Second Chance Girl

She pulled into her driveway and quickly unloaded the leftovers, then continued her journey to his place. Sophie jumped out of the car and led the way to the front door.

Carol knocked but there was no answer. She tried the knob and it turned easily, so she let the dog in and followed Sophie.

“Mathias, it’s Carol. I brought your dog back.”

There was no answer, but that was hardly a surprise. The house was huge and Mathias could be anywhere.

Sophie barked, then started down the hall. Carol went with her, through the kitchen and out toward the sunroom where she knew he often sketched.

Sure enough he sat at a big drafting table by the window overlooking the animal preserve.

She took a moment to study his broad shoulders and short, dark hair. He had a pad of paper in front of him. His hand moved, creating more quickly than the eye could follow.

“Hey, Sophie,” he said absently, reaching down to rub her ears. “You just wake up?”

“No, she just got home.”

Mathias turned to stare at her. “Carol. Hi. Did I know you were stopping by?”

“I’m not stopping by. I’m returning your dog. She was out on the savanna.”

He dropped the pencil and frowned. “She couldn’t be. She’s been here with me. We came back here and I let her out to do her thing, then closed the back door.” The frown deepened as he stood. “I know I made sure the door latched.”

They walked to the back of the house where a door stood open. Mathias closed it and checked the lock, then turned to Sophie.

“Now you’re scaring me.”

She wagged her tail.

“Maybe she’s like those dinosaurs in Jurassic Park,” Carol teased. “She’s learning how to open doors.”

“This dog is going to take over the world.” He glanced at his watch. “Come on. We have a meeting at Weddings Out of the Box. I’ll drive.”

Because they were going together? Maybe on the way he would turn to her and express his undying lust. They could pull to the side of the road and...

Carol held in a groan. The side of the road? That wasn’t exactly romantic. She couldn’t even fantasize creatively.

“I have no idea why you want me at the meeting,” she said as he clipped a leash onto Sophie’s collar and led the way to his car. “You’re creative enough for ten people. As for the female point of view, Pallas and Violet will both be there. You really don’t need me.”

Mathias held open the passenger door. For a second, when their eyes met, she would have sworn she saw...something. A flash of...

No, she told herself firmly. That was just wishful thinking. Mathias was a charming, sexy lover of one-night stands with beautiful, sexy, out-of-town bridesmaids. To believe anything else was to be a fool.

“You’ll be the voice of reason,” he told her.

“Great. I’m the stern, maiden aunt. How wonderful.”

She snapped her seat belt into place, then patted her lap for Sophie to sit on her. The beagle obliged, then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, as if saying she was liked. Not exactly a declaration a girl could dream about, but at least beagle love didn’t ever break your heart.

CHAPTER SIX (#ud45861f3-7c9d-5a70-a6ed-79e3e914f669)

“I’M THE MATURE voice of reason,” Carol said drily as she sat next to Violet in Pallas’s office at Weddings Out of the Box. “I’m not sure why anyone thinks that’s necessary. I’m here to help with Maya and Del’s wedding, but now I have a purpose.”

“Because you didn’t before?” Violet asked with a laugh.

Violet had come prepared with pen and paper. Unlike her sister, Violet was in on the meeting to offer creative suggestions. Pallas was terrified at the thought of putting on a wedding for her soon-to-be in-laws—especially on short notice. While she was happy to support her friend, Violet honestly didn’t get the problem. Pallas had organized dozens and dozens of weddings and they’d all been lovely events. There was no reason to think Maya’s was going to be different.

Mathias, brother of the groom, was also in on the planning meeting. Pallas typed on her computer and seconds later a pretty, green-eyed blonde appeared on the screen.

“Hi, everyone,” she said with a wave.

Pallas made introductions. Maya greeted them all, then said, “Mathias, Del says hi.”

“Hi back.” Mathias leaned toward her. “If he’s so interested in brotherly love, why isn’t he part of the meeting?”

“Because it’s six thirty in the morning and he was up late with clients.” Maya held up a cup of coffee. “Besides, I have a lot more opinions about our wedding than he does.” She wrinkled her nose. “So far his contribution consists of ‘I want cake.’”

“There’s going to be cake,” Pallas assured her. “Not to worry. Do you have the information I sent you?”

“I do and I’ve looked over it.” Maya shuffled several pieces of paper. “You’re very thorough, which I appreciate. I know there isn’t much time.”

Pallas flinched, as if the reminder of putting together a wedding in three weeks was physically painful. Violet wanted to be supportive, but it was tough not to laugh. Pallas always did this—she got so invested in her clients’ events that she suffered way more than they did.

“We can do this,” Violet said soothingly. “It’s going to be great. Pallas mentioned you already have your dress, right?”

“I do.” Maya held up a picture of a mermaid-style lace-covered gown with a sweetheart neckline. It was elegant and beautiful.

Pallas typed on her tablet. “Having the dress is huge. With that and the venue, we should be fine. Do you have a theme in mind?”

Maya’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“I sent ideas in the materials.” Pallas held up a brochure. “That’s what we do here. Themed weddings. Cowboy weddings, Roman weddings, under-the-sea weddings.”

“Maybe something from Lord of the Rings,” Mathias offered.

Carol poked him in the arm. “You’re supposed to be helping.”

“I think Del would look great dressed up as a hobbit.”

“Let’s stay focused,” Pallas murmured. “Maya, what were you thinking?”

“I don’t know. Something pretty. Elegant. I don’t want anything with hobbits. Can’t we just do a regular wedding?”

Pallas bit her lower lip. “That’s a fairly broad category.”

A statement that probably had Maya confused. Violet would guess the bride was picturing a regular kind of wedding, but the venue she’d chosen specialized in everything from pirate weddings to black-and-white Regency extravaganzas. Pallas would automatically be thinking how to make things unique while Maya seemed to want conventional. It would have made more sense for Maya and Del to go to a more traditional venue in town. She wondered if they’d chosen Weddings Out of the Box because Nick was engaged to Pallas. Or maybe the tight time frame was the driver. Pallas had a spot because of a cancellation—it was possible no one else in town could have fit them in.

“I have an idea,” Violet said as she smiled at Maya. “Tell me what you think about this. An elegant princess wedding. Simple, beautiful, classic. As if