Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Evelyn propped her phone against a stack of fabric samples on her desk so she could multitask during her video call with her cousin Jason. In the darkness beyond his and Tara's hotel room, she spied the lights of a soaring church tower. "So how was Cambridgeshire?" she asked.

As she listened to his answer, she went through the stacks of paper on her desk. Thanks to the hundreds of suppliers who had business dealings with the Captain's Cottage, her office floated on a sea of samples. Despite that, she could usually put her finger on exactly what she wanted. Ever since Jason and Tara had embarked on their monthlong honeymoon, though, she'd lost more than one battle against the clutter.

If that were all, she wouldn't worry about it. She could deal with messy. But she'd fallen behind on some of her own responsibilities, and Jason had only been gone two weeks. She flipped through the reminders that had appeared on her desk while she was at the train station. The kitchen had run out of crème fraiche. Housekeeping wanted more buffing cloths.

The landscapers needed more mulch. Each item was critical to the smooth operation of the Captain's Cottage, and it was her job to supply it. Now that Mayor Thomas had added to her workload by practically shaming her into working with Brianna and Daniel, she didn't see herself getting caught up anytime soon.

The full weight of running the busiest wedding venue in Heart's Landing pressed down on her shoulders. Maybe, if she asked Ryan nicely, he'd take over the whole job of showing Brianna and Daniel around Heart's Landing. She shook her head. Not if she wanted the couple to choose the Captain's Cottage, she wouldn't.

"Everything all right?" Jason stared out from the screen, his gaze slightly off-center.

She straightened. "Sure. You're in Ely, right? At the Poet's House?" Jason and Tara had chosen the snug hotel because of its fabled views.

"Eee-lee," Jason corrected. "Yes. We're in the north of England. We have to be up bright and early tomorrow. Our tour of the Ely Cathedral starts at nine." He turned to his wife.

"I can't wait to see it," Tara gushed. "The octagon is considered one of the marvels of medieval architecture."

"After that, we'll ferry across the Channel to France," Jason continued. "Then, it's on to Florence and our final destination, the Duomo."

"Jason arranged a private tour of the Dome and Terraces. It's supposed to be breathtaking," Tara chimed in.

"That sounds positively …" Boring. Evelyn bit her tongue. Traipsing through dimly lit churches had never been her cup of tea, but Jason and Tara shared a passion for flying buttresses and majestic naves. She supposed that was part of what made them perfect for one another. As for herself, she could think of a dozen better ways to spend her first month of married life.

Not that she had time for a relationship, what with the busy bridal season heating up. Plus the added responsibilities of looking after Brianna and Daniel. Her pulse thudded. Two more weeks. She only had to get through the next two weeks before Jason and Tara returned from their honeymoon. She could do it. Piece of cake.

She sniffed the air. The smell of Connie's freshly baked cookies wafted into her office. Her stomach growled insistently. She hushed it and peered at the screen. On the other side of the Atlantic, Jason and Tara shared a loving glance.

"You're having a good time?" she asked them.

"Oh, yes!" Tara's sweet smile filled the screen. "It's been wonderful!"

Warmth blossomed in her chest. Tara and Jason deserved all the best.

Her cousin brushed a kiss onto Tara's forehead before his expression turned serious. "How are things going there? Any problems?"

She toyed with an earring. "Nothing I haven't been able to handle. The Hoovers asked if we could sing at their reception. They were disappointed to learn you were out of town, but they perked right up when I told them ‘Mary' would make a special appearance at no charge. We had a great time at the reception on Friday."

"I'm sorry we left you with so much to handle." Regret played across Jason's face.

"I'll fill in for you when we get back," Tara offered. "I already know the songs for the performances. Now that I'll be living at the Cottage, I probably ought to learn everything else, too. From the financial end on down."

