Ruby announces, “My staff will set up the tables the night before as per the floor map you emailed to me, Claire. The linens you ordered will be here by then.”
“What about the chair covers?” the wedding planner wants to know.
“They’ll arrive with the linens,” Ruby assures her. “I promise you’ll have plenty of time to make sure everything is perfect for your brother’s big day.”
“I’m going to see the florist today, but I really want to talk to your pastry chef.”
Ruby shrugs her shoulders. “I can’t miraculously bring her back from a family emergency. You’ll have to talk to Geoffrey about the cake.”
Claire starts to pace like a caged tiger. Tension radiates off her like a force field. “That man was going to serve filet instead of the Chateaubriand I ordered. I don’t have a lot of confidence in him.”
“Geoffrey is going to serve your guests the best that our supplier can deliver.” Ruby indicates a table next to them. “Please, sit down, Claire.” Once both women are situated, she bluntly asks, “Are you okay?”
Claire shakes her head. “I just want everything to be perfect for my brother. He’s had a hard time of it lately and I want him to enjoy his day.”
“We’ll do everything in our power to make sure he and his bride have a great time at their wedding. I promise you.”
Leaning back in her chair, Claire seems to finally relax a little bit. “This is a beautiful room. You could host an unlimited array of events here.”
“We usually just use this room for weddings and business dinners.”
Standing up in a flourish of excitement, Claire declares, “You could have charity balls and auctions, corporate events, seasonal costume parties, all kinds of dances. I could go on and on. In addition to the room rental, you’d make the money on catering as well. You should really consider broadening your scope.”
Ruby likes this young woman’s energy. The lodge does fairly well with weddings, but the ballroom is vacant most of the year. She and Tom never pursued other types of events. She tells Claire, “That’s certainly something to think about. Of course, I’d need to hire an event manager if we expanded, but I like the way you think.”
Looking pleased by the compliment, the young woman replies, “I love planning parties. It’s the perfect escape from reality.”
A light bulb goes off in Ruby’s brain and she realizes that Claire’s uptight and anxious demeanor is a front for something else. She’d bet money the young wedding planner is working hard to hide a broken heart.
James
This morning was our third interview with Rachel, and I have to confess I’m feeling wrung out. Something changed between Tara and me yesterday after the shoot by the falls. I’m not sure what, but she’s become distant, which is totally baffling. I feel closer to her than ever.
Last night she suggested we eat dinner separately, claiming she wanted to go to bed early. She could have gone to bed at six and still had supper with me. Maybe this whole thing is taking its toll on her more than I’d realized. God knows I’m over it.
I stop off at the Quick Mart to pick up a sandwich on my way to my farm. Not only do I want to check on Hank’s progress, but I want to be home for a while. I miss the peace and the land, not so much the house.
I greet Cheryl when I walk in. “Hey, girl, how’s things?”
She shakes her head, and her tight braids bounce around. “I’m filing for divorce,” she says with her voice full of resolution.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her sincerely. “What made you decide?”
“Once upon a time, I thought I could forgive Damian anything. But it turns out getting someone else pregnant isn’t something I can see past. That’s something that would stand between us forever.”
I can only imagine. My friend has faced a world of pain in the last year. Maybe a divorce is what it will finally take for her to move on. “You let me know if I can do anything,” I tell her.
“Well, actually, there is something you can do. I think it’s time I get back on the horse. You know, another horse. Not the one who left the stable to find new, younger horses. Blonde horses with big boobs and lip injections.”
“That’s some metaphor you’ve got going there, Cheryl. I can’t recall seeing many horses who fit that description.”
“What I’m saying is, it’s time for me to