Ain't She Sweet (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers #2) - Whitney Dineen Page 0,83
I demand.
“I don’t think he knows you’re here,” Claire says. “The lodge was Cash’s idea.”
My skin heats up like I just won a five-alarm chili-eating contest. “Cash’s taste runs more toward the Four Seasons or Greystone Mansion. The Willamette Valley Lodge isn’t showy enough for her. Also, how did she even know I work here?”
“She probably had you chipped in your sleep,” Claire jokes. “But seriously, I’d bet she had a private investigator following you. She’s always wanted Romaine, so making sure you were out of the picture was a necessity for her to stake her claim.”
“And you’re planning the wedding for them?” I can’t help but feel hurt. Claire was the sister I never had but always wanted.
“I’m only doing it for Romaine. He’s had a hard time since you’ve left, Tara. I don’t know if he really loves Cash or not, but I do know she’s been a good distraction for him. I just want him to have a nice party.”
“I need to talk to him,” I tell her.
“You do,” she agrees. “But where and how? The lodge is full of reporters. I heard the owner tried to throw them out but they just started coming in and buying things so they couldn’t be charged with loitering.”
Geoffrey interrupts, “James, can you grab a room service cart out of the back room? Tara can hide under the tablecloth and be wheeled up to Mr. Choate’s room that way.”
James doesn’t look at all happy, but he answers, “I’ll put on a chef’s coat and do the wheeling.”
While I don’t particularly relish the thought of Romaine and James coming face to face, it’s a sound idea. When James comes back with the cart, I crawl underneath it like Lucille Ball did on an old I Love Lucy episode where she was trying to meet a famous movie star. Except in my case I’m doing it to give a rock star a piece of my mind.
As Geoffrey assembles various food items to put on top of the cart, my phone rings. It’s Rachel Perry.
“Hey, Rachel, what’s up?” I answer.
She repeats what she already texted me. “Romaine is at the lodge. I got a call from the Tattler today telling me to stay in Oregon and find out what he’s doing here.”
“And you want to know what I think about that, huh?” I can’t help the distrustful tone in my voice.
“Yes,” she answers before adding, “but I also wanted to warn you.”
“About what?” I ask.
“Cash Cartwright got on a plane for Oregon from San Francisco two hours ago. I’m guessing she’ll be joining Romaine at the lodge soon.”
Is it possible Rachel doesn’t know about the wedding? “Why would you want to warn me?” I ask her.
“I like you, Tara,” she says. “I think you’re a nice person and I don’t want to be part of making your life any more difficult than it already is. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve done what I was sent here to do. I think you deserve a break from all the nonsense.” Then she asks, “Can you meet me tonight? There’s something I want to show you.”
“When and where?” I ask her.
“How about James’s farm tonight at eight? That’ll give me some time to nose around the lodge and see if I can find out anything from the other reporters.”
It’ll also give me time to talk to Romaine, not that I’m going to tell Rachel that. “Okay, we’ll see you then,” I tell her before hanging up.
James lifts the cloth from the table and asks, “Was that Rachel?” When I nod my head, he asks, “What does she want?”
“She knows Romaine is here and she wants to talk to us. She’s meeting us at your farm in a couple of hours. Are you okay with that?”
“I guess.” He doesn’t seem overly excited. I’m not so jazzed about the idea either. But no matter how you look at it, all hell is about to break loose and the more I know upfront, the better.
Geoffrey puts a final plate on the top of the room service cart and announces, “That’s it. Good luck and let me know if I can do anything else,” he says.
“Thanks, Geoffrey,” I call from my spot near the floor. And then we’re off. Off to lay eyes on the man I said goodbye to six months ago, the man I used to think I’d be spending the rest of my life with.
Chapter Forty-Four
Ruby
“Things seem a little quieter than they did when I left,”