Jason's expression brightened. "You can finally take that nice, long vacation you've been putting off. "

"Maybe," she hedged. Jason and Tara meant well, but their suggestions only highlighted a growing concern. Now that her cousin had found his true love, his wife would rightly assume the role of hostess of the Captain's Cottage. As for the skits and pageants, it was only fitting for Tara to play Mary opposite Jason's impression of the swashbuckling captain.

But where did that leave her, Evelyn wondered. Without a firm goal in mind, looking at the future made her feel uneasy and unsettled. In a move that normally calmed her thoughts, she stroked her ponytail while she filled Jason in on the Wedding-in-a-Week festivities.

On the screen, he grinned. "That's great news, Evelyn. Can't you just picture it? Daniel in his uniform. Brianna all decked out. They'll look wonderful on the cover of Weddings Today with the Captain's Cottage in the background. The publicity will generate a ton of new business. Maybe enough to pay for that new roof."

"You think so?" Replacing the slate on a one-hundred-year-old home was no easy feat. Artisans skilled enough to hand-shape the tiles were hard to come by.

The few they'd located were horribly expensive. She'd nearly fainted dead away when Jason had shown her the first cost estimate. But her cousin was right, she decided, running the numbers in her head. With the added business a big, splashy article in Weddings Today would generate, they might even have the work completed before the June bride season started next year.

She sat for a long moment after she and Jason said their goodbyes. Despite her efforts to forget about it, the question she'd asked herself during the call wouldn't go away.

What came next for her?

She'd never become the kindly maiden aunt tucked away in the family wing, living off her cousin's charity. For one thing, she spoke her mind too often for anyone to mistake her as kindly. Then there was the not-so-little matter of earning her keep, something she insisted on doing. She squared her shoulders. In order to prove she was still a vital member of the team, she needed to drum up new business for the busiest wedding venue in town. Which meant making sure Brianna and Daniel chose the Captain's Cottage for their wedding venue. No matter the cost.

She tugged on her lower lip. Short of breaking the rules, that was. She'd never do that. But she couldn't afford to let her friendship with Ryan get in the way of what was best for the Captain's Cottage. Or winning that dinner at Bow Tie Pasta. She grinned.

The time had come to find out more about her competition. And, thanks to the mayor's little plan, she had just the excuse she needed. If that meant she had to spend a little bit more time around a certain hunky carpenter who made her heart race, all the better. Right?

She reached for her cell phone and punched Ryan's number.

The sun rode low in the western sky by the time Ryan climbed the ladder into the old treehouse. In the small copse of woods near the Captain's Cottage, cool air and shade provided a welcome relief from the summer heat. He stood at the railing and scanned the path that led from the trunk of the sturdy red oak to the mansion's manicured lawns. A figure rounded the corner of the house. Evelyn . He didn't need to see the red hair she'd twisted into thick braids to know it was her. He'd recognize her long, lean silhouette anywhere.

He checked his watch. She was running a few minutes late. But then, punctuality had never been her forte. Still, there she was, striding toward him. How had he let himself get trapped into working with her? Especially just after he'd sworn to keep his distance? Maybe he should have his head—and his heart—examined.

But no. He was doing this for the sake of Heart's Landing. For Brianna and Daniel, a couple who deserved their very own perfect wedding. For the Boat Works. The Wedding-in-a-Week competition was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He'd be a fool not to put his all into it. Even if it did mean working with Evelyn. Besides, it was only for a week. He'd do his part and she'd do hers, and when the seven days were up, he'd walk away with his heart intact.

"Knock, knock." Evelyn's voice floated up through the hole in the floor of the treehouse. A light tapping sounded as she rapped on the ladder.

"You need a hand up?" He peered down at her. When they were kids, climbing up the ladder had felt like climbing Mount Everest.

"I've got it," she grumbled.

Same old Evelyn . Competition was part of her nature. He stepped back as her head popped through the square hole. With an effortless grace, she hoisted herself up the rest of the way.

