His head tilts as it always does when he doesn’t understand something. “Why?”
“I don’t know. C’mon, let’s go take the call in my office.”
When we reach my office, I grab the phone stand I use if I’m watching something, so I don’t have to hold it. I pat the seat next to me on the love seat and place the stand on the coffee table, facing us. I dial Steph’s number, and she answers on the first ring.
My small office is the only place in the house that is just mine—besides my bedroom—so I sometimes like to read in here. The love seat always worked fine, since squeezing a full-sized couch in here would make it feel crowded, but now I’m wishing I could fit a sectional. Carter’s thigh is basically pressed up against mine. How am I supposed to concentrate on my sister?
My sister and Doug’s faces come on the screen, and they are not at an airport. Not unless Vancouver or Vermont planted a bunch of evergreens in the middle of their terminals.
“Steph, what’s going on?”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t call earlier. I was stuck on set, and I made Doug promise not to call either of you until I knew for sure what’s going on.”
“Whatisgoing on?” I ask at the same time as Carter says, “I take it you didn’t make your flight?”
Steph cringes, and Doug wraps his arm around her shoulders in what seems like support. “No, and there’s a bit of a problem.”
I inhale a deep breath, my patience gone after the day I’ve had. “Oh my god, Steph, what?”
My sister fiddles with the end of her hair, always a dead giveaway that she’s about to deliver bad news. “I’m stuck on set for another week.”
“What?” Carter and I say at the same time.
“We have to do reshoots. They want to change some of the scenes and the script has undergone an overhaul…”
“Do I need to remind you that you’re supposed to be getting married in ten days?” I toss up my hands.
Carter’s hand reaches toward my knee, but when I glance at him, his hand drops back to his thigh.
“There will still be a wedding,” Doug says, and I’m not sure if he’s trying to convince himself or us.
“But there’s so much still for you to do. How are you going to pull off a wedding in a few days?”
Steph and Doug look at one another, with smiles so suspicious that Carter and I glance at each other. “Well… that’s where we were hoping you two could help…” My sister bats her big hazel eyes.
“What do you need from us?” Carter asks.
“The chairs need to be picked up,” Doug says.
“And then have the bows put around them,” Steph finishes.
I raise my hand. “Wait. I thought the event planner was taking care of that?”
Steph waves off my question. “I fired her. She didn’t get my vision.”
My mouth falls open. “Youfiredher? When?”
“We just weren’t seeing eye to eye.” She’s so calm. Her wedding is in ten days, and she’s not going to be here to plan it, and she acts as if she just left a week-long spa retreat.
“Well, maybe you should hire her back, Steph, since you won’t get here until right before the wedding.”
“Ash, I know you can do it. Mistletoe is your town. And you’re the most organized, capable person I know. I should have asked you to be my wedding planner from the start, really. Plus, we’re twins. We practically share a brain. You know what I like.”
Once upon a time, that was true, but since the success ofShelter Bay, she’s changed. Not in a bad way, just different. Now, she tends to look down her nose at things she used to think were great. If I’m honest, I’m surprised she wanted to getmarried at my B&B. An overpriced venue in Lake Como is more her style.
“Please. Please, will you help us?” Steph puts her hand in a prayer pose and gives me her helpless expression that I fall for every time.
I’m going to help her. She’s my twin sister, for heaven’s sake. But I am slightly annoyed with her over it. Any sibling would be. “Of course I’ll help.”
