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Olivia breathed a sigh of relief as her clients rushed down the stairs of the Oak Gardens ballroom. Guests waved sparklers and cheered. A truck idled in the circular driveway. It was decked out in streamers and Just Married had been written across the back window. Taillights flashed as the couple drove away.
“Another one down.” Susan joined Olivia on the stairs. Her secretary wore a gorgeous sheath dress, her curls tucked into a bun. She’d spent the evening helping Olivia coordinate the wedding. It was above and beyond her normal duties, but Susan appreciated the overtime pay. Especially since her husband was still laid up with his bad back. “I’ll make sure the bride’s parents collect all the gifts before I head home.”
“Thank you.” Olivia smiled. “Great job, by the way. Sure you don’t want to take over as my assistant?”
Susan laughed. “No thanks. I don’t want to work every weekend.” Her brows wriggled suggestively. “Besides, you already have an amazing assistant. Where is Cole, anyway? He’s been MIA for this evening.”
“He wasn’t feeling well, and I told him it was okay to skip the wedding.” The excuse rolled off Olivia’s tongue even as she internally winced. She hated lying, but admitting the truth wasn’t possible. Cole and Eli were currently tracking down some leads after their interview with Justin.
Several Texas Rangers—including Jackson and Felicity—provided additional security for the wedding. Olivia hadn’t met all the members of Company A, but she’d recognized Grady West and Bennett Knox tucked among the other guests. The latter two lawmen had brought their lovely wives to the event. No one would ever have guessed they were working security.
Susan yawned. “Okay, presents, and then I’m outta here before I fall asleep while driving home. It’s way past my bedtime.”
Olivia followed her secretary inside. Tables in the ballroom were littered with empty dessert plates and glasses. Silver confetti coated the carpet and dance floor. Guests were gathering their coats and gradually making their way to the parking lot. The DJ was packing up his equipment while waiters cleared the dirty dishes. The broken chandelier had been replaced with one from storage. It didn’t have the same sparkle, but it got the job done.
Vincent Santiago, one of Olivia’s clients, approached. A friend of the groom, he’d attended the wedding alone. His fiancée, Rosie, was at home sick with the flu. He’d traded his stained blue jeans for a dark blue suit. His jacket was thrown over one arm and he carried a slice of cake covered with Saran Wrap. “Great wedding. Rosie is going to be sad she missed it.”
“I hope she feels better soon. Please send her my love.”
“I will.” Vincent lifted the plate in his hands, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “It’s vanilla. Her favorite.”
Olivia laughed. She didn’t understand why Cole had been so hard on Vincent. It was clear the man cared a lot about Rosie and did his best to make her happy. Then again, Cole suspected everyone at the moment. Olivia could hardly blame him. Even with Jackson shadowing her every move all evening, she’d been jumpy.
“Are you okay?” Vincent lightly touched Olivia’s arm and then immediately dropped his hand. “You zoned out there for a moment.”
“Sorry, just thinking.” She scanned the ballroom for Jackson but didn’t see him. Strange. Maybe he was conducting a patrol of the building. She forced a smile. “Good night, Vincent.”
“Night.”
After Vincent left, Olivia checked in with the DJ and the event coordinator. Then she headed for the bride’s dressing room. It looked like a bomb exploded in there the last time she saw it. The makeup and clothing needed to be gathered together and given to the mother of the bride. Olivia shot off a text letting Jackson know where she would be as she exited the ballroom. Quiet descended the farther into the building she went. The bride’s dressing room was around another bend.
Olivia’s heels sank into the plush carpet. Then she drew up short. Her former assistant, David, was standing near an exit leading to the side parking lot, speaking on his cell phone. His dark suit was pressed and his hair was combed back neatly. A diamond earring winked from his earlobe. In these clothes, he looked like a different person. More like the man she knew.
He spotted her and hung up. “Hey, Olivia. Outstanding wedding. From start to finish, it was sheer perfection.” His expression turned wistful. “I’m gonna miss working on these weddings together. We made a great team.”
His compliment was so genuine, Olivia felt a pang of regret. How could she ever have believed David was her stalker? His alibi on the night of the second break-in at her house had officially cleared him from the suspect list. And she was relieved. “I’m going to miss it, too, but you’re on to better things, and I couldn’t be happier for you.”
“Thanks. The event coordinator position is going to keep me busy, but I’m excited about the challenge. Don’t know how many more of these weddings I’ll be available to attend though. Several of Blessed Event’s clients have invited me, but my new schedule requires a lot of evenings and weekends.”
“Susan and I were just discussing that.” Olivia sighed. When this was all said and done, she’d have to find a new assistant. A real one this time. It was exhausting to think about. “Let me know if anyone from the hotel is looking for a change. A small-town job with decent pay and a nice boss.”
David laughed. “I will.” He paused and then tilted his head. “Cole not working out?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see how long he sticks around.”
David made a sound of agreement. “I warned him you were a perfectionist.”
Olivia chuckled. She couldn’t deny it. “It was good to see you, David.” She gestured to the bride’s room. “I better get a move on, otherwise I’ll be here all night.”
“Sure, sure.” David walked off but then stopped and turned. His expression was intense. “You look great tonight, Olivia. Real pretty.”
Her pulse fluttered as fear jolted through her veins. She felt trapped in David’s stare, and suddenly, Olivia became all too aware of how isolated they were in the hallway. Would anyone hear her if she screamed? She wasn’t sure. Primal instinct caused her to take a step back as David re-approached. Her back bumped against the wall.
He had her cornered.
David seemed oblivious to her terror. He stopped a short distance away, just shy of invading her personal space. “Listen, I know this sounds forward, but would you consider grabbing a bite to eat with me? Angie and I have been having more trouble. In fact, she broke up with me. It’s official. We’re done. You’re nice and I enjoy talking to you. With everything going on, I could really use a friend.”
He has an alibi. He has an alibi.