"You sure picked the strangest place to meet. Frankly, I wasn't sure you knew our old fort still existed."

"Oh, I knew, all right." They'd spent a lot of time in the treehouse when they were younger. He had a thousand good memories of the place. "I checked it out soon after I came back to Heart's Landing. A couple of the steps on the ladder had come loose. So had one of the railings. I replaced those. Otherwise, it was in decent shape, considering how long it's been here."

"Hmmm." She folded her arms across her chest. "You didn't have to do that. I can have the gardening crew give it a thorough look every so often and make whatever repairs are necessary."

"I don't mind." He paused, uncertain whether or not he was saying too much. "I stop by from time to time. It's a good place to think and clear my head."

"Really?" She peered up at him, surprise flickering in her green eyes. "I've been too busy lately, but last summer, I'd fill a thermos and come out here first thing in the morning at least once a week. I like listening to the birds, watching the Cottage come to life."

Memories from their childhood came back in a rush. "We had some good times here when we were kids, didn't we? "

A wide grin broke across Evelyn's face. "We'd pretend the treehouse was a pirate ship and sail the seven seas."

He glanced toward a wooden lean-to in one corner. "Jason was always trying to get you to stay in the cabin so we could rescue you." He laughed. "But you rarely went along with his plans."

"I wanted to be captain of my own ship." She flicked a thick braid over one shoulder.

He shook his head. He and Jason had had a lot to learn about girls back then. Fortunately, Evelyn had been more than willing to teach them. As a matter of fact, she'd actually insisted on it. When they'd tried to tell her girls couldn't captain a ship, much less be a pirate, she'd grudgingly abided by the rules. Not for long, though. One rainy afternoon when they couldn't go outside to play, she'd dragged them both into the library. There, she'd hauled down a book that was nearly as big as she was. She hadn't even been able to read yet, but she hadn't let that stop her. She'd pointed to pictures of Anne Bonny, an infamous lady pirate of the 1700s. After that, Evelyn had demanded they all take turns playing the role of captain. He chuckled. He'd always admired her spunk .

Standing, she wandered over to the railing. "I wonder what happened to our flag. You remember it? Your mom made it for us."

"I have it." His heart expanded at the thought of their initials stitched into the corners, and he smiled. Once, long after they'd outgrown their pirate days, he'd taken a shortcut through the woods on his way to visit Jason and had spied the tattered piece of cloth hanging from an old fishing rod they'd used as a flagpole. He'd retrieved it and, later that night, he'd tucked it among the mementos he kept in a footlocker by his bed.

"You do?"

"I thought my children might like it for their own treehouse someday." He cleared his throat. "If and when that day comes, that is." He shuffled his feet. Why on Earth had he mentioned children? Any discussion along those lines was bound to lead to talk of hopes and dreams for the future. That was not the kind of conversation he wanted to have with a woman who'd long since made it perfectly clear she wasn't interested in him.

Hoping to change the subject, he grabbed the bags he'd brought with him. "I guess we ought to talk about this Wedding-in-a-Week thing. Have a seat?" He gestured to the bare planks where, as kids, they'd spent long hours shooting marbles and playing card games.

"Well, I'm glad someone ended up with the flag." Evelyn settled on the edge of the rough flooring, her feet dangling in the air above the ground.

"I brought sandwiches." Paper rustled as he plopped one bag between them on the boards. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm starving." He'd gotten so lost in putting the finishing touches on the Boat Works this afternoon, he hadn't eaten.

Evelyn stared at the brown paper bag. "Is that what I think it is?"

He grinned. "If you're hoping for grinders from The Aisle, this is your lucky day." A sign over the tiny storefront read Down The Aisle of Sandwiches, but everyone simply referred to the sub shop as The Aisle. From the time they were old enough to pedal their bikes along Procession Avenue, he and his friends had ridden to the sub shop as often as they could.

