Happy Ever After

CHAPTER FOUR

PARKER PREPPED FOR THE MORNING STAFF MEETING WITH BLACKBerry and laptop. She sat at the large round table in what had been the library of her home and now served as Vows’ conference room.

The walls of books and the rich scent of leather remained, and on brisk fall or cold winter mornings a fire would snap away in the hearth as it had for as long as she could remember. Lamps that warmed cozy seating arrangements had belonged to her grandmother. The rugs, a bit faded and frayed with time and use, came down from a generation before that. Framed articles on Vows and the women behind it were displayed artfully on the walls between cabinets.

On the long table nearby, her mother’s silver coffee service gleamed, and under it, tucked behind the antique doors, sat an office-sized refrigerator stocked with water and soft drinks.

To her mind the room epitomized the blending of tradition and enterprise essential to her goals for herself and her business.

She checked the day’s agenda, including the morning appointments, the afternoon’s bridal shower, and the rehearsal for Friday evening’s event. Her phone signaled as Mac came in with a basket of muffins.

“Laurel’s on her way. Emma says she’s not late.”

Parker nodded. “Friday night’s bride. Good morning, Cecily! Ready for the big day?”

She nodded again as Mac held the coffeepot over Parker’s cup. “Um-hmm. That’s so sweet. Yes, we can do that. Oh, absolutely.” She listened, winced only a little.

“I think that’s incredibly generous of you and Marcus. I know you must be,” she responded.“Listen, I’m just thinking, just throwing this out there. I wonder if considering the wedding cake and the groom’s cake, another might be overkill. Not quite as special as you’d like. What about a cupcake? Heart-shaped, elaborately frosted with their names on it. It would fit right on the head table in front of them. Be exclusively theirs.”

Listening again, Parker began to key in data one-handed on her laptop.“Leave it to me.You know Laurel will make it beautiful, and very special.”

Parker just beamed out a smile as Laurel came in and narrowed her eyes at the statement.

“What’s your sister’s favorite flower?” Parker asked. “Dahlias. Lovely. Oh, of course he can if he wants to. I’ll be available for that if he can get here just a few minutes early tonight.Yes, we’re excited, too. Not a word, I promise. See you tonight.”

“What am I making beautiful and special?” Laurel demanded.

“A cupcake. One single cupcake.” Parker held up one finger. “Heart-shaped, maybe a little oversized just for impact. Maybe iced with dahlias as the design and with the names Griff and Jaci—Friday night’s groom’s brother and the bride’s sister, also the BM and MOH. They’ve been dating about six months now. He’s going to propose at the wedding, as a crescendo to his toast to the bride and groom.”

“Why would he want to do that?” Mac demanded.

“I don’t know, because he’s crazy from love, because he wants to tie the way he feels about her to the way his brother feels about his sister. He asked his brother and the bride first, and they love it. They’re weeping with joy. And,” she added with a steely look at Laurel, “she wanted another cake. I talked her down to cupcake, so you owe me.”

“What’d I miss?” Emma rushed in. “I’m not late.”

“You’re late,” Mac corrected,“and love is in the air is what you missed.”

“Oh, well, that’s all over the place around here anyway.”

“New business, just so Emma’s up-to-date.” Parker ran through the phone call and resulting additions. As she expected, Emma went dewy-eyed.

“That’s adorable.”

“It won’t be if she says hell no,” Laurel pointed out.

“She won’t.” But Emma looked stricken. “Oh God, what if?”

“Let’s take a good look at the two of them tonight,” Parker suggested. “See what sense we get. If we think oops, we’ll come up with a plan to cover. Next? Today’s afternoon event. Bridal shower with guests arriving at two.”

“Champagne Elegance,” Laurel said.“That’s the name of the cake as that’s what the very snooty MOH and bridal shower hostess demanded as ambiance. We have a small-scale wedding cake with champagne accents, a variety of cookies, mini pastries, chocolates. The caterer’s providing the girly food, the champagne, and the coffee and tea. Party favors include chocolates in glossy white boxes, with monogrammed silver ribbons accented with a sparkly hair clip.”

