âThank heavens youâre here!â Lucy swung open the door to Meg Nicholsâs room at the bed-and-breakfast. âYouâll fix everything.â
Until now, Meg had only heard statements like that while standing next to her sister, Brooke, who was the reliable problem-solver in the otherwise unpredictable Nichols family.
But ever since Meg had become the godmother to her newborn niece, sheâd vowed to become more responsible, more focused. After too many impulsive decisions and failed jobs, Lucyâs wedding this weekend in the picturesque Texas Hill Country would help establish Meg as a career woman and prove she was a capable wedding planner.
Meg gave the bride-to-be a reassuring smile. âDo you want to talk in here or downstairs? Mrs. Hoffman is brewing tea.â
âI canât go down there! You just checked in, so you donât know how seriously Mrs. H. takes her duty to feed her guestsâor how amazing her brownies are. At the rate Iâm stress-eating, I wonât be able to zip up my gown on Saturday. I wish I was built more like you.â
The two women were complete opposites. Tall, curvy Lucy had blue eyes and elegantly bobbed dark hair. Meg was short and slender with brown eyes and long, blond waves.
âBut youâre stunning!â Meg sat on the edge of the queen-size bed while Lucy paced. âAnd Grant loves you exactly as you are.â
The brunette momentarily brightened, then scowled again. âMaybe Grant and I should have eloped.â
âMy parents eloped.â Within seventy-two hours of meeting each other. âTheyâve regretted not having the ceremony with family and friends many times.â That was true, Everett and Didi Nichols often argued about their elopement, but then, the passionate couple were always arguing about something. Except for when they were just as passionately reconciling.
After growing up in such a tumultuous household, Meg had never been able to picture herself getting married. Sheâd been in love once, but sheâd bolted when he started talking about spending the rest of their lives together.
Lucy sighed. âI do want the wedding, just not the stress. My mother is driving me insane! Iâm so unhinged that I yelled at Kyra.â
âYouâre kidding.â In all the times Meg had seen Lucy with her maid of honor, the two women had gotten along perfectly.
âI was just so appalled at what sheâd done! Kyra went to a spray tan place so sheâd have more âcolorâ for the wedding pictures.â Lucy shuddered. âShe is now a very unnatural shade of orangeâ¦â
âThat bad?â
âDonât look directly at her if you value your eyesight. I donât know why she was worried about being a little pale. We just had the coldest January Texas has seen in years. Weâre all pale! But at least sheâs here, which is more than I can say for the best man. He called from Colorado yesterday to say he couldnât make it.â
âWeather problems?â After the snow and ice that had hit several states this week, the extensive flight cancellations had been in the news. Meg was glad most of Lucyâs guests only had to drive from Houston.
âNo, he was skiing and broke his leg showing off for a woman. I swear, he hasnât matured since he and Grant lived in the fraternity house together. Luckily Grantâs cousin agreed to fill in as his best man,â Lucy said. âThe cousin got here this morning but he hadnât planned on wearing a tux, so we need someone to take him for a fitting. Grant and I have that couplesâ spa appointment, andââ
âYou go relax. Iâll get the guy to his fitting.â
Lucy flashed a grateful smile. âMaybe this best man switch will turn out to be a blessing. Grantâs cousin is much less likely to lose the rings or do something outrageous at the bachelor party. But the manâs so somber! Not the kind of guy I pictured standing with us on the happiest day of our lives.â
A knock interrupted Lucy. âThat should be them now.â She opened the door and greeted her fiancé with a kiss. Then she moved aside to introduce the other man. âMeg, this isââ
âScott?â Megâs pulse raced, her heartbeat so loud it drowned out Lucyâs voice.
Dr. Scott Creighton was as devastatingly attractive as heâd always been, but there was a somberness in his eyes and face now, just as Lucy had described. When theyâd first met three and a half years ago, Scott had been a playful hospital intern.
Though heâd been all serious intensity the night heâd told her point-blank that he planned to marry her. And sheâd run the next morning.