Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,28
been with a man, she chalked it up to loneliness.
It couldn’t be anything else.
Chapter Seven
“I can’t believe we scored a face-to-face meeting with Adele,” Bella said. “I’ve never met such a hands-off bride. Are we sure her assistant isn’t getting married instead?”
Gabe cupped her elbow and guided her over the high, uneven curb just as a bright-yellow taxicab roared past them, inches away. “I know. We need to use our time wisely.”
He’d found a thirty-minute hole in Adele’s nonstop schedule, and her assistant suggested a pub she liked that was a few minutes away from a previous appointment. He was used to dealing directly with brides and grooms who demanded a hands-on approach, refusing to delegate such details to an assistant. But Adele had been happy to relinquish her power, too busy to even pop on a quick conference call. It was a bit disarming to plan a wedding without direct client approval.
On the other hand, he was enjoying the limitless freedom to create and brainstorm an entire wedding. With Bella.
“When’s our appointment at Housing Works?” she asked.
“Not till two p.m., so we should have plenty of time. Watch the puddle.”
Her leather boot landed safely a few inches to the left. It was a cold day in Manhattan, with brisk winds and dirty snow edging the sidewalks.
“Here’s the pub,” she said. “I’m getting an Irish coffee. Don’t judge me.”
He laughed and they stepped inside. The old-fashioned Irish pub had a giant bar, lots of dark wood and brass, and spacious booths. He’d expected to meet their client at a fancy five-star restaurant, but it was a reminder that Adele Butterstein was different from the usual heiress and someone they didn’t know well.
Which made today’s lunch meeting especially important.
Weddings were extremely personal, and so far, they only knew surface information about the bride. He hoped with a face-to-face dialogue, they’d be able to tap into something deeper to give her ceremony and reception something special, beyond the Dr. Seuss drinks and Truffula trees.
They settled in, starting with water, and within five minutes, Adele’s deep, booming voice rang out. “Darlings! It’s so wonderful to see you!”
He grinned at her greeting. It was as if she were surprised to find them here instead of having an arranged meeting. She was dressed in a wraparound dress that emphasized her generous curves, the color a shocking pink. Her red hair was a glaring contrast.
She threw her canary-yellow raincoat on the coatrack and beamed at them from across the table. “I’m starving. Do you know they only give you tiny cucumber sandwiches at fundraisers? And fruit. I asked for a cracker, and they looked at me like I’d shot someone. When were carbs and cheese made the enemies? They did nothing but give women pleasure, and look what we did. Ostracized them.”
Bella laughed. “Agreed. There hasn’t been a bread basket I met I haven’t loved.”
The waitress came over, and they spent a few minutes ordering food, with both Adele and Bella going for an Irish coffee, extra whipped cream.
“Now, I cannot wait to hear all the details. Tell me what we still need to do.”
Gabe kept his smile pinned, but his gut lurched. “I’m assuming your assistant has kept you abreast on everything? She’s been approving things for us.”
“Oh, my, of course! Stacia is a treasure. She sends me all the details, but I mostly skim them. After all, that’s why I have you two working for me—to bring your amazing skill and vision to my wedding, right?”
Bella jumped in. “Exactly. And we’ve loved taking the lead on this. But taking some time to talk in person helps us focus on the details that will make your wedding truly personal. We don’t want to miss anything that’s important to you.”
Adele put her hand to her heart, gaze full of emotion. “And that is why I picked you. That’s just so lovely.” The bread came, and Adele dove in, slathering on the butter and eating with the same type of gusto she seemed to have when attacking other areas of her life. “Darlings, talk to me about the things I’ll love most. Stacia said our theme is The Lorax, and I think it’s divine.”
Gabe shared a look with Bella and dug in. Deftly parrying back and forth, they went over some highlights. “For the food, we’ve arranged an elegant sit-down, but Stacia seemed unsure about the menu. She mentioned your guests prefer a lighter touch, but we have an amazing chef at our disposal and would like