“I’ve done white roses, as requested.” Emma gulped coffee. “Individual contemporary bouquets in black vases for each table. Tink’s finishing up the arbor and pergola as we speak. We’ll do white rose displays in the portico urns, and on the terraces.”

“The guests have been requested to wear white,” Parker reminded her partners. “We’re to wear black, as are all the subs and the string trio who’ll play during the mingling and nibbling portions of the event.The forecast is for mostly sunny, light winds, and a high of seventy-one. So we should be able to hold the event outside as we hoped. Gift table will be under the pergola.At three, we’ll set up the bride’s chair, and at three fifteen, begin the opening of gifts. I’ll be keeping the record of who gave what for the bride. By four fifteen, we should be able to transfer the gifts to the limo. By four forty-five, we wave good-bye. Mac?”

“The MOH wants candids, by which she actually means carefully posed shots where everyone, especially her, looks fabulous and happy and natural and ten pounds lighter. She wants a shot of the bride with every gift, and with every guest. No problem on my end.”

“The Mason-Easterbay wedding party should arrive at five thirty for rehearsal.They have reservations at Carlotta’s for seven thirty, so they need to be out and gone by seven.Any problem there?”

When she got negatives, Parker moved on.“Any questions, problems, comments, sarcastic remarks about their actual event?”

“If I’d known there was a sarcastic remark slot, I’d’ve had one ready,” Laurel told her.

“Otherwise, today. I may need to have somebody drive me into the garage to get my car. Or I’ll take a cab if everyone’s busy. Mrs. Kavanaugh’s calling me this morning, and hopefully can give me a time frame. I do have an appointment here at ten.” She waited a bit. “With Carter’s sister Diane.”

“What about?” Mac wondered.

“About her being a bitch. Sorry, I shouldn’t call your soon-to-be sister-in-law a bitch.To your face.”

“No problem. She is kind of a bitch. The passive-aggressive type that makes me want to boot her in the ass. Often.”

“The sky’s never blue enough for Diane,” Emma commented. Her family and the Maguires had been friends for years.

“What’s she being a bitch about?” Laurel asked.

“She’s upset Sherry. Didn’t want to be in the wedding because it’s too much fuss, too much trouble.”

“She’s been snarky about the wedding right along.” Mac nodded, shrugged. “She’s given me some nudges about it, and about mine.Who wants that in their wedding party? Sister or not.”

“Now she’s saying she won’t come to the rehearsal dinner. Not in the wedding party, doesn’t want to get a sitter, doesn’t want to come with the kids and deal with them. Me, I’d say fine, don’t, but Sherry wants her there.” Parker’s eyes glittered.“So she’ll be there.”

“Kick her ass, champ.”

Parker smiled at Laurel.“Count on it. Once I’ve done that, I’ll be available to pitch in with anything for anyone, until it’s time to get my car.”

“Maybe you’ll get more smoochies.”

“Laurel.”

“What? Do you think I’m keeping that to myself ?” She grinned as both Mac and Emma demanded details.

“Malcolm Kavanaugh, in the foyer, with a hot embrace.”

“Well, well.” Mac wiggled her eyebrows.

“There’s no ‘well, well’ about it.” Wanting to move on, Parker pulled out her casually dismissive tone.“He was just showing off.”

“He’s good at it,” Laurel put in. “I got singed by the heat, and I was fifteen feet away.”

“Are you going out?” Emma asked her.

“If you mean am I going out at some point to pick up my car, yes.”

“Come on.Are you going to see him—a date,” Emma qualified.

“No. It was just a . . . He was being a smart-ass, that’s it.”

“You kissed him first.” Emma wagged her finger. “Fourth of July.”

“I was mad at Del, and it was a mistake. And that doesn’t mean—” She broke off and grabbed her ringing phone.

“Saved by the CrackBerry,” Mac announced.

“Hi, Buffy.” Taking advantage, Parker pushed up, walked out of the room as she spoke.

“They’ve got the hots, the mutual hots.” Laurel folded her arms. “I am not mistaken on this.”

“He looks at her. Don’t give me that smirk.” Emma pointed at Mac.“He looks at her, a lot, and she tries not to look at him. I say mutual hots a definite.”

“He’s got that whole James Dean thing going.”

