Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Feeling a little bit like she'd been told to report to the principal, Evelyn made a beeline for Alicia's office. Her heels tapped across the century-old wood floors. She trailed her fingers along the top of dark wainscoting that lined the wide corridor. On either side, doors opened into offices at regular intervals. The sameness of the rambling mansion that never changed despite a daily influx of brides and their wedding parties normally settled her. Today, it stirred an achy reminder of how monotonous her days had become. By taking on more responsibility while Jason was on his honeymoon, she'd hoped to change that, but taking prospective clients on tours of the grounds didn't thrill her any more than adding columns of numbers or keeping track of the Cottage's inventory. She was ready for a new purpose, a new direction. But what?

Reaching the first office on the left, she flung the door wide without bothering to knock. "You wanted to see me?"

She saw the back of Alicia's head, with tight curls that held more salt than pepper, and then realized the event coordinator was on the phone.

Phooey . Evelyn beat a hasty retreat. She'd spent the entire morning projecting cool, calm professionalism, and here she'd gone and interrupted Alicia in the middle of a call. Would she never tame her impulsive side? She slumped against the wall, prepared to wait, but not more than thirty seconds passed before Alicia's voice rang warmly through the hall.

"Evelyn?"

"Yes?" She straightened.

"Come on in and have a seat. I'll be right with you."

Aware of the woman's busy schedule, Evelyn moved quickly.

"Let me get this down before I forget it." Alicia pushed a pair of wire-rimmed glasses higher on her nose, squinting at the monitor while the pink tips of her fingernails flew over the keyboard.

"Take your time." Evelyn settled onto one of the three guest chairs arranged in a semicircle before a sleek, modern desk. She marveled that even during the most hectic bridal season, when the Captain's Cottage hosted more than a dozen weddings each week, Alicia's workspace remained as pin-neat as the woman herself … unlike Evelyn's own office, which even on a good day looked messy and disorganized. Self-conscious, she opened a notebook crammed full of Post-It notes and reminders. A slip of paper made a mad dash for freedom when the air-conditioner kicked on. She lunged for it and barely caught it in her fingertips.

"There." Alicia turned away from the computer. "That was the Sutter bride. She wants to have a photo session under the willow tree between the ceremony and the reception. We'll need to make sure the area is freshly raked and trimmed. Can't have our bride snag her veil on a low branch now, can we?" Behind her glasses, a mix of humor and concern swirled in dark eyes.

The Sutter/Fox wedding. Six bridesmaids, an equal number of groomsmen. Plus the flower girl and ring bearer. The parents, possibly the grandparents, would all be in the photos. Add in a couple of close friends, and suddenly things were getting very crowded on the west lawn. Evelyn thumbed through her day planner, searching for her notes on a wedding three weeks in the future. By some miracle, she found them and rummaged for something to write with.

"Don't bother." Alicia offered a pen from a nearby caddy. "I made a note for the gardeners and sent you a confirmation email."

"Thanks." She sighed. Alicia was the absolute best. "What would we ever do without you?"

"You'll find out one of these days. As soon as Jenny's ready to take over, I'm going to retire."

"You're leaving us?" Evelyn squeaked. Alice had planned events at the Captain's Cottage for as far back as she could remember. With an unflappable calm, she'd risen to meet every challenge, from wishy-washy brides to grooms who suddenly developed cold feet. She was the reason they'd never had a wedding fiasco. "Does Jason know?"

At Alicia's nod, Evelyn fought down questions that rushed through her head like an incoming tide in Heart's Cove. She shoved all but the most important concern aside. "You're sure Jenny's up to the challenge?"

"She's doing great." The laugh lines etched into Alicia's cheeks deepened as their eyes met. "Remember the Smith wedding?"

"How could I forget?" Three hundred guests had filled the Green Room that night. Ships' flags had hung from the rafters, blue-striped life preservers had adorned white chairs, and tiny sailboats had served as place cards for the nautical-themed wedding. The evening had led to Jason and Tara admitting their true feelings for each other.

Sitting in Alicia's office, Evelyn sighed at the romantic notion of it all. One day, she'd like to discover her own true love. One day. Not now. Not when Jason was away on his honeymoon. And not when she was too busy to eat, she mentally added when her tummy growled.

