Magnolia Bride Read online

  “You know I always wanted this grand, Southern-themed wedding. Maybe not super traditional because the ceremony will be outdoors, but it’s what I pictured in my dreams. There are two magnolia trees at one side of the hotel and the lush grass sweeps down to the beach. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect spot to say my vows.”

  Nealy scanned the brochure. Yes, the grounds were amazing. From the pictures alone, it seemed the hotel had everything in place to conduct a full-scale wedding. Atmosphere. Scenery. Romantic ambiance.

  How weird. Dane, owning a hotel. This hotel. She studied the picture, remembering the span of grass Juliet mentioned. Back when she worked there, it hadn’t been as lush and healthy. She recalled playing volleyball in the summer after their shifts. Playing catch with Dane after his dreams to play professional ball were dashed by his injury.

  “Seems perfect.”

  “It is. Brandon wasn’t too sold on the place. He wanted the reception held at stuffy St. Luke’s banquet hall, but I managed to convince him.” She shivered in mock horror. “Heavy brown drapery and musty smell. Yuck.”

  “Juliet.” Nealy stopped as she noted her sister’s shadowed eyes. “Take a breath. If you aren’t sure, you don’t have to go through with this. Think it through.”

  “I’m sure.” Juliet grasped Nealy’s hand and squeezed hard. To reassure Nealy or herself?

  There was always turning back. Nealy knew from personal experience. One look at Juliet’s uncertain expression and Nealy started to tell her so, and then decided to hold her tongue. Who was she to counsel her sister on true love?

  “Get some sleep.” Juliet hugged Nealy and climbed into the matching twin bed. The topic of conversation was over and Nealy admitted she was kind of thankful there would be no more said on the subject of love and marriage. “I have tomorrow jam-packed with activities. Shopping. Nail salon. The works.”

  Before long, Juliet’s breathing evened out and Nealy knew her sister had fallen asleep. Unfortunately, Nealy couldn’t even doze. All charged up from seeing Dane, her family and hearing her grandmother’s news, she found herself staring at the ceiling.

  “This isn’t working.” After a while, she rose, snatched up the scrapbook and sat under the window where a street lamp gave enough light for her to view the old photos.

  Her gaze settled on a group picture of the entire family taken about five years ago at a picnic in the woods. They’d rented a cabin in the mountains and the whole bossy group had had a good time together. Who would have thought?

  Nealy flipped the page and found some loose photos sandwiched between the last page and back cover. She picked them up and sorted through them. When she came to one featuring her and Dane posing in her grandmother’s backyard, her smile slipped.

  Dane had an arm thrown over her shoulders, his goofy grin mugging for the camera. She had her arms wrapped around his waist, her smile wide and happy. It was taken a few weeks into the summer after they’d started dating. She could tell by her expression she’d already fallen in love.

  She ran her finger over the smooth surface, her vision blurring as tears prickled her eyes. What a whirlwind summer. She remembered the highs and lows, the excitement of young love and the desperation of not wanting to be separated from Dane. They’d spent every minute together. She’d never experienced such heart-wrenching love since then, and strangely, she was grateful. The emotions had been too intense, burning bright and extinguished too soon. She couldn’t live through those ups and downs again. She knew she didn’t have it in her.

  She’d reserved a special place for Dane in her memories, but not in her life. Earlier tonight he promised her he’d have his say. She recognized the determined gleam in his eye. Okay, so maybe after all these years he wanted to set the record straight. She could agree with closure for both their sakes, but nothing more. She could not, would not, let Dane tear down the walls of protection she’d built around her heart.

  CHAPTER THREE

  DANE DIDN’T HAVE to be a savvy businessman to know Nealy would make good on her promise to avoid him. He hadn’t talked to her since the tense conversation by the pool, not for lack of trying. She’d been around, helping Juliet with last-minute preparations for the parties, but although she was on the property, she managed to stay clear of him.

  Each time he caught sight of her, she stole his breath away. Her take-charge attitude and the professional way she handled the staff put to rest any worries he might have had about her working here at the hotel. The themed ideas she came up with for each party were unique, yet personal to the couple. She had her finger on the pulse of the activities without coming across as overbearing. Initially he wanted to spend time with her to come clean about the past. Now he just wanted to be near her.

  He straightened his tie and took one last look in the bathroom mirror before heading downstairs to oversee tonight’s first engagement party. Nealy had come up with a casual Sweet Summer Nights theme meant to dazzle the guests this Friday night. Dane had to admit, he was impressed by her work so far.

  Curious about her, Dane had researched Milestones by Crystal on the web. The company had an outstanding résumé of high-profile functions like movie premiers and after-parties, celebrity birthday parties and anniversaries. The sheer scale and mastery of work had built them a sterling reputation. Dane now understood why his event coordinator had been intimidated by Nealy. It wasn’t Nealy herself, but the creative force behind the woman. While it explained why Angela quit, it didn’t replace an important cog in hotel operations.

  His general manager could have acted in the coordinator’s place, but as de facto event coordinator, he mentally ran through the checklist. Canopies set up on the property for the guests to dine under. Check. A removable wood floor in place for dancing under the stars. Check. Dinner, dessert and music. Check, check and check.

