The Mills & Boon Ultimate Christmas Collection. Kate Hardy

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      “Something about the shift in ocean current or the moon, or something.”

      “Golly, and here I thought you’d be going to some little backwater with people who wore overalls and ate stalks of hay, and you’re surrounded by all these potential husbands.”

      “They’re not potential husbands! One of them might be married and the other one works for me! How do you twist something innocent into… matrimony?”

      “Oh, please… don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it?”

      It had crossed my mind about Kai, but only in that very blurry, ‘I wonder where he’ll end up’ way. “No, I haven’t. Not at all.”

      “You can’t fool me, Miss Winters. But fine, keep your secrets.”

      “How’re things there?”

      “Fine. Fine.”

      “Oh no, what now? I know your fine does not mean fine. It means the exact opposite of fine.”

      Amory groaned. “You’re the only one who can pick that up in my voice. It’s quite a nuisance. I didn’t want to tell you, because seriously it’s just ridiculous. Have you had any calls, any requests for interviews?”

      “You’re the only one with my new number.” When I left the agency, I’d had to hand in my phone like a naughty schoolgirl.

      “Ah, of course. Well, yesterday your lovely face popped up on page two of the Gazette.”

      I frowned. “And?” They’d already found photos of me, and – I noted – always the ones where my hair was out-of-control curly or I wore some unflattering expression.

      “I know it’s probably innocent, but you’re all over the groom!”

      I gasped. “Did they Photoshop it? I haven’t even…” Oh, God! “When I broke the news to him, his lip started to wobble – so I reached out to hug him! I was only comforting him! Who would’ve taken a photo of that precise moment? The vultures!”

      “I know, and then they sold it. Surprised it’s taken this long to make the papers, to be honest.”

      “Oh, Amory, this is a disaster! No one will ever trust me to host their weddings, even in deep, dark Evergreen.”

      She let out a long sigh. “I know. Maybe keep a low profile with your marketing for now. Don’t go shouting about yourself, stick to advertising just about Cedarwood… but maybe keep your name out of it.”

      “I cannot believe this. I’d give anything to turn back time.” I couldn’t even see a way to spin the story in my favor. As the saying went, any publicity is good publicity… but even for a wedding planner in the arms of someone else’s fiancé? Somehow I didn’t think so.

      “Don’t be blue,” Amory said, sensing my discomfort. “Sometimes I wish I could pack up and come and stay with you. I could hike or do Pilates in the stream at quarter to ten or something.”

      A giggle escaped me, picturing her doing just that. “You’d never make it up the bluff in those heels.”

      She laughed. “True, and I think I’d tumble forward if I wore flats. My body is used to be being artificially propped up six inches.”

      “I miss you.”

      “Don’t go getting all soppy on me, my mascara isn’t waterproof.”

      “Time for those eyelash extensions.”

      “I’ll Snapchat you later.”

      “I love it when you talk tech.”

      “That’s if you even get Wi-Fi out there in them hills.” She adopted a hillbilly accent.

      “I’ll start my dial-up as soon as the homing pigeon brings your message.”

      She laughed uproariously. “Now, about the party, what theme are you going for?”

      I sank back into the chair in the lobby as rain clouds gathered outside. “A riot of color. Imelda loves bright and pretty things so I want to make it an explosion of glamour – but bright and happy. Their son, Walter, gave me hundreds of pictures of them throughout their lives; half of them are black and white, so, with the backdrop of fuchsia and saffron and indigo, the photos will stand out. I’ve made a photo montage and coupled it with their favorite songs. Simple yet elegant. I want the focus to be on them and their family and friends, a celebration of two lives merged and what comes from that.”

      “That sounds amazing! I’ve got some frames here I could send.”

      “God no, then I’ll be arrested for stealing or something.”

      “Good point. Well, let me know if I can find anything around town and ship it over.”

      “Thanks, Amory. Ship yourself here, that’d be good.”

      “Be careful what you wish for.”

      ***

      I’d left Kai in one of the upper rooms of the lodge, poring over the fire inspection report with promises to meet later to discuss it. It was good to be back inside, and as I walked sedately down the stairs I couldn’t help but shiver at how close we had come to losing everything. Still, time marched invariably on and it was time to catch up with my old gang of friends.

      Micah honked the horn and I went outside, shrinking as the cold hit my skin.

      I figured I’d be subtle when I mentioned Isla. Take it slow and not scare him off. I jumped in the car and fastened my seatbelt. “So-o-o, anything you want to tell me?” Whoops. Perhaps subtle wasn’t in my vocabulary. Micah had been discharged from the hospital early that morning, but I’d insisted he take the rest of the week off, no matter how much he protested, so now was my chance to grill him.

      “Well, I’m glad you asked,” he said, grinning, “This morning I had waffles for breakfast, with strawberries and cream, and I hiked up the bluff to work the sugar out of my system, since I’m banned from returning to work, when I am perfectly fine. That what you wanted to know?”

      I slapped his arm playfully. “You know it isn’t! I was going to tell you Isla was walking around Cedarwood all moony-eyed and dazed; if I didn’t know better I’d say she was lovestruck but I won’t bore you with any details…” I made a show of gazing at my nails like they were fascinating while Micah’s driving became a little too erratic for my liking.

      “She was? What did she say?”

      I smiled. “Eyes on the road, Micah! She couldn’t form words. Just mumbled and wandered around in circles, pruning, chopping, shaping plants, even though her mind was clearly elsewhere.” Luckily for me, Isla worked at four times the speed of any normal person, so even in her love bubble she was still doing a great job.

      “Maybe she’s homesick?”

      “Lovesick, more like. You can give up the act, Micah. I saw you at the hospital.”

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