“I’m glad to hear that,” Kinley said in relief. “I was going to insist on a lock, anyway. I’m happy Logan took care of it already.”
“Have you had anything to eat this morning?”
Taking another swig of strong coffee, she shook her head. “I’m not really hungry.”
Bonnie frowned. “You should eat something. You have a long day ahead.”
“I’ll eat later. How did breakfast go?”
“No problems. Rhoda got here early to help. She and Sandy will clean the rooms while everyone is busy with wedding festivities. Everything else seems to be on track.”
Kinley had her phone in her hand, scrolling through her checklist for the day. “Eva’s already called me twice with nitpicky instructions, but she’s staying busy most of the day supervising Serena and all the bridesmaids at the salon. They’re all getting mani-pedis and facials and having their hair and makeup done, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Eva has to approve each one individually.”
She’d spoken quietly but still Bonnie glanced quickly toward the doorway even as she smiled. “You’re probably right,” she murmured. “I just hope someone’s keeping a close eye on Grayson today. You’d think he’d have been frightened enough to learn a lesson last night, but he didn’t seem perturbed. Maybe his parents were scared enough to learn their lesson, instead.”
“He said he was chasing a deer.” Kinley shook her head grimly. “That kid would give me a heart attack before he turns five if I were responsible for him.”
“I heard him telling his parents about the deer as they were leaving, when you were getting your bag and keys. He said it was a big deer with horns, but it ran away and he got lost. He said he waited with the doggie and the nice lady and he wasn’t scared.”
“He wouldn’t have thought I was so nice if I’d chewed him out the way I really wanted to,” Kinley muttered.
“That’s the odd thing,” Bonnie mused, studying Kinley with a slight frown. “When Connor asked Grayson if he was talking about you, Grayson said, no, the other lady. He started talking about Ninja again then, and they took him home, but I wasn’t sure what he meant. Do you know?”
Her hand suddenly unsteady, Kinley set her coffee mug carefully by the sink. “I don’t even try to understand Grayson. I should probably go make some calls now, unless you need me for anything.”
“No, everything’s under control. Um—unless you want to talk to me? About anything?”
Kinley didn’t quite meet her sister’s eyes. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Bonnie sighed loudly. “You really think I don’t know when something is going on with you? Something that’s troubling you? Do you want to tell me about it?”
What, exactly, would she tell Bonnie if she tried to share what was on her mind? About the incredible night she’d spent in her bed with the footloose writer she had known less than a week? About her hollow suspicion that her feelings for him had grown too serious despite her best efforts to keep it casual? Her fear that it would be much harder than she hoped to get over him? That she would spend a very long time remembering him, wondering about him, wishing she could experience those amazing hours with him again?
Or…she swallowed hard…should she whisper to her sister that she’d seen something in the woods she couldn’t explain? Something that even now she was reluctant to examine too closely in her memories, something that discomfited her even though she was 99 percent certain she and Dan had simply allowed fear, disorientation and fog to get tangled up with an improbable old tale. Sure, it was odd that they’d thought they saw the same thing at the same time—but wasn’t that how old tales got started and perpetrated? The fog did look alive at times, moving and drifting and changing shapes. As simple as that.
It was just that nothing else about her feelings for Dan was simple, or easily waved off as illusion. And she didn’t know how to process that reality herself, much less discuss it with her sister. Especially now, she reminded herself with another glance at her phone screen, with so much to do today.
“I’d better call the florist,” she said. “She should be at the shop by now. Eva wanted me to have her send over two ‘perfect’ red roses tied with trailing lavender ribbons. She’s had the brainstorm that she and poor Nancy should carry those down the aisle as they’re escorted to their seats.”
Bonnie was obviously dissatisfied by the abrupt change of subject, but she had to agree this was the wrong time for a heart-to-heart conversation. She gave a light squeeze to Kinley’s arm, a gesture of support and affection, then moved toward the doorway. “I have a lot to do myself. Good luck dealing with Eva today. It would probably be better for our future business if you refrain yourself from strangling her prior to the wedding.”
Kinley forced a laugh. “I’ll do my best.”
* * *
Dan made an effort to stay in the background and out of the way Saturday. He found it interesting how much work went on behind-the-scenes in preparation for an outdoor wedding. A simple justice-of-the-peace courthouse wedding sounded better to him all the time—if he should ever find himself in a position of wanting to be married, of course.
Perhaps coincidentally—or maybe not—he searched out Kinley in the controlled chaos. She’d been bustling around all day, usually with her phone to her ear or at her fingertips as she scrolled and texted. When she wasn’t on the phone, she was deep in consultation with one of the wedding subcontractors, or mingling with her warm hostess smile among guests of the inn. All six of the other suites were currently occupied but he’d gleaned that four of the suites would be empty after the wedding tonight. While he was sure the Carmichaels preferred a full inn, he’d bet they would appreciate a slow day or two to recuperate from this particular event.
He had confirmed with Bonnie that his own suite was available for an extra night or two. Though he’d planned originally to leave immediately after the wedding, he couldn’t say now exactly when he would move on. Bonnie had made no comment in response to his request other than to say he was welcome to stay as long as he liked, but he wondered if she was aware that her sister was the reason he was in no hurry to check out.
Kinley had greeted him pleasantly enough when she’d first seen him earlier, her expression so well schooled that he doubted any observer would have suspected there were any simmering undertones between them. She looked far more composed and controlled than the passionate woman who’d burned in his arms only hours earlier. The contrast between those two sides of her fascinated him, but then, so did just about everything else about her. Even the things that—as she’d phrased it—pushed his buttons.
Eva had decided that no guests should be out in the garden between two and four that afternoon, which was when she had instructed all final touches should be added to the decorations. Any guests who arrived for the five o’clock ceremony before four should mingle inside the inn, she’d proclaimed. That way everything would be in place to perfection when the ushers started the seating.
Dan exempted himself from those instructions because he didn’t consider himself a guest of the wedding. He wandered outside at three, idly watching as the garden became a hive of eleventh-hour activity. He’d thought the place was fully decorated the night before, but he saw now that there’d been plenty of touches held in reserve for the wedding itself. Baskets of flowers that perhaps wouldn’t have held up all night, fresh white candles in the fancy wrought iron holders, straightening of bows and garlands ruffled by overnight breezes. He smiled when he saw Logan raking the pebbled aisle path, smoothing the small white rocks and removing any leaves and twigs.
“Quite a production, isn’t it?” he asked as he approached Kinley’s brother.