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“Sounds perfect. You asked me to plan for about twenty, so that’s the number of decorations for chairs and tables I brought, with a few extras for those ‘just in case’ moments. Oh! You were able to pick up the chairs and the arch for the arbor, right?” Caitey asked.
“No worries, they’re all here!” Jenna said gaily. “We just have to set it all up and add the goodies—as in flowers, ribbon, etc! Of course, Logan still hopes his older brother and wife can get the time off to fly in from Maine, but they haven’t been very optimistic. With two young children, finding childcare, and taking three flights to get across the country, they might not make it.”
I will let you unpack now, Miss Caitey,” Maggie said. “But if you need anything, you can call me on the house phone sitting at the bedside table. I’m available day or night. My name and extension are listed, along with Reginald and Gus, the cook.”
“Night, too?” Caitey repeated in awe. Wow, a house phone, too. This place was like out of a movie.
“I live on-site in my cottage far back on the grounds. You can’t see it from here, which givesmeand the family our privacy. Reginald is also on-site, but the cook only comes in for weekends and special occasions.Mrs. Hearst does the weekday cooking. She took cooking lessons a few years ago and insists it’s one of her hobbies and pleasures now.”
“It can be a fun hobby, especially for experimenting with recipes.”
Maggie headed to the door. “And now I will sayau revoiruntil later.”
As soon as the door closed behind Maggie, Jenna wrapped her arms around Caitey and hugged her. “I am so excited! I can’t stand it. I’m getting married in less than two days!”
Caitey took a deep breath. “I hope I can pull together exactly what you want.”
“I’m not worried about it at all. And if we need anything else, we’ll justgo shopping! Right now, unpack, have a lie-down, and I’ll meet you in Mrs. Hearst’s study before dinner to look through all the wedding stuff.”
“When is dinner again?”
“Seven o’clock.” Jenna grinned. “Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re new here. I’ll knock on your door, and we’ll go down together so I can show you where the study is.”
“You’d better!” Caitey threatened with a laugh. “I’ll get lost and the guys will tease me to no end.”
“Just in good fun. Logan can be quite entertaining. I don’t know Marcus as well, but I’ve met him a couple of times before now when I was here visiting and first met the family last year.”
“Um, Marcus can be intimidating,” Caitey admitted, trying to sound nonchalant.
“It’s the Navy SEAL regimentation built into him. Don’t let him bother you. He’s really very sweet. And,” Jenna said, lowering her voice to nearly a whisper, “he has some kind ofsecret past.”
Caitey’s eyebrows raised so high they were probably in her hairline by now. “Secret past?! Dare I ask what that’s all about?”
She hadn’t told Jenna about the photograph of the gorgeous woman falling from his wallet. But this news was not surprising from Marcus’s reaction to get that picture out of sight as fast as possible.
“I honestly do not know. Logan won’t even talk about it. He said it was a private matter and not his to divulge. I told him that after I become his wife, he’d better give me a tell-all session. He and Marcus talk practically every day.”
“Have you heard any rumors?” Caitey was now deathly curious.
“Nope. I haven’t ever gotten any vibes from Mr. or Mrs. Hearst about it. If it was something major, they probably know as well, right?”
“It makes sense if their son is such a long-time friend of Marcus.” She paused, then added, “His impassive face and erect posture make me think I should call himMr. Stirling.”
Jenna laughed. “That’s the military training in him. He’s honestly a good guy. You have to get to know him.”
“For now, I think I’ll steer clear.”
“Oh, Caitey, you’re being silly. Since we will be together for several days, we should allbe friends. Stay up late playing games, eating popcorn, and laughing ourselves silly.”
Caitey gave her a small smile. “That sounds nice. I haven’t done that since I last visited you in New Orleans a year ago! By the way, how are you and Logan making your long-distance relationship work?”
“He moved to New Orleans a few months ago. I thought I’d told you! I’m sorry,” Jenna cried. “I’ve been busy opening another Coffee Loft franchise in the suburbs. Building, staffing, and the grand opening have taken over my life the past year!”
“I knew it would,” Caitey said. “Have you bought a house together yet? I remember you saying that you were house shopping.”
“Yes, and we’re moving in after our honeymoon. It’s being painted right now, and all our furniture is in storage. Can. Not. Wait!”
Caitey reached over and embraced her. “This is like an exotic trip for me, too.”