"Jenny handled that wedding all by herself. She's been taking on more and more responsibility ever since. You'll see—by this time next year, you won't even miss me."

"I doubt that!" The protest slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it. Planning the hundreds of weddings and events held at the Cottage each year required mad skills. "What if something goes wrong? What'll we do without your expertise? What if—" The thought of disappointing even one bride brought her to the brink of tears. She sucked in a steadying breath.

"Hush," Alicia soothed. "I'm not moving across the country. I'll be close if you need me."

The planner's reassurance calmed the butterflies that had taken flight in her stomach. She sank into her chair and tried to come to grips with the idea that Alicia was moving on to the next stage in her life, while she was … What was she doing, exactly? Once Jason and Tara returned from their honeymoon, everyone would expect her to quietly return to her role behind the scenes. But what if that wasn't what she wanted?

Unable to put her finger on what came next in her own life, she noted the two empty seats. "Who else are you expecting? What's this meeting all about, anyway? Jenny didn't say."

"You'll see." Alicia's smile was full of mystery. "If I'm not mistaken, here comes one of our other guests now." The event planner propped her elbows on her desk and stared expectantly at the door.

Ryan mounted the wide steps. At the top, an impressive set of double doors opened into the three-story mansion known as the Captain's Cottage. He suppressed a whistle. Restoring the Boat Works had given him a fresh appreciation for the effort required to maintain a place this size. At the turn of the century, the rich and famous had established a number of similar estates in nearby Newport. More often than not, those summer homes had been converted into apartments or razed to the ground when family fortunes had changed. But not this one.

In the foyer, he nodded to a life-size portrait of a swashbuckling seafarer, Captain Thaddeus Heart, merchant sailor and founder of the town that bore his name. The captain had plied the seas between London and New York for more than a dozen years, and by selling his cargo on both ends of the trip, he'd amassed a sizable fortune—enough to buy land and build a suitable home for his wife and twelve children. Through careful husbandry, the Hearts had maintained the cottage and the land surrounding it for more than a hundred years.

Nearly as familiar with the rambling estate as he was with his parents' more modern home, Ryan headed deeper into the building. A smile tugged at his lips when he passed the spiral staircase that led to the family's living quarters. He and Jason had raced down those stairs as kids, each trying to outdo the other. Passing the dining room, he chuckled softly. How many times had he snuck cookies from one of the trays meant for guests while his pal had stood guard? They'd been in their teens before they'd realized Jason's dad had known all along what they'd been up to and had instructed the staff to let them be.

At the entrance to the Blue Room, he checked the soundness of the wood in the doorway out of habit, but he needn't have bothered. He might not be able to build a house from scratch like his father or his brothers, but he could take something broken and make it good as new. Once, a pipe had burst and flooded the ballroom, and he'd repaired the damage to such a degree that not even the most discerning eye would ever see the difference.

Staff in black pants and white shirts bustled about the Green Room, straightening gold bows on the backs of the chairs and arranging centerpieces on the tables. Two women consulted seating charts and worked their careful way through the tables, leaving place cards at each setting. A soft clink drew his attention to Ashley and Alexis, the owners of Favors Galore. In the back of the room, they arranged a tantalizing array of sweets on pink-and-gold platters. One of the dark-haired twins—he'd never been able to tell them apart—caught sight of him and waved him over. He mouthed an apology while pointing to his watch.

Turning away from the preparations, he made his way down a long hall to the office of Alicia Thorn , Event Planner. The door stood ajar, and he recognized one of the voices coming from inside. He gulped.

Evelyn Heart. The one who'd gotten away.

Not really , he told himself, though his feet stuck to the floorboards, refusing to move. Evelyn and Jason—Ryan's best friend—were more like brother and sister than cousins. That made Jason's younger cousin off-limits. Sure, back when he'd been a foolish teen, he'd asked her out on a date. Once. He'd been half-relieved when she'd turned him down. Although, even after all these years, he had to admit her abrupt dismissal had stung a bit.

