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Caitey shook her head. “Not yet.”
“We will remedy that immediately. Before I forget, I’m assuming you brought wedding decorations and all sorts of fun things for Jenna and Logan’s nuptials?”
“Oh yes, they’re all in my car. That blue Nissan SUV parked in the rear parking lot beside the gardens.”
Mrs. Hearst nodded. “Perfect. We will get these strapping young men to help youtout suite!” She rang a little glass bell sitting on one of the tables in the drawing room, and a gentleman in his mid-60s appeared through a side door. He wore an impeccable black suit, complete with a black tie and pressed slacks. He carried himself with the dignity of a retired military officer, and his silver hair was cut short.
“Yes, madame?” he said to Mrs. Hearst in a solemn British accent with a slight bow.
Caitey sucked in a breath, blinking at the grandeur of this moneyed estate. She stole a glance at Jenna and widened her eyes.The Hearsts actually had a butler?
In return, Jenna smiled sweetly and winked at Caitey.
Mrs. Hearst went on, “Miss Caitey, this is Reginald. He’s been with the family for decades. In fact, he’s like family. I apologize that he wasn’t here when you first arrived. It’s his day off, but we begged him to see us through the dinner hour and evening, and he’ll be with us through the wedding. Maggie, our housekeeper, will take you upstairs to your room. Reginald, will you please organize these young mento unload Caitey’s vehicle? Place all the wedding things in my study for the moment, and we’ll sort through it after dinner.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Shall I require a key to get into the trunk?”
“No,” Caitey said quickly. “I left it unlocked. The back seat is full, as is the trunk. And um, the passenger seat.”
“Perfect,” Mrs. Hearst said, as Logan and Marcus appeared in the foyer again.
Reginald headed for the rear French doors, Logan and Marcus trailing behind and making jokes. At the last moment, before disappearing through the door, Marcus turned to glance behind him and Caitey’s heart jumped into her throat. What did that look mean?
His eyes on hers sent a shiver up and down her spine. Marcus Stirling was unlike any other man she had known. So strong and virile, plus confidence galore without being obnoxious. Just an hour ago, their conversation at the Coffee Loft ran through her mind like a blur. It seemed surreal now.
And that photograph that fell out of his wallet . . . Who was she? A man didn’t keep a picture of a beautiful woman without her meaning something very personal and deep to him.
And yet, he frequently tried to catch Caitey’s eye. For the present, she could not figure him out. Maybe he was trying to figure her out as well.
Caitey shook her head to get that last image of the too-handsome man out of her brain. Hewas attractive but not her type. Or so she tried to tell herself. Of course, the bigger question was: whowasher type?
So far, the guys she’d dated at college had been mostly for fun, way too young to get serious with anyone, and all the relationships after college had ended up going nowhere.
No male had ever made her heart flutter. No man had ever made her look twice.
No man had ever stood out to her like Marcus Stirling.
Darn him anyway. Particularly since it was apparent he was already in love with another girl. He might even be engaged to that woman in the wallet.
So, she needed to ignore the guy, focus on her job, and create the best wedding ever for Jenna.
CHAPTER 7
MARCUS
Marcus was distracted while he, Logan, and Reginald unloaded Caitey’s SUV. The boxes weren’t heavy despite being filled to the brim, and it only took about fifteen minutes to empty the trunk and the car interior.
Everything was stashed in Mrs. Hearst’s study, one pile and box at a time, while Reginald directed the best layout of each item and box.
“Look at all this stuff,” Logan said with a chuckle, pointing out ribbon and tulle, and cut-glass centerpiece bowls. “So much gold and red with dashes of mauve and teal.”
“Teal? Really? Never thought I’d hear my best friend use the word ‘teal,’” Marcus said, giving him a hard time.
Logan snorted a laugh. “It’s the popular new color, don’tyou know? Get with the program. Jenna uses it all the time. She even painted a wall of her Coffee Loft shop in New Orleans a teal color. Said it was her accent wall.”
“I guess shops and stores and—fancy mansions—all have accent walls these days.”
Logan stuck his hands on his hips, nodding with a crooked smile on his face. “My mother is particular about her accent walls. Even the outdoor gazebo had to have an accent wall.”