  Okay, one weekend of planning was fine, but he needed a new event coordinator ASAP. Nealy had been his saving grace, with the event well in hand. How did she do this all the time? He didn’t have the answer, but knew things had better go off without a hitch. With the senator’s presence here this weekend, the hotel’s image and future were at stake here.

  Since opening the refurbished hotel there had been a few scheduled holiday parties, but nothing like tonight’s smaller and more subdued celebration or Saturday night’s larger and more elegant affair. The Mason family involvement added a level of concern he hadn’t experienced before, but he had no doubt his staff would step up to the challenge. He hired the best and expected results. If the senator was pleased with how everything went, Dane hoped he would be agreeable to booking future political events at the hotel. Dane had a lot riding on the success of this weekend.

  “I’m more comfortable around bulldozers and jackhammers than dance floors and orchestras,” he said under his breath. He grabbed his wallet off the bedroom dresser and slipped it into his back pocket before locking up his suite. He’d commandeered two rooms overlooking the water on the far end of the second floor and had them remodeled into executive quarters for himself. During the renovations, he’d settled into living on the property and stayed.

  His cell rang as he walked down the hallway to the elevator. “Peterson.”

  “Tell me everything is going well.”

  He smiled at the voice on the other end. Uncle Hank, his business partner, out of town on another project, calling for an update. He’d been thrilled when Dane told him Senator Mason would be holding Saturday night’s lavish engagement party here and wanted to make sure Dane wowed the man in order to secure more dealings with him.

  “Right on schedule.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”

  “You should know better than to worry.”

  “Old habits.”

  Dane grinned. His uncle had helped Dane get his act together after high school, encouraging Dane to get a college educ
ation while giving him a job during those years. Leaving home at the height of his parents’ never-ending drama had been the best move he’d ever made. The dysfunctional home had led Dane to make many rash and costly mistakes as a young man, but Hank had seen something in his nephew and mentored Dane.

  For eight years now, he’d worked seven days a week learning every aspect of hotel remodeling. In the beginning, he’d gotten dirty during construction, but hard work turned to pride once he brought a struggling property back to life with his own hands. He’d always been good with finances and learned to invest wisely and make the most of his money. Now he and Hank were partners; actually, they were more than partners since Hank had done more for Dane than his own father.

  “This weekend is important,” his uncle continued. “Word of mouth from the senator will go a long way.”

  “You know I won’t let anything ruin this opportunity.”

  “I’m counting on you, son.”

  Nothing like heaping on a little more pressure. “I’ll call you later.”

  Dane signed off, a slight smile curving his lips. Uncle Hank was all about the bottom line and he’d taught Dane well.

  With each new property he remodeled, Dane had become more successful and prosperous, and as a result was able to implement innovative ways to run the business efficiently and keep costs down without skimping on quality. He’d used work to fill the emptiness inside him, which he refused to examine on a deeper level. He never lacked for female company, but decided long ago never to get serious with a woman. He didn’t want to end up like his parents, living in a convoluted relationship Dane never understood. Better to focus on being successful, at least in business. It might be lonely at times, but he already had one strike against him with the annulment. Between ending the marriage to Nealy and witnessing the disaster of his parents’ marriage, he’d sworn off the institution. Why risk making another mistake?

  But when Nealy walked back into his life, he sensed the emptiness starting to shift. Having put the past behind him, he hadn’t expected his emotions to get all tangled up again. Since he knew she was coming to help Juliet, he’d anticipated an awkward first meeting. One look at her as she strode into the lobby, and a hard knot formed in his throat. Then she bumped into him and everything faded away as his attention narrowed to one thing: the love he’d lost when trying to make things right.

  He locked those thoughts away as he arrived in the lobby, satisfied to find it filled with the Friday-night crowd. The main restaurant, The Rendezvous, specializing in fine cuisine, along with the more casual outdoor Sand Bar Cafe, did a brisk business. His initial profit margin for the hotel proved better than projected, a very important factor in his bid to make the Grand Cypress a destination hotel.

  This property had become more than a rehab project to him. When he came back to Cypress Pointe and looked at the run-down hotel after his uncle proposed the purchase, he suddenly discovered two personal reasons for making the Grand Cypress the most successful hotel in the Peterson Holding Group.

  First, he needed to prove to others he could make sound, rational decisions based on fact, not emotion, after the impulsive marriage and subsequent annulment twelve years ago.

  And second, he needed to prove to himself he was nothing like his deadbeat dad. Dane worked hard for what he now had in his life, no thanks to a father who cared more about pleasing his unhappy wife at the expense of Dane and his brother, Alex. His father never supported Dane, but never hesitated to call when he needed something or show up on Dane’s doorstep when his life was sinking. Guilty of always continuing to help the old man had made Dane jaded about love and having a happily-ever-after.

  So his goal was to make the Grand Cypress Hotel the place to be seen in Florida. After Juliet’s much-touted engagement parties, along with the senator’s connections, he hoped booking future events would allow him to build a small empire here in Cypress Pointe. But the weekend was far from over and he needed to be on his game.