“The sausage guy?” Mac asked, frowning at Laurel.

“No, Jesus, Mackensie.” Laurel aimed her gaze at the heavens. “That’s Jimmy Dean.

James. Bad boy, all attitude.”

“I kind of like that he rattles her,” Emma decided.“Our Parker isn’t easily rattled, which is one of the aspects that makes her our Parker, but I kind of like seeing it.”

“He’s not slick, which earns him points from me.” Laurel shrugged, rose. “We’ll see where it goes, if anywhere. Meanwhile, duty calls.” She paused at the doorway. “Hey, you know what Parker said after the smoking-hot kiss?”

“What?” Mac demanded.

“Absolutely nothing.”

PARKER MIGHT NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF ANYTHING TO SAY THEN, but she had plenty to say to Carter’s older sister.

She greeted Diane at the door herself, extending both hands and a beaming smile.“Di, it’s so good to see you! Thanks so much for making time today. How are the kids?” she added as she drew Diane inside.

“They’re fine.”

“Mac tells me they got a puppy recently.” Deliberately she draped an arm over Diane’s shoulders, just a couple of girl pals catching up, to lead her into the parlor.

“My father managed to get around me there. Of course, he’s not the one dealing with it.”

“Isn’t that always the way?” Parker said cheerfully. “I know an excellent trainer if you’re interested in a little help. She’s wonderful, and has kid-puppy classes, so the kids get involved in the work. How about some coffee?”

“I’m cutting back on caffeine.”

“I drink far too much of it myself.We’ve got some lovely green tea. Carter says it’s your favorite.”

With a quick hitch in her stride, Diane stared, blinked.“Carter did?”

“It’s surprising isn’t it, what our brothers notice and remember? Let’s sit down. You look just terrific, Diane. What have you been doing?”

Obviously flustered, Diane pushed back at her bob of brown hair. An attractive woman, she habitually marred her looks with a dissatisfied expression. “I joined a yoga class a couple months ago, but it’s so full of nonsense that I—”

“Oh, I love yoga.” All smiles, Parker poured the tea. It was no accident she used one of her grandmother’s best Doulton tea services. Diane, she knew, noted and set store by such things. “Even a fifteen-minute session helps me release all the stress of the day. Good for you for taking a little me-time. With your work, your family, all those obligations, you have to fit twenty-five hours into every day. I honestly don’t know how you do it, and here I’ve added to those hours by asking you to come talk to me.”

“I assume it’s about Sherry’s wedding, and I don’t really understand what that has to do with me.”

“Can you believe it’s almost here?” Undeterred, Parker sipped her tea. “And before we know it, it’ll be Carter and Mac.” She reached out to take Diane’s hand again. “It makes us family. And that’s what sparked this idea I have.”

“What idea?”

“I should start at the beginning, and the credit for that goes to Mac.You know that Sherry’s main wish for the wedding was fun. She wants it to be a fun day—friends and family—a celebration. I have to tell you, Di, so many brides are focused on the tiny details, the minutiae. And of course, that’s what we do here. It’s part of what we offer. But it’s so refreshing to work with your sister, a woman who sees the big picture. She sees, well, your parents, and you.”

“Me?”

“You and Sam and your children.What you’ve built—the life, the family, the continuity. It isn’t an easy thing, that build—as you know—and she sees what you’ve accomplished. And all that starts with the wedding itself, the celebration of those first steps.You’re her big sister. You took the steps before her, and you’ve helped show her the way.You’ve been a huge influence on her.”

Diane sniffed. “Sherry never listens to anything I have to say.” “You know, I think those who have impact and influence over us are often unaware. Why just the other day . . .” She broke off, gave a little shake of her head. “I don’t want to betray a confidence, but since it’s family, Sherry told me just the other day how important you are to her, how much you mean to her. I guess it’s easier to say that to someone just a little outside, isn’t it?”

Again the stare, the blink. “She said that?”

“Yes, and it made me realize . . . I’m ahead of myself again.” With an easy laugh, Parker waved a hand as if she’d scattered her thoughts. “Mac’s idea. She’s put together photographs of Sherry, of your family, Nick and his family. Old photos, recent ones. A kind of chronological retrospective. Mac’s so talented. I know I’m biased, but I have to say the CD she created is wonderful. Sweet, funny, charming, poignant. The idea is to run it at the rehearsal dinner.”

