Second Chance Girl

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She pulled into her driveway and quickly unloaded the leftovers, then continued her journey to his place. Sophie jumped out of the car and led the way to the front door.

Carol knocked but there was no answer. She tried the knob and it turned easily, so she let the dog in and followed Sophie.

“Mathias, it’s Carol. I brought your dog back.”

There was no answer, but that was hardly a surprise. The house was huge and Mathias could be anywhere.

Sophie barked, then started down the hall. Carol went with her, through the kitchen and out toward the sunroom where she knew he often sketched.

Sure enough he sat at a big drafting table by the window overlooking the animal preserve.

She took a moment to study his broad shoulders and short, dark hair. He had a pad of paper in front of him. His hand moved, creating more quickly than the eye could follow.

“Hey, Sophie,” he said absently, reaching down to rub her ears. “You just wake up?”

“No, she just got home.”

Mathias turned to stare at her. “Carol. Hi. Did I know you were stopping by?”

“I’m not stopping by. I’m returning your dog. She was out on the savanna.”

He dropped the pencil and frowned. “She couldn’t be. She’s been here with me. We came back here and I let her out to do her thing, then closed the back door.” The frown deepened as he stood. “I know I made sure the door latched.”

They walked to the back of the house where a door stood open. Mathias closed it and checked the lock, then turned to Sophie.

“Now you’re scaring me.”

She wagged her tail.

“Maybe she’s like those dinosaurs in Jurassic Park,” Carol teased. “She’s learning how to open doors.”

“This dog is going to take over the world.” He glanced at his watch. “Come on. We have a meeting at Weddings Out of the Box. I’ll drive.”

Because they were going together? Maybe on the way he would turn to her and express his undying lust. They could pull to the side of the road and...

Carol held in a groan. The side of the road? That wasn’t exactly romantic. She couldn’t even fantasize creatively.

“I have no idea why you want me at the meeting,” she said as he clipped a leash onto Sophie’s collar and led the way to his car. “You’re creative enough for ten people. As for the female point of view, Pallas and Violet will both be there. You really don’t need me.”

Mathias held open the passenger door. For a second, when their eyes met, she would have sworn she saw...something. A flash of...

No, she told herself firmly. That was just wishful thinking. Mathias was a charming, sexy lover of one-night stands with beautiful, sexy, out-of-town bridesmaids. To believe anything else was to be a fool.

“You’ll be the voice of reason,” he told her.

“Great. I’m the stern, maiden aunt. How wonderful.”

She snapped her seat belt into place, then patted her lap for Sophie to sit on her. The beagle obliged, then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, as if saying she was liked. Not exactly a declaration a girl could dream about, but at least beagle love didn’t ever break your heart.

CHAPTER SIX (#ud45861f3-7c9d-5a70-a6ed-79e3e914f669)

“I’M THE MATURE voice of reason,” Carol said drily as she sat next to Violet in Pallas’s office at Weddings Out of the Box. “I’m not sure why anyone thinks that’s necessary. I’m here to help with Maya and Del’s wedding, but now I have a purpose.”

“Because you didn’t before?” Violet asked with a laugh.

Violet had come prepared with pen and paper. Unlike her sister, Violet was in on the meeting to offer creative suggestions. Pallas was terrified at the thought of putting on a wedding for her soon-to-be in-laws—especially on short notice. While she was happy to support her friend, Violet honestly didn’t get the problem. Pallas had organized dozens and dozens of weddings and they’d all been lovely events. There was no reason to think Maya’s was going to be different.

Mathias, brother of the groom, was also in on the planning meeting. Pallas typed on her computer and seconds later a pretty, green-eyed blonde appeared on the screen.

“Hi, everyone,” she said with a wave.

Pallas made introductions. Maya greeted them all, then said, “Mathias, Del says hi.”

“Hi back.” Mathias leaned toward her. “If he’s so interested in brotherly love, why isn’t he part of the meeting?”

“Because it’s six thirty in the morning and he was up late with clients.” Maya held up a cup of coffee. “Besides, I have a lot more opinions about our wedding than he does.” She wrinkled her nose. “So far his contribution consists of ‘I want cake.’”

“There’s going to be cake,” Pallas assured her. “Not to worry. Do you have the information I sent you?”

“I do and I’ve looked over it.” Maya shuffled several pieces of paper. “You’re very thorough, which I appreciate. I know there isn’t much time.”

Pallas flinched, as if the reminder of putting together a wedding in three weeks was physically painful. Violet wanted to be supportive, but it was tough not to laugh. Pallas always did this—she got so invested in her clients’ events that she suffered way more than they did.

“We can do this,” Violet said soothingly. “It’s going to be great. Pallas mentioned you already have your dress, right?”

“I do.” Maya held up a picture of a mermaid-style lace-covered gown with a sweetheart neckline. It was elegant and beautiful.

Pallas typed on her tablet. “Having the dress is huge. With that and the venue, we should be fine. Do you have a theme in mind?”

Maya’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“I sent ideas in the materials.” Pallas held up a brochure. “That’s what we do here. Themed weddings. Cowboy weddings, Roman weddings, under-the-sea weddings.”

“Maybe something from Lord of the Rings,” Mathias offered.

