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She could tell by the tightness in his jaw and the broad flex of his shoulders he didn’t take her words too kindly. She stole a quick glance and sure enough, his eyes were hooded and the mask of the CEO had firmly slipped into place once again.
Another ding.
He gestured for Priscilla to take a stool.
He yanked open a kitchen cabinet and didn’t waste time in handing over a mug. “I told your father I would be by later in the day. Is there something wrong?”
“Daddy sent me over first thing this morning. He’s extended an invitation to dinner this evening. Just the three of us.”
Juniper’s gaze darted between the two. Marshall didn’t look at all happy, Priscilla had the look of a fox ready to pounce, and Juniper couldn’t do anything but look on. Besides, Marshall was a grown man and could handle someone like her. On top of all that, Pricilla was right, Juniper was the hired help all the way to the end.
Juniper stepped back a few paces for some privacy and thumbed through the multiple messages.
Mayday. Missing: where is your blue binder with your recipes and menu? Any clues would be nice.
She thumbed out a reply to Callie.
One fire adverted.
Another ping. Callie again:
Dress doesn’t fit.
And then another came in this time with a picture of a small sign outside of Banners’ wedding shop that read: Why go to Juniper when Banners is better!
That took the air right out of her. Why that underhanded, venomous, snidely—What a nasty thing to say let alone put in print! Her fingers tightened around her phone. Calm down, Juniper. She couldn’t afford to lose her temper.
Next message, this one from Gran.
Dresses arrived. Callie’s doesn’t fit and mine makes me look like a hooker. Sad face.
Juniper texted back.
On my way home today. I’ll get it fixed.
She’d been scheduled to arrive home tomorrow and go straight to Jon’s resorts and oversee the decorating for a few hours before heading out to Gran’s party. assuming he said yes. If she could grab a couple of minutes to herself, maybe she could nail down a response from Jon through email rather than a lengthy phone call. She pulled up his email and punched out a quick note. Hopefully, he would see it in time. Being in Switzerland overseeing one of his lodges, she doubted he would get to it within the next few hours. Maybe dodging his call this morning hadn’t been the best idea after all. She pinged his instant messages too just to cover all bases. Maybe she could call him in-flight.
She switched gears and turned back to the fires that were blowing up her phone.
Another message this time from Callie.
Banker visited. Wanted to know if everything was okay. I reassured him. Hope that was okay.
Next firebomb came from Gran, and Juniper cringed.
Forget my dress. Ivy’s pup ate it. Hooker angle is no longer a problem, I guess. Sorry! Your mom is worried. Text her when you get a min.
Why couldn’t she get nice messages like, ‘everything is great, Jun? Nothing to worry about.’ That would be a nice change of pace for sure.
Huddled over the kitchen counter Priscilla spoke low and Marshall looked more irritated by the minute while Juniper had a mini panic attack trying to wrap her head around the chaos happening back home.
Absorbed in the spiraling events, Juniper still managed to hear Marshall’s next words.
“I’ll go, only if Juniper accompanies me as my fiancée. Then your father and I can close our deal and we’ll be done before my wedding.”
Surprise drew Juniper’s gaze to him then over to Priscilla, who didn’t look all that happy with her pinched brows.
“Speaking of, Father has a proposition, one I’m sure Juniper would love to hear. She’ll be off the hook in marrying you and back to doing what she does best.”