  He’d just checked in with the manager on duty when the Grainger clan appeared for the smaller toned-down celebration. At the tail end of the group, Nealy swept into the foyer, a wide smile on her lips, her brown eyes shining. She’d pulled her hair back in a sleek, fancy ponytail. Absolutely beautiful, she was wearing a sleeveless magenta dress and glittery black high heels.

  As she passed, she caught his eye and nodded curtly. His grin spread into a full-blown smile and she stumbled in reaction. He strode to her side, taking her arm to steady her.

  “Hang on there.”

  “The, um, floor is a little slick.”

  “Right.” He should let go of her arm, but the softness of her skin mesmerized him. The familiar peach scent intoxicated him. He couldn’t drag his gaze away from her flushed face.

  She cleared her throat.

  Dane reluctantly removed his hand and asked, “How is Juliet doing?”

  “Nervous. Obsessing.” Nealy’s brow knitted in concern. “Can I ask you a question?”

  Surprised Nealy would ask him anything, Dane schooled his expression. “Sure.”

  “Has Juliet seemed off to you?”

  “I haven’t seen her much. She spent most of her time with my former event coordinator.”

  “Right.” Nealy’s cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink. “When you did see her, was she acting strangely?”

  “Maybe she’s just preoccupied with all the preparations.”

  Nealy shook her head. Under the chandelier light, the diamonds in her ears flashed, just like her eyes.

  “It’s more. I know my sister. Something is up with her. More than the normal type of jitters.”

  “Your mother’s been making her a little uptight. Standard operating procedure.”

  “What about Brandon?”

  “What about him?”

  “How does he seem? Like an okay guy? Even though I spoke to him last night, I couldn’t get a sense of who he is. Has he been helping Juliet with the party plans?”

  “The only time I see him is at his regular tennis court time on Tuesdays, here at the hotel.”

  Nealy tapped her foot, a contemplative look in her eyes.

  “What?”

  Her gaze darted to him. She parted her luscious lips to say something, but then stopped.

  “Nealy...” Dane coaxed.

  “I’m getting a bad feeling.”

  His mouth curved into a wry smile. “Since you’ve been in town all of three days?”

  “Last night she broke into tears and I got the impression she was having second thoughts. I don’t want my sister doing something she’ll regret.”

  She started to move away, but Dane blocked her escape. She looked at him, eyebrows raised.

  “Are you sure you want to make waves?” he asked.

  “I need to make sure my sister isn’t making a mistake.”

  “She’s a smart woman. She can make her own choices.”

  “She needs to be one hundred percent sure of what she’s getting into.”

  He ground his molars together at the obvious dig. “Unlike us?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Nealy, I regret how things ended. You’ll never know how much.”

  Nealy’s rigid posture softened and turmoil eclipsed her dark eyes. “This weekend is about Juliet, not you, not me, not what we had,” she said with a shaky voice, as if not believing for a second seeing each other again wasn’t an issue. Her obvious struggle to keep him at bay had him hoping the aloof veneer she’d adopted could be cracked.

  In this instant he suddenly realized how much he wanted her forgiveness. Needed her to say the words out loud.

  “Dane, I have to go.” She eased around him and with a determined stride continued across the foyer, disappearing into the fray of family and close friends.

 
* * *

  BEFORE LONG THE GUESTS were mingling and wishing the engaged couple the best. Nealy tried everything to get her sister alone, but people interrupted or Juliet sent Nealy off on errands. Obviously Juliet didn’t want to talk to her. At one point, she’d spied Juliet by the pool, having what looked like a heated conversation with a man she’d seen working in the hotel’s garden the day she arrived. Strange. After that, her sister flit between family and friends, but Nealy kept an eye on her.

  A light breeze picked up, carrying the briny scent of the gulf waters with it. The extreme heat of the day had passed, leaving the evening cool as the sun began its descent in the cloudless sky. As soon as Nealy could, she corralled her sister.

  “Juliet, what’s going on?” Nealy whispered, hoping no one overheard.

  “I’m fine,” she snapped. “Go have fun.”

  Okay, this was the last straw. Worried about her normally docile sister’s sharp response, Nealy started to press Juliet when Brandon, standing in the middle of the outdoor dance floor, asked the group to quiet down while motioning for Juliet to join him. With a smile pasted on her lips, Juliet approached her future husband.

  “Tonight we celebrate Juliet saying yes to my proposal. Not that I didn’t have my concerns, I might add.”

  Some of the guests chuckled.

  “This poised, beautiful, intelligent woman has agreed to be my wife, and I am so, so lucky.” He grinned sheepishly. “I know planning two parties is unusual and it has taken its toll, but I want to thank you with all my heart, Juliet.”

  He took her hand in his, glanced over his shoulder and nodded. On cue, music blared from the speakers and two dozen strangers ran onto the dance floor, grooving to a popular dance song Nealy recognized from online wedding videos. Chaos ensued around the bride and groom as the dancers made multiple circuits to keep the crazy number going.