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“Of course, turning on the chandeliers will have to wait until the power comes back, but they are so pretty!”
The draperies that fell from the scrolled wooden slats were a pretty shade of maroon and edged in silver. A pile of plump pillows sat on top of an exquisitely embroidered bedspread.
“Come look at this bathroom,” Jenna said next, tugging at Caitey’s hand. “The shower is huge, and there’s a bathtub deep enough to sit in with bubbles.”
“I noticed the fireplace in thebedroom, too. That will be useful tonight since the house is without power; we no longer have any heaters running without power. I can feel a chill starting to run down my arms.”
“I feel it, too,” Jenna admitted. “Goosebumps. Maybe I need to ask Reginald to light the fireplace now instead of waiting until later?”
“I’ll get him on it. Now go freshen your makeup and spritz your hair while I go downstairs and start the entrance music.” Caitey slapped a hand to her mouth. “No! I can’t begin the music for your bridal entrance with no power to run the stereo and speaker system!”
Jenna’s face began to crumple again. “Good grief! Will the bad news never end . . .?”
Caitey rushed forward. “Please don’t cry. Not today. It’s been a super stressful, horrible, no-good day, and I wanted everything to be so perfect for you—”
“That’s not your fault,” Jenna interjected, wiping her eyes. “I’m just weepy about all of it. Everything I dreamed of for today has been turned upside down—or worse!”
Instead of giving in to the panic she’d been experiencing all day, Caitey squared her shoulders, hugged Jenna tight for a moment, then gazed into her face. “Themostimportant part of this wedding is that you are marrying the good man you love. You get to spend the rest of your life with wonderful, kind, handsome Logan Hearst. We’ll look back on all this craziness and laugh—and we’ll think it was the coolest wedding ever!”
Jenna’s lips quirked up a little. “Cool as in blizzard conditions, that’s for sure!”
Caitey laughed. “I will figure something out! Come down in fifteen minutes,” she ordered. “This wedding is on schedule—well, kind of,” she laughed. “And in case I forgot, Marcus is your substitute photographer!”
“Wow, Caitey, you think of everything! But you still need to get dressed, too!”
“Good grief, I forgot to get into my bridesmaid dress! Up until the snowstorm, I was the backup bridesmaid. Marina is supposed to be here standing next to you.”
“Since I love my cousin, you are the perfect replacement. Get moving, girl!”
Racing back to her bedroom, Caitey heard the murmur of voices as the dads, the groom, the minister, and the mansion staff gathered in the drawing room.
Stopping in her tracks, a new worry exploded in her mind. “How in the world is Gus going to cook the filet mignon?”
Once in her room, she hurried through a second shower after the day’s decorating and worry, the scent of gorgeous Marcus lingering on her skin. This entire weekend had been a series of unexpected and furious events.
After dressing, Maggie knocked on the suite door to tell her to meet Mrs. Hearst, who was waiting to do her face and hair in Jenna’s room.
The elegant bridesmaid gownwas a sweeping satin burgundy shade with lace accents. She twirled in front of the full-length mirror, loving how it looked on her.
Two minutes later, Mrs. Hearst got to work on her hair. Soon, she had a chignon hairstyle, sparkly earrings, and a necklace set with delicate ringlets hanging from her face.
Caitey twirled in front of the mirrors while the older women clapped their hands. “Thanks for making me look like a princess next to Queen Jenna!”
“You look lovely, Caitey,” Aunt Vicki said softly, squeezing her hand. The entire main floor was suffused with the glow of hundreds of candles when they descended the staircase. Maggiewasa miracle worker!
“It’s absolutely beautiful, but I’m worried about the music and the dinner meal—how will it finish getting cooked and baked?”
Mrs. Hearst brushed a nonchalant hand through the air. “I’m very blessed with great staff. Gus got the generators going—he had already stocked the propane tanks for the winter season, thank goodness. The oven is doing the last baking, and the gas grills are grilling,” she added with a little laugh. “Our wedding dinner will be delicious.”
“That means we also have—” Caitey began to say.
“Yep,” a male voice said, striding out of the shadows.
Marcus was incredibly sexy and masculine, towering under the foyer chandelier with his broad shoulders in a deep gray suit as best man. “Let’s go start the music, Miss Caitey.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t think any man could looksodang good. Those shoulders, that chin, that mouth, those deep, melty hot cocoa eyes with a side of rich Godiva chocolate!
“Um—um—yes, let’s start the music,” she stammered as he came forward and took her hand in his firm, warm fingers to guide her into the drawing room toward the built-in stereo system. In moments, Pachelbel’s “Canon” was playing softly in surround sound, filling each downstairs room and floating up the elegant staircases.