Carol poked him in the arm. “You’re supposed to be helping.”

“I think Del would look great dressed up as a hobbit.”

“Let’s stay focused,” Pallas murmured. “Maya, what were you thinking?”

“I don’t know. Something pretty. Elegant. I don’t want anything with hobbits. Can’t we just do a regular wedding?”

Pallas bit her lower lip. “That’s a fairly broad category.”

A statement that probably had Maya confused. Violet would guess the bride was picturing a regular kind of wedding, but the venue she’d chosen specialized in everything from pirate weddings to black-and-white Regency extravaganzas. Pallas would automatically be thinking how to make things unique while Maya seemed to want conventional. It would have made more sense for Maya and Del to go to a more traditional venue in town. She wondered if they’d chosen Weddings Out of the Box because Nick was engaged to Pallas. Or maybe the tight time frame was the driver. Pallas had a spot because of a cancellation—it was possible no one else in town could have fit them in.

“I have an idea,” Violet said as she smiled at Maya. “Tell me what you think about this. An elegant princess wedding. Simple, beautiful, classic. As if Grace Kelly were getting married today.”

“I like that,” Maya said immediately. “I like that a lot.”

Pallas visibly relaxed. “Me, too. I can picture exactly what I’d suggest.” She reached for a huge three-ring binder.

“I just picked up some new linens,” she said, flipping through the pages. “Here they are.” She held up a picture of a sheer table runner edged with lace.

“Those are beautiful,” Maya breathed, leaning close to her computer screen. “I love them.”

“Me, too. Great. There’s so much we can do. I’m thinking a lot of glass on the table. Maybe mirrors under clear bowls of flowers, with short, pillar candles in glass holders. Or maybe we’ll alternate clear bowls and silver bowls.”

Carol leaned close to Violet and lowered her voice. “Look at you, solving the problem.”

“I defined the wedding, nothing more.” Although Violet had to admit, she was feeling a little smug. “Pallas is used to making weddings about something.” She used her fingers to make air quotes. “Pretty is going to freak her out.”

Maya and Pallas were talking about fifty miles an hour. Carol shook her head. “I so could be cleaning stalls.”

Mathias leaned close. “You have to be the only woman on the planet who would rather clean up after cows than talk weddings.”

Violet guessed he meant the words to be teasing, but she saw her sister flush and wondered if Carol had taken it wrong. Before she could say anything, she felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if she were being watched. She glanced up and saw Ulrich standing in the hallway. He didn’t speak but when their eyes locked, he nodded politely.

“What on earth,” she began, then stopped as everyone turned to look at her. She felt herself flush, which she hated and was so Ulrich’s fault. “Um, excuse me,” she said as she came to her feet and walked into the hallway.

She stopped in front of him and put her hands on her hips. “What are you doing here?”

“I came by to have a word.”

Her attention split neatly in two. Part of her brain—the sensible part—was annoyed and wanted to tell him she had a whole bunch of words she could use and none of them would be approved for listening by anyone under the age of eighteen or with delicate sensibilities. The other part of her paused to notice how dreamy he looked with his chiseled features and dark blond hair. Oh, the suit was nice, too. Tailored, probably custom from that fancy street in London.

Her sensible half won. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “And I don’t mean on the planet or even in this country. What are you doing here, in my friend’s business? Are you following me? Stalking me? Last time you threatened me with all kinds of scary law enforcement. Now it’s my turn. Explain yourself or I’ll be on with 9-1-1 in a heartbeat.”

Ulrich’s stern mouth turned up at the left corner, as if he were trying not to smile. “I went to your shop. You’d left a note on the door saying where you were. I will admit, despite Americans claiming to speak English, we do occasionally have a bit of verbal confusion. Did I misunderstand?”

Damn him! Violet really wanted to stomp her foot, but knew that would only hand him more of a win. She settled on tossing her head.

“That note wasn’t meant for you,” she said as icily as she could, then remembered everyone in the room just behind her.

They were all watching intently, even Maya, who looked wide-eyed with interest.

“This is fun,” the bride-to-be said and waved. “Hi. I’m in China.”

Ulrich smiled. “Lovely to meet you.”

“Thank you.”

Violet grabbed his arm, which could have been a mistake. Her fingers closed around very impressive biceps. Ulrich might wear a suit, but he wasn’t a guy who sat around all day.

“Let’s take this down the hall and let them get back to their meeting,” she said.

“As you wish.”

Her body tightened as she recognized the line from the classic old movie The Princess Bride. Only Ulrich wouldn’t know anything about that. He was simply being polite to annoy her—she was sure of it.

She carefully closed the door before moving a few feet toward the stairs. She crossed her arms and glared at Ulrich.

“Yes?”

“I would like to apologize for what I said to you the other day. I was wrong to assume the worst about you. Upon further investigation, I have discovered you are exactly who you claimed to be. The mistake is mine and I take complete responsibility for it.”

Violet was careful to keep her mouth from dropping open. As apologies went, it was pretty good. Quick, to the point, with no waffling. If only the man delivering it weren’t so annoying. Or handsome.

“Great. Apology accepted. Now if that’s all...”

“It’s not.” His steady gaze locked with hers. “I’m not just saying the words, Violet. I mean it.”