Healed with a Kiss (Bride Mountain 3)

Her smile felt a bit more natural when she leaned against the headboard and pulled her knees up in front of her. “I do have a funny story for you. Someone told me about a wedding last weekend that had a dog for a ring bearer. So, anyway, right in the middle of the ceremony, the dog freaked out...”

They chatted pleasantly for some fifteen minutes before saying good-night. It was nice having the echo of Logan’s deep voice in her mind as she snuggled into her pillow a few minutes later with her cat curled beside her. But even as she nestled into the pillows and pulled her blanket to her chin, she was aware that once again he’d carefully avoided any mention of her upcoming trip to Seattle.

Chapter Four

Alexis sat in her office Friday after lunch, a half-read contract displayed on her computer monitor, and several letters to be signed piled on her desk beside a stack of memos to be read and acted upon. It wasn’t a large office, but she’d made the most of the space with open-backed, floor-to-ceiling white bookcases over peach walls, a glossy white desk and credenza set, and white leather seating. On the wall behind her desk were large framed photos of some of the weddings and other events she’d coordinated during the past year and a half.

There wasn’t much of a view from the big window opposite her desk, merely a parking lot ringed by bare trees and flower beds that needed a bit of spring care, but the sun streamed in through the open blinds, adding even more light and airiness to the room. She’d never cared to work in dark offices, preferring the same bright whites and clear colors she’d used at home.

Someone tapped on her open office door and she glanced up from the monitor, absently pushing her glasses up on her nose. She smiled when she recognized her visitor. “Kinley. Hello, come in.”

“Gretchen told me to come on back, but if this is a bad time...”

“Not at all.” Alexis rose and motioned toward the comfortable seating at the other end of the office, a white leather couch and two matching wingback chairs grouped around a glass table that held a bouquet of fresh spring flowers and a couple of albums of wedding and event photos. “Please, have a seat. Would you like some coffee? Or tea? It would only take a couple of minutes to make either.”

“Tea sounds nice, if you have time to have a cup with me. I just dropped off some new brochures for the inn with Gretchen and I wanted to say hello to you while I’m here.”

Alexis moved toward the pod brewer on her credenza. “I’m glad you did. I always appreciate a pleasant distraction from dull paperwork.”

“I know that feeling,” Kinley said with a laugh, sinking onto the couch. “It seems like I can never catch up with the paperwork from either of my jobs, especially when I have a big real estate deal under way.”

Alexis set a cup and saucer in front of her visitor and settled into one of the chairs with her own cup. “Josie called this morning. She’s so

excited that her wedding is finally going to happen tomorrow. She and Ted have waited a long time to see this day.”

Kinley smiled. “She’s great to work with, isn’t she? So easygoing. I have a feeling her wedding is going to be so much fun for her guests.”

“That’s what she wants. A party on the grounds. Nothing formal or stuffy or overly traditional, which was why she didn’t want an official rehearsal today. Nor did she want to put a whole lot of effort into it,” she added with a wry smile. “That’s why she hired me. She pretty much told me what sort of wedding she wanted, what colors she likes, and then just set me loose. Some of the details tomorrow are going to be surprises even to her.”

“There’s a world of difference between micromanaging brides and the ones who expect you to do everything for them, isn’t there?”

Alexis laughed. “Definitely. But at least I know Josie isn’t the type who’d put it all on me to decide, then criticize my choices.”

Kinley nodded in empathy. “Been there.”

“How’s everything at the inn?”

Wrinkling her nose, Kinley picked up her teacup. “I think I’m going to make a new policy. Starting immediately, my brother will no longer be included in any meetings with clients or potential clients. Bonnie and I will make all future arrangements, then simply tell him afterward what we want him to do. We should have done that from the beginning. It’s what he’s always wanted, just to do his job, close himself back in his house and let us deal with guests and clients.”

“What has he done now?”

Biting her lip, Kinley looked as though she wasn’t sure how much she should share with Alexis, who certainly fell more under the classification of “client” than “friend.” But perhaps that delineation was fading a bit as they spent more time together, Alexis conceded, thinking of how much she liked both Carmichael sisters, how well they’d all gotten along from the start of their collaboration.

Kinley seemed to reach the same conclusion. With a crooked smile, she said, “I suppose you’ve worked with us enough to realize that customer relations isn’t my brother’s strong suit. Honestly, he’s a great guy. The best brother anyone could ask for. He just— Well, he doesn’t have much of a filter between his thoughts and his words when it comes to ideas he thinks are unrealistic.”

Alexis laughed softly. “You don’t have to defend him to me. I’ve never really minded his grumbling.”

She thought it was safe to admit that much, at least, considering that she had worked so closely with all three of the siblings during the half dozen events she’d coordinated thus far at the inn. “He’s done an excellent job for me each time, despite his, um, hesitation on certain issues. I can’t really blame him for wanting to protect the grounds. He and his crew work so hard to keep them immaculate, and I’m sure he’s always trying to protect them for future use. Some of your events are so close together that I’m amazed he can take down from one and set up for the next so quickly.”

“Exactly.” Kinley looked both pleased and relieved that Alexis understood. “You’ve always had a knack for handling him. Unfortunately, others don’t understand him quite as well.”

Alexis grimaced. “Something happened?”

“He had words with another wedding planner this morning, one who’s coordinated several weddings at the inn. Or should I say, he didn’t bother to mince words with her, and she didn’t take it well. I think I managed to calm her down, and she said she wasn’t taking us off her venue list, but she was really annoyed.”

Alexis was a little surprised. Sure, Logan growled a bit, but she had never seen him be completely unreasonable. He’d even held on to his patience—for the most part—with an overanxious mother of the bride at one of her earlier weddings at the inn who wanted to stand over his shoulder and supervise his every move, until Alexis had sent her off on several “important” errands to keep her busy elsewhere. “Were her requests completely out of line?”

Kinley chose her words carefully, obviously aware that she was talking about another client. “She asked if it would be possible for us to cut down or at least severely prune back the big magnolia tree on the east side of the gazebo. She said a couple of her photographers have complained that it hampers full access to the ceremonies. I know it’s tricky taking photos from that angle, but it’s not impossible, and most of them come up with beautiful shots from all around the gazebo.”