The Bridal Bouquet
Who will catch a lifetime of love?Winning the annual wedding bouquet design competition may be the closest Kady Lawrence gets to the altar. She has to come in first or risk losing the shop that’s been in her family for generations. Her main competition is Jasmine Matthews. But it’s Jasmine's son who’s caught Kady's attention.Kady has no inkling Dylan’s a DEA agent on a case in Cypress Pointe, and Dylan wants to keep it that way…until Kady's targeted. Determined to keep her safe, Dylan risks a lot more than blowing his cover…he risks losing Kady forever.
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Who will catch a lifetime of love?
Winning the annual wedding bouquet design competition may be the closest Kady Lawrence gets to the altar. She has to come in first or risk losing the shop thatâs been in her family for generations. Her main competition is Jasmine Matthews. But itâs Jasmineâs son whoâs caught Kadyâs attention.
Kady has no inkling Dylanâs a DEA agent on a case in Cypress Pointe, and Dylan wants to keep it that way...until Kadyâs targeted. Determined to keep her safe, Dylan risks a lot more than blowing his cover...he risks losing Kady forever.
Suddenly, Kady shivered; he stepped toward her.
He liked being here with Kady, standing in the outdoors, far away from the burden of his memories, the strangling ties of his job. Standing before this beautiful vista of sand and surf, beside an equally beautiful and fascinating woman, almost felt surreal.
Kady rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms.
âAre you cold?â
âYes. I should have grabbed my wrap before we came outside.â
Dylan shrugged out of his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. She took the lapels in her hands and drew the coat around her.
âBetter?â
She met his gaze. âMuch.â
They continued to stare at each other. Dylan was so drawn to this woman, he should be fighting it. It wasnât safe for either of them, and yet...he slid his arm around her waist. When she didnât move away, he pulled her closer.
Who doesnât love flowers? Or weddings? How about a mystery thrown in for good measure?
The Bridal Bouquet, the fourth installment in The Business of Weddings series, has all of the above, along with two strong-willed characters out to achieve their goals. Problem is, their goals donât include love so, of course, they canât help falling for each other.
Kady Lawrence has a lot to prove if she wants to take over the family floral shop. Attending the annual floral convention and winning the wedding bouquet competition is all part of her plan, that is until DEA special agent Dylan Matthews walks into her life.
Dylan has an old score to settle and the criminal in question is hiding out near Cypress Pointe. How to catch him? Pose undercover at the floral convention to gather information about the town and its people. Sounds easy enough. But bad guys have a way of changing the rules. Soon Dylan finds himself protecting Kady, and as danger escalates, love blossoms.
Welcome back to Cypress Pointe. For a small town, there always seems to be something exciting going on! Youâll catch up with characters from my previous books and find out if any wedding bells will chime in the future. After all, this is the business of weddings.
Tara Randel
TARA RANDEL is an award-winning, USA TODAY bestselling author of eleven novels. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. This is her fourth book for Harlequin Heartwarming. Visit Tara at tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at Tara Randel Books.
To my wonderful friends Tiffany and Christian.
Thanks for the inspiration, Christian. Your stories really lit a fire under me.
Contents
KADY LAWRENCE DODGED the raucous wedding party eagerly heading for the reception-bound vehicles idling in the parking lot. Now that the photographer was concentrating solely on romantic bride-and-groom shots, Kady could transport the floral arrangements from the beach ceremony to the Grand Cypress Hotel ballroom.
Her feet sank into the cool, smooth sand, her flats keeping a minimum of the sugary grains from shifting into her shoes and tickling her toes. The sun shone bright on this seasonably cool January day, making this postcard-perfect weather in Cypress Pointe, Florida. The azure-blue sky played backdrop to fluffy, scuttling clouds above. A brideâs dream come true, she thought. She glimpsed the couple staring into each otherâs eyes, the crystalline waters of the Gulf of Mexico a stunning vista in the background.
A brisk wind had whipped through during the ceremony, rustling the skirts of the bridesmaidsâ dresses. But the bride lifted her face to the sky and laughed, welcoming the heady bluster with unbridled delight. The air settled after the brief swirl, but the gulf waters continued to churn, a vivid reminder of the natural elements surrounding them.
While the couple laughed and enjoyed their special day, Kadyâs thoughts ran more along the lines of asking the photographer if she could place some of his wedding prints on display in her familyâs flower shop. She had three goals in lifeânumber one, to make The Lavish Lily the one-stop floral shop for brides and all bridal-related events. Working with fellow wedding professionals could only propel her dream forward.
