Sweetheart Bride

Nick really liked the Blanchard sisters, especially their somewhat sweet naïveté. “Sending flowers does not complete my résumé, Callie.” He gave Brenna a direct stare.

Callie didn’t let that stop her. “No, but I’m pretty good with getting it right with my regulars. You’re the real deal, Nick.”

Brenna cleared her throat. “This little mutual admiration society is endearing, but I have to get going. My boss is demanding.” She shot Nick a daring smile. “Just passing through or did you need to speak to me?”

Nick wanted to keep sparring but duty called. “Actually, I wanted to see both you and Callie. And Winnie, too, for that matter.”

Winnie slapped the table. “The highlight of my day, for true.”

Brenna gave her sister a covert glance. “Have you changed your mind about hiring both of us?”

“No,” Nick said, accepting the glass of water Winnie offered him. “I’m calling an impromptu meeting later this week. Kind of a town hall thing. I’ve had so many questions about what’s happening with Fleur House, I thought I’d answer all of them in one fell swoop.”

“Smart,” Callie said. “What day and time?”

“Six-thirty Thursday, inside the church fellowship hall.” He turned to Brenna. “And I want you there to take a few notes on ideas the people of Fleur might have about the house and gardens. We have a gem of a home right here in Fleur and my client wants to make sure everyone here is comfortable with what will probably become a tourist attraction. He hopes to open both the house and the gardens for tours at certain times when he’s traveling on business.”

“I’ll be there,” Brenna replied, touched that both Nick and he-who-she-couldn’t-mention were willing to do this for the town.

Callie stood up. “Nick, you have to tell us about this man.”

Nick shook his head. “I can’t do that. My contract has a very precise confidentiality clause.”

“Which we will honor,” Brenna replied, sending her sister a warning look.

“Oh, all right.” Callie made a face. “Want a bowl of bread pudding, Nick?”

Nick glanced at Brenna. “I shouldn’t—”

“Oh, live a little, boss,” Brenna said. “It might make you sweeter.”

He laughed at that. “I’ll have some, then. With some of that strong coffee Fleur seems to be famous for.”

Callie brought him his pudding and coffee. “I have to get back to work. I’ll see y’all later.”

He watched as Brenna gathered her things, obviously in a hurry to get away from him. “What is this? I have to eat all alone?”

She stopped, glanced around. “I see a lot of people in here.”

“I don’t know them yet.”

“You don’t know me yet, either,” she said. “I’ll be at your meeting and I’ll take copious notes, but right now I want to research some art for the house. I want to get this right as much as you do, believe it or not.”

“I believe you,” he said, wishing she’d stay while he willed her to go. “Go, get to work. I am paying you a lot of money, after all.”

“Yes, sir.”

He watched her walk away, that elusive fragrance following her. Then he looked up to find Winnie smiling down at him.

“I’m still here,” she said with a grin.

Nick laughed at that because he was pretty sure Winnie was married and had four children. “Sit down and keep me company, then. And while you’re at it, maybe you can tell me why I find that woman so fascinating.”

Chapter Five

Brenna sat watching the people of Fleur as they filed into the bright church hall one by one. Of course, Winnie had sent cookies to go with the urn of coffee. Refreshments were always a requirement here in this big, loud room. The Fleur Café, right across the street, was happy to provide them.

Good thing she brought extra. Tonight the main attraction had drawn a record crowd. Whenever a stranger came to town and wanted a meeting, people came to listen. Especially people who were unemployed or late with last month’s mortgage. Especially people who already had two and sometimes three jobs but could never rest because their families needed food and shelter. Not that Nick came bearing jobs or solutions, but he was here on a positive note. He was taking something they all treasured and admired and making it beautiful again.

A restoration.

Brenna let that thought rush through her like sparkling water as she scanned the crowd. Nick wasn’t here yet. Why was she so nervous, so hopeful for this man? What had he done to her to make her see beneath that facade of cool and calm he cloaked around himself?

“Make it beautiful for me.”

His words echoed over the boisterous gathering, haunting her with a sweet intensity.

Did Nick create and re-create lovely aesthetic things because he needed to make the world more beautiful? For someone he loved? Or maybe for someone he’d lost? Was that why he traveled so light and lingered only as long as required? She thought about the young girl in the portrait she’d seen on the internet. What did Jessica mean to him? Was she a friend? Or someone he’d loved and lost?

Dear Lord, help me to understand this man. Help me to restore his soul to You.

The plea of that prayer poured over her as people gathered for the meeting. And somehow, Brenna knew that would be the echo she’d hear in her head each time she was around Nick Santiago.

For now, she smiled and waved to the full house. She spotted Julien’s younger brother, Pierre, along with his girlfriend, Mollie. They were so cute together. Since Julien and Alma had gotten back together, the Blanchard family had embraced Julien’s family, welcoming his mother and his brother as their own. Her father came through the door, Mrs. LeBlanc walking with him. It was funny how several of the widows in the church seemed to be always after her daddy. But Julien’s mother was just a friend. She had made it clear after her husband died almost two years ago she would never fall in love again.

Maybe Nick had made that same pledge, Brenna thought as she surveyed the crowd.

Callie came in and waved, then slid into a seat up front.

Brenna walked over to her sister and dropped her briefcase on the floor. “He’s not here yet.”

“I’m sure he’s on his way,” Callie said. “Hey, I got a call from Alma. They are having so much fun. The ocean, the beach, the shops, the honeymoon. She might not ever come home from Florida.”

“She’s in love,” Brenna said, glad for her sister. “Did you tell her about Fleur House?”

Callie giggled. “Yes, I told her all about your new love interest Nick Santiago, which is what you’re really asking.”

“I am not. What did she say?”

“She said good for you. On the job...and the man.”

“She’s in love. She can be optimistic.”

“Yeah, that’s true. We, on the other hand, are more cynical. So we have to be cautious.”

Brenna nodded at that, as sad as it sounded. But when she turned and saw Nick strolling in as if he owned the place, his suit tailored and fitted, his hair combed and shimmering, she wanted to throw caution to the wind. Her heart actually did a backward flip.

Frances LaBorde, a staunch church lady and one to always notice everything going on around here, leaned up and touched Brenna on the arm. “He’s mighty perty, ain’t he?” She winked at Brenna, then settled back with a look of delight on her puffy cheeks.