Not that he'd spent the intervening years pining after her. He'd been popular enough in high school. Captain of the baseball team. Vice-president of the student council. He didn't like to brag, but he'd known some of the girls thought he was good-looking.

Not Evelyn.

He'd often wondered if she considered herself above him. He was, after all, destined to make his living with his hands. If that wasn't good enough for her—if he wasn't good enough for her—it was her loss, wasn't it? Regardless, he'd taken the hint and kept his distance.

Even now, he avoided her company as much as possible. Considering the size of Heart's Landing, that wasn't always easy … like now, when it looked like they'd be in a meeting together. He risked a quick study while the conversation continued. Evelyn had always worn her hair long and still did. Today, she'd slicked the thick mass into a knot that highlighted her slim neck and fine features. As he watched, she leaned forward, one hand moving animatedly. He was too far away to hear her words, but from the way a bright intelligence gleamed in her green eyes, she was passionate about the topic. He grinned as, with the other hand, she gave an unconscious tug on the hem of her skirt.

As often as not, Evelyn had tagged along while he and Jason had battled imaginary pirates on the Cottage's third-floor balcony or dug for mussels along the shore. She'd been more tomboy than girly-girl in those days. Now, though, there was no denying her softer, more feminine side.

At that thought, he swallowed hard. The woman moved in an entirely different sphere from his own. He didn't even approach her level—a fact he needed to keep in mind.

While he was lost in thought, the conversation in the office must've drifted to another topic. Alicia's gaze lifted. Evelyn's head swiveled. Ryan started, barely managing to get his feet in motion before the two of them caught him gawking.

"Alicia. Evelyn." Wondering what job they had in store for him, he nodded to both women.

Alicia's office chair spun in his direction. "Good. You're here. JeanMarie texted. She'll join us in a minute. Can I get either of you anything?"

"I'm fine," Evelyn murmured. She straightened, slipping her foot into the high heel that had dangled from her toes.

"Yeah. Me, too," he said, though he wished he'd grabbed a bottle of water from the dining area. He swallowed dryly as he glanced around. Why was he here? For the life of him, he couldn't think of any repairs at the Captain's Cottage that'd require Evelyn's input. He chose the chair farthest from her and lowered himself onto it.

Seconds later, muted footsteps sounded in the hall. They grew closer. Within seconds, a petite woman wearing a helmet of brown hair and a pair of well-broken-in work boots burst into the room. The tail of her khaki blouse hung loose over dark green slacks, giving her a slightly disheveled look. "Sorry I'm late." Breathless, she smoothed her wrinkled shirt, straightening the Parks and Recreation logo over her pocket. "It's been a crazy morning. "

"No problem." Alicia pointed to her watch, reminding everyone she ran a tight ship. "We were just getting started." Once JeanMarie had taken the vacant seat, the woman in charge cleared her throat. "I'm glad you all could make it. You're probably wondering why I've asked you here. I'll get right to it. We need to discuss the Wedding-in-a-Week event."

Huh? Ryan crossed and recrossed his legs. If it'd been anyone else sitting behind the desk, he'd assume he'd been summoned by mistake. Alicia Thorn did not make mistakes. He fought an uncommon urge to squirm beneath her penetrating gaze.

Heart's Landing played host to a number of events throughout the year. He'd participated in most. Once, he'd won an Honorable Mention during the spring chili cook-off. Each fall, he helped build the set and cheered from the wings during the annual reenactment of Captain Thaddeus's famous battle with a hurricane. He shopped for Christmas presents among the booths at the winter craft fest. But the Wedding-in-a-Week festivities? He'd never had anything to do with that. And he didn't plan to—not until he had the Boat Works solidly in the black. His curiosity rising, he folded his arms and sat back in his chair to listen .

"As you might remember, Weddings Today runs a Wedding-in-a-Week contest every year. Thousands of engaged couples from all over the world enter. Every one of them hopes to win an all-expense-paid wedding. The magazine chooses the couple they deem most deserving from the applicants. Because we've been named America's Top Wedding Destination again this year, we'll host the event." She paused to let the significance of the honor sink in. "Business owners throughout Heart's Landing participate by donating their goods and services. I'm sure you remember filling out your forms last fall."

