, not at all. Rachel wanted secondary spaces, backup ceremony options if it rained, dressing rooms, catering kitchens, the bathroom that guests would use.
Who cared where the guests went to the bathroom?
Rachel did, which meant Lacey should.
Letting go of her own issues, Lacey realized it was the bride who was growing increasingly anxious. She wasn’t happy about something and Lacey sure didn’t want it to be Tessa Wylie Events.
“What do you think?” Lacey whispered privately when they were leaving the bride’s dressing room and Kendra stepped away to take a call.
She winced, which somehow didn’t make her any less attractive. “Compared to the place in Charleston? It would be easier up there, but this has a destination feel. Still, not perfect.”
“Nothing’s perfect,” Lacey replied. “But you cannot feel stressed or disappointed.”
Her narrow shoulders sank. “I’m so glad you understand,” Rachel said. “That’s important to me in a wedding planner.”
And if they went back to Charleston and married closer to home, Tessa Wylie Events would lose this job. Lacey did not want that to happen, so she ignored the next text from Roman.
The walkthrough dragged on until Rachel finally took Lacey aside and whispered, “I know it’s short notice, but I don’t suppose there are other venues nearby we could see today?”
Lacey’s chest tightened and her brain whirred. “I…don’t know offhand…” She did know, however. “There is one place near Destin?—”