"Oh, man. I'm dying for one of those." Grabbing the bag, Evelyn stuck her nose inside and breathed in. "The best smell ever," she declared, handing it back.

She was right, and he didn't bother to deny it. He pulled out two subs wrapped in thick white paper. "You want chips? "

"And ruin a perfectly good sandwich? No, thanks. You asked for extra hots, didn't you?"

"Of course." The pickled red peppers added an extra kick that set the subs apart from all others. Eagerly, they peeled back the layers of paper to reveal classic Italian grinders stuffed full of salami, ham and provolone atop a bed of shaved lettuce. The air filled with the aroma of The Aisle's secret dressing. The smell made his mouth water almost painfully.

"Dig in," he suggested, barely able to wait for her to go first.

She did, and they ate in silence for a few minutes. After they'd devoured a few salty, tangy bites, he pulled out two bottles bearing the familiar anchor of a popular Rhode Island brand.

Eyeing the drinks, Evelyn squealed, "Oh, my goodness. You remembered."

"How could I forget? It's still my favorite." His mom made sure the old-fashioned metal cooler on their back porch held an assortment of Yacht Club sodas whenever Jason and Evelyn came over to his house. The three of them had made a game of sifting through the melting ice until each of them found their favorite flavor. He and Evelyn had always been partial to cream soda, while Jason preferred root beer. He pried the top off his and drank deeply. Evelyn did the same. The cool, refreshing taste made the perfect accompaniment to the spicy sandwiches.

At last, he sat back, his arms angled behind him to support his weight. "The Aisle and cream soda. I think I missed those the most when I lived in Maine."

"That, and the brides," Evelyn teased lightly.

"And the brides." He laughed, feeling more at ease than he'd expected after confessing that his love for Heart's Landing had drawn him home.

She handed him a napkin. "Thanks," he said, and mopped his face. When they'd gathered the trash into bags, he returned to the subject they'd met to discuss. "They really stuck it to us with this one, didn't they?"

Beside him, long shadows played across Evelyn's face. "Yeah, but what choice do we have? We have to help. The whole town's depending on us."

"True. But I meant it when I said I had no clue how to handle this. How about you? You have any ideas?"

She shrugged. "Most of the meals are covered. The mayor's taking Brianna and Daniel to the White Dove tomorrow. They have a lunch meeting with Alicia on Tuesday. And so on and so forth. Nights, we're off duty. Alicia or Jenny will go with them to check out their choices for the rehearsal dinner early in the week. The other evenings are set aside for date nights—we don't have to worry about any of those."

"That's good to know." With the others pitching in, he and Evelyn wouldn't have quite as much to do.

"That leaves the vendors for us. Tomorrow, Brianna and Daniel will tour the Boat Works and the Cottage. We can each handle those on our own."

He nodded. Between play dates and the restoration work he'd done there, he pretty much knew the Cottage inside and out. He didn't mind skipping the tour. "Good. I could use a few hours to take care of some things."

"Me, too." Evelyn polished off the last of her soda. "Tomorrow afternoon, I'll go with Brianna to try on wedding gowns while you take Daniel to Tux or Tails. As for the rest, divide and conquer, I guess, so neither of us has too much on our plate."

He considered the schedule. It didn't surprise him one bit that Evelyn had a carefully thought-out plan of attack. But it didn't sound like they'd be spending much time together at all. Had she arranged it that way on purpose? He briefly considered asking her before he discarded the question. He nodded agreeably. "That works for me. We probably ought to touch base once in a while so nothing slips through the cracks."

"Sure. I'll call you or you can call me each evening. We'll make sure everything's covered for the next day." She grabbed the trash bags and shimmied toward the opening in the floor.

Watching her disappear down the ladder, he shook his head. He and Evelyn had been good friends once. But to protect his heart, he'd sworn to keep his distance from her. Now, she'd come up with a plan that would keep them apart throughout the Wedding-in-a-Week activities. He ought to be happy about that.

So why wasn't he?