On his right, JeanMarie and Evelyn nodded, while Ryan tried hard not to scratch his head. He knew good and well he hadn't dropped his name in the box. He'd considered it. In fact, he'd spent hours weighing the benefits of throwing his hat in the ring versus the risk of failure. But he'd barely finished demolition on the Boat Works by the deadline at the end of September. That had given him another ten months to transform the building into a wedding venue. A lot of people would consider that an adequate timeframe. He hadn't. Like death and taxes, construction delays were inevitable. In the end, he'd decided the odds were too great that he'd hit a snag and let the town—and the bride and groom—down .

So, if he hadn't entered, why was he here? He stirred, prepared to ask, but Alicia barely paused for a breath, much less for questions.

"This year's lucky couple will arrive tomorrow. Over the course of the next week, the participating Heart's Landing business owners will present our bride and groom with three options for their wedding—three menus for their reception, three music choices, three floral motifs, three gowns and tuxes. Everything they could possibly need or want in order to have the wedding of their dreams. A photographer from Weddings Today will be on hand to document the entire process for a special late-summer edition, which will showcase the businesses that contributed to this year's special wedding."

Ryan drank in a deep breath of air and slowly exhaled. This situation grew stranger by the minute. He certainly didn't have three choices to provide the bride and groom. The best he could offer was one not-quite-finished Boat Works.

"That's where you come in," Alicia said. "Each of you is in charge of one of three venues. The Captain's Cottage," she said with a nod to Evelyn. "Statue Park." She offered a smile to JeanMarie. "And the Boat Works," she said, finally looking straight at him.

Ryan gave the faces of the other two women a quick scan. Evelyn leaned forward, her eyes bright, her lips pursed in a small, round O. JeanMarie's face had tensed into a not-so-pleasant shape. His eyes narrowed.

"When did you say this was happening?" asked the woman in charge of the parks scattered throughout Heart's Landing.

Alicia referred to her computer screen. "The lucky couple and a photographer from Weddings Today are scheduled to arrive on the 4:30 train tomorrow afternoon. JeanMarie and Ryan, since this is your first experience with Wedding-in-a-Week, I'll go over the schedule. And Evelyn, I know you've helped Jason with the contest before, but as the Cottage's sole representative this year, this is all good information for you, too."

The wedding planner plunged ahead. "Each of you and other business leaders from Heart's Landing will be on hand to greet this year's couple at the train station. Jenny and I will escort them to the Union Street Bed-and-Breakfast, their home for the week. Starting bright and early on Monday, we'll tour the three venues. Tuesday through Friday, they'll visit some of the best shops in town, starting with Eat, Drink and Be Married. Saturday, the bride and groom will tell us which of the options they've chosen, which will give us exactly twenty-four hours before the wedding Sunday afternoon."

"Next Sunday?" JeanMarie straightened, her expression glum. "A week from tomorrow?"

"Yes." Alicia tilted her head. Concern knitted her eyebrows. "Is that a problem?"

"Actually, it is." When JeanMarie's words faltered, Ryan braced for bad news. Her voice barely a whisper, she said, "Lightning struck The Ash last night."

The room took a collective breath. One of the oldest trees in Rhode Island, The Ash had already weathered many winters by the time Captain Thaddeus had first made landfall in nearby Heart's Cove. He and his wife, Mary, had carved their initials into its thick trunk. Families had picnicked in its shade for more than two hundred years. Visitors to Heart's Landing gawked at the tree that towered over the town.

"That's why I was late. I spent the morning assessing the damage. I've consulted with several specialists. There's nothing to be done. No hope at all. It can't be saved."

Ryan's jaw clenched. JeanMarie, her shoulders slumping, stared at her lap.

"That's not the worst part," she murmured.

He shifted. How much worse could it get? He was pretty sure he wasn't the only one in Heart's Landing who'd shared a first kiss in the shade of that old tree. Or had rested his head in his arms against its rough bark, his eyes closed, while he'd played hide-and-seek with friends. Every spring, the youngest and oldest students at Heart's Landing Elementary made a special field trip to Statue Park. After the docents regaled them with stories of Captain Thaddeus's exploits, the kindergartners would join hands, while the fifth graders marveled at how many of them it took to circle the massive base. Its loss was a crushing blow.