“Oh, I’m not going to—”

“What it’s missing,” Parker interrupted, “is a narrator. An emcee if you will. Someone who’s been there from the beginning. Not your parents, as it’s a surprise for them, too, and Mac added their wedding photo to kick the whole thing off. I thought Carter, as he’s a teacher as well as her brother, so he’s used to speaking in public, but when Sherry and I talked, I realized no. It’s a sister thing. A big sister thing. After all, who has a more unique, clever, intimate perspective on Sherry, on your family, on Nick and his, than you? Please say you’ll do it.”

Again, Parker reached out a hand, making that contact, making it personal.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, and it’s such short notice, but it’s all just coming together.We really need you.”

“You want me to . . . to narrate pictures?”

“Not just want, but need. And not just pictures. It’s a journey, Diane. Sherry and Nick’s, yes, but also all of you. Family’s so essential to both of them. I’ve gotten to know them and understand that over these past months. It’s going to be the highlight of the evening. Carter’s drafted out the script, and he’s hoping you’ll say yes and work with him on refining it.”

“Carter wants me to—” She broke off, obviously stunned.

“Oh, I know you’re incredibly busy already, and it’s a lot to ask. But I’ll help as much as I can, as much as you want or need. Frankly, I don’t think you’ll need any help.Anyone who can manage a family the way you do can, in my opinion, manage anything.”

“I might be able to do it, but I’d have to see the CD and whatever Carter’s written before I could commit.”

Parker whisked a file off the table.“I happen to have a copy of both right here.The CD runs just about twelve minutes. Have you got time to watch it now?”

“I . . .I guess.”

“Perfect. I’ll just get my laptop.”

Twenty-six minutes later, Parker wheeled the tea trolley back in the kitchen.

“I see by the canary feathers stuck to your lip that you pulled it off.” Mrs. Grady set the basket of cherry tomatoes just harvested from her kitchen garden on the counter.

“I troweled it on pretty thick, then I shoveled on more. She’ll not only attend the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, but she’ll emcee Mac and Carter’s CD. And bless Carter for being willing to step out as emcee, especially since it was as much his idea as Mac’s.”

“He’s a good boy. And his older sister’s always been a pain in the rear.”

“Well, she’s attractive, but she lacks Sherry’s vivacity and easy confidence. She’s smart, but not as innately bright as Carter, and not anywhere near as sweet. She’s the firstborn but not, I think, often first otherwise. And it irks. All I had to do was make it as much about her as Sherry.” Parker shrugged. “And tell her a few truths. Her family loves her. She’s important to them. Some people just have to hear it, a lot.”

“I bet it didn’t hurt it came from you.‘Parker Brown needs my help.’”

Parker shrugged again. “Whatever works.The bride gets what she wants and deserves.” She glanced at her watch. “And I’m on schedule.”

She pitched in on decor for the event, checked on Laurel’s progress, spoke with the caterers on their arrival, the parking attendants at theirs.

She stepped out on the terrace for a last check as Mac took shots of the setup, and thought, Champagne Elegance all around.

Not her particular taste for a wedding shower—and since she had three in planning stages for her friends, she had plenty of ideas—but the scene had an appealingly stylish Deco feel, with just enough lush from Emma’s stunning arrangements to soften it.

“Totally Gatsby,” Mac said as she lowered her camera.

“I was just thinking that. I’d say the hostess, and the bride, will be very pleased.”

“You’ve already scored today. Carter sent me a text. His sister wants to meet him after his classes today and talk about the script for the rehearsal dinner. Nice job.”

“I think she’ll do one, too. I really do. She was excited about the whole thing when she left.”

“Diane? Excited? Did you spike her tea?”

“In a manner of speaking, but it was the CD itself that did it. She got misty a few times.”

Mac’s eyebrows winged up. “I underestimate my own power. Everything a go inside?”

“Emma was just finishing the public areas, and Laurel’s done and with the caterer. I’m about to . . .” She laid a finger on her headset. “Be right there. Our hostess just arrived,” she told Mac. “I’ll go meet her, bring her through.”

“I’ll go around, get some unobtrusive shots of arrivals.”

With a nod, Parker started inside. “Em, Laurel,” she said into her headset, “we’re green.”

Within the hour, Parker watched women in stylish white suits, floaty white dresses, sharply tailored white pants mingle on the terrace. They sipped champagne, chatted, laughed, nibbled on pretty passed hors d’oeuvres.

Mac moved among them, capturing moments. The burst of delight as the bride-to-be threw back her head and laughed, the affectionate hug of greeting between friends, the sweetness of a granddaughter tapping flutes with her grandmother.

It pleased her, as it always did, to see happiness here, to feel it sparkling in the air like champagne, to know what had come to her could be a setting for joy.

Today it pleased her to be in the company of women, and to have played a part in creating this individualized vision of the female ritual.

At the appointed time, she moved forward to ask the guests to be seated for lunch, then again retreated to the background.Then braced when the hostess made her way over, her face set in harassed lines.

“Olivia asked about games. She wants shower games.”

Which you expressly vetoed, Parker remembered, but smiled. “I can take care of that.”

“She asked about games and prizes. Obviously I haven’t prepared for—”

“It’s not a problem. I’ll see to it during lunch. How about three? I find that’s just enough. Fun and simple games with pretty prizes for the winners.”

“I don’t want to hand out anything tacky or foolish. I’d want something in keeping with the ambiance.”

And gee, Parker thought, I was going to get the glow-in-the-dark dildos. “Absolutely. Leave it to me. We’ll have it all arranged for after lunch. Please, go enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about a thing.”

She waited until she’d slipped inside. “Laurel, I need you to take over outside,” she said into her headset. “The BTB wants games and prizes. I need fifteen minutes to set it up.”

“Got it.”

“Emma, I need a small prize table set up.”

“Oh, for God’s sake—”

“I know, I know. Whatever you can do. You’ve got forty minutes.”

She charged up the back steps, all the way to the gift room, a space designed for gift wrapping, present storage. Inside one of the cabinets she had labeled, prewrapped gifts. She scanned, debated, and after choosing three, slipped them into white embossed gift bags, tucked in black tissue. From another cabinet she grabbed a stack of notepads, pencils, pulled other supplies.

She dashed back down, set the bags and the box of supplies on the dining room table, then zipped through the kitchen and into the old butler’s pantry to choose the proper tray for the display.

“What are you after?” Mrs. Grady asked from behind her.

“The BTB wants games, which the hostess vetoed during the planning stages. I don’t think white bags on a white tray, and we don’t have an appropriate black one. I think silver. Or glass. Maybe glass.”

“Try both.”

“Good idea. Can you come, give me an opinion?”

Mrs. Grady walked along with her. “Oh, your car’s back.”

“Back where?”

“Here.”

Parker stopped, frowned. “My car’s here?”

“Delivered about twenty minutes ago.Washed and waxed, too. I put the bill up on your desk.”

“Oh. But I didn’t ask him to deliver it. I was going to—”

“Saves you time, doesn’t it?” Which, in Mrs. Grady’s opinion, made Malcolm Kavanaugh a very shrewd customer.

Parker said nothing, only continued to frown as she arranged the bags on the silver tray.“I think the glass one’s better.The silver makes too much of a statement, and Emma could sprinkle some white rose petals on the glass, and with the little black vases . . . Who delivered the car?”

Mrs. Grady smothered a smile. “Didn’t catch his name. Well, theirs, as the one had another following him in a tow truck.”

“Oh. Um . . . The glass?”

“I’d say. It’s classy, but more subtle than the silver.”

“Yes, that’s what I’m after.” She stepped back. “I’ll leave this here, go see if I can help Emma set up the table.”

She started out. “Really, I could’ve picked up the car.”

“No doubt.What do you say when someone does you a favor?”

Parker heaved out a breath at the implied tsk in the tone.“You say thank you. I will.When I get a chance.”

She didn’t have one, or so she told herself.The event required her focus, and with the additional time for the unscheduled games ran about thirty minutes over.Which cut back on the time to prep for the evening’s rehearsal.

“The games were a hit,” Mac commented.

“They generally are.”

“Nice prizes. I really liked the travel jewelry caddy, the green leather? Somebody who’s going to Tuscany for her honeymoon could really use one of them.”

“Maybe somebody’ll get lucky.” Parker chugged from a bottle of water. “We seriously pulled that off. And our hostess didn’t bat an eye at the additional invoice for the prizes, especially since I gave her the extra half hour on the house.”

She took a last scan of the terrace.They’d broken down all the tables, but had left the pergola and urns dressed.They had only to set up the refreshment table, and they were good to go.

She probably had five minutes now to call in her thanks, but really, she had to check the invoice first. For all she knew he’d gouged her on a delivery charge.

“I’m just going to—” Her phone rang. “God. Crazy Bride.”

“Better you than me. Go ahead.We’ve got this.”

Crazy Bride ate up her time. And gave her space to think.

SHE’D SEND A THANK-YOU NOTE WITH THE CHECK FOR THE SERVICE and tires.That was, Parker decided as she ran the rehearsal, appropriate.

“With five minutes to go,” she said, “the groom’s brother—and best man—will escort their mother to her seat, with her husband following.That’s perfect.The best man will join the groom, standing to the groom’s left. And at three minutes to go, the bride’s brother will escort their mom to her seat. Brother moves up to the left of best man, right of George. Angle just a little, Sam. Exactly. Music change for the bridal procession.Wendy, Nikki,Addy—and I’ll be there to cue you tomorrow. Remember to smile, ladies. Then Jaci, the maid of honor.

“Good.When she’s halfway down, it’s time for the ring bearer. That’s the way, Kevin!”

The five-year-old strutted down to laughter and applause.

“And the flower girl. Really good, Jenny, and tomorrow there’ll be real flowers in your basket. Kevin on the boys’ side, Jenny on the girls’.You stand right there with your daddy, Kevin.Then . . .”

She trailed off, blank as she looked back and saw Malcolm leaning on one of the urns, a bouquet in his hand. She couldn’t see his eyes, not with the sun slanting off the dark glasses he wore. But she could see his grin clearly enough.

“Then?” the groom prompted with a laugh. “Do I get married?”

“Almost. Music change, everyone stands. And the bride begins her walk escorted by her father.And,” she said to the groom,“she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. She’s everything you’ve ever wanted. And she’s about to be yours.”

She waited. “Stop here. And as you requested, your mom will step over with you and your dad.The minister will ask who gives this woman, and your line, Mr. Falconi?”

“Her mother and I.”

They kissed their daughter, then took her hand and placed it in the groom’s.

“Lovely. Now . . .”

She ran them through the ceremony, hitting the highlights, outlining the timing and choreography.

“He’ll say you may kiss your bride.”

“I got that part.” The groom spun his bride, dipped her while she laughed, and bent to give her a lavish kiss.

“Cecily, if you get cold feet tomorrow, I’m happy to stand in for you.”

The bride laughed again, twinkling at Parker.“My feet are really, really warm, but thanks.”

“I bet. At that point, you’ll face your friends and family, the minister will introduce you for the first time as husband and wife, and those of us not still swooning over that kiss will applaud. Music changes to recessional, and you’ll walk down the aisle. Mac will take you from there. From here, the rest of the wedding party recesses in reverse order. Flower girl and ring bearer first.”

Good, she thought, very good. If everyone smiled and beamed like this tomorrow, they’d hardly need the sun.

“After the wedding party, the parents and grandparents of the bride, then the groom’s. Mac will also need all of you for wedding pictures.The guests will be escorted inside the Solarium for canapes and drinks to keep them happy during the photo session.”

She ignored the itch at the back of her neck. She knew he was staring at her, as she outlined the timing and procedure for introductions, dinner, toasts, the shift to the Ballroom, first dances, cake cutting, and so on.

“The Bride’s and Groom’s suites will be available to the wedding party from four until the end of the evening. We’ll transfer the gifts from the gift table to the newlyweds’ limo, as well as any flowers they want to take with them or give to others. I know it’s a lot, but my partners and I will be here for all of you every step of the way. All you really have to do is enjoy and celebrate.”