"The Ash is so big we've had to call in experts from Providence to remove it. They won't get here for at least ten days, possibly longer. Until then, we've blocked off the area with cones and barricades, but it's quite a mess. Limbs and debris everywhere. We couldn't possibly hold a wedding there next weekend."

For a long moment, all four of them sat quietly, each absorbing the news in their own way.

Evelyn was the first to break the silence. "I'd like a cutting to plant on the grounds here."

"We're one step ahead of you." The tiniest flicker of light shone in JeanMarie's dark eyes. "We've been harvesting and planting seeds for more than a decade. We have quite a few saplings available. "

"I'll take one." Ryan smiled. He had just the spot for it near the Boat Works. The idea of baby Ashes taking root throughout Heart's Landing stirred a warm feeling in his chest.

"Me, too."

They all swung toward Alicia, whose expression had grown pensive.

"I hate hearing about The Ash," she said, her voice heavy. "I'm also concerned about how this will affect our Wedding-in-a-Week plans. I'll notify all the sponsors, though I'm sure word has already spread through town." She grabbed a blue binder from a stack on her desk and paged through it. After a minute, her shoulders lifted and dropped in an acquiescent shrug. She closed the notebook. "According to the rules, we can move forward with two venue choices. I don't like that, but we're at the start of the wedding season. At this late date, every other venue in Heart's Landing is booked solid."

"You're right about that," JeanMarie confirmed. "We had two weddings scheduled in the park this week. My secretary's been on the phone, trying to find somewhere else to hold them. There wasn't a single opening anywhere in town."

Alicia's dark eyes widened. Stiffening, she clamped a hand over her mouth. "What are you going to do? "

Ryan shifted on the chair that had suddenly grown uncomfortable. The thought of disappointing two brides in one week actually made his chest ache.

"It's all right," JeanMarie confidently. "I've spoken to both of our couples. They've agreed to hold their ceremonies in the green space across the street. They actually prefer it."

He could see why. Red maples ringed the open grassy area that was normally reserved for picnics and family outings. If anything, the location was even prettier.

At JeanMarie's soothing reassurance that the brides in question would still get their perfect weddings, Alicia's horrified expression cleared. She tapped her fingers on her desk. "Well, since we know for sure there aren't any other venues available, that leaves the Captain's Cottage and the Boat Works. It's all up to you, Evelyn and Ryan. Can Heart's Landing count on you?"

"Absolutely." Evelyn's voice firmed. "The Captain's Cottage would be honored to participate."

Ryan pressed his shoulders into his chair. The question of how he'd landed a spot in the prestigious contest remained. Another guy might keep his mouth shut, sit back, and thank his lucky stars, but his mom hadn't raised him to take unfair advantage of a situation. He leaned forward. "Alicia?" When he had her attention, he pointed out the problem. "Don't get me wrong—I'd love for the Boat Works to be involved. But I never signed up for this." He shrugged. "I thought you should know."

On the other side of her desk, the older woman peered at her computer screen. "Everything was in order with your application." She adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose. Behind the lenses, brown eyes focused sharply on him. "You'd be leaving me—leaving Heart's Landing—in the lurch if you withdrew. Is that what you want to do?"

"Never," he blurted. He swallowed. A bit slower, he added, "Not at all." He still had no idea who'd submitted his name, but he could figure that out another day, another time. For now, he'd been given an opportunity. He wasn't fool enough to turn it down.

Alicia's gaze swung between his and Evelyn's. "Then I can count on both of you?"

For a chance to have the Boat Works featured in a national magazine? Was she kidding? He'd cleared his schedule in order to knock out the punch list this week, but he'd take care of every single item before the sun came up Monday even if he had to pull back-to-back all-nighters to make it happen. He grinned and shot Evelyn a challenging look. "Unless you'd like to make things simple and back out now," he teased, knowing full well she wouldn't even think of such a thing.

"Not on your life." She paired her answer with a cocky thrust of her chin, accepting the dare with a sparkle in her green eyes.

He grinned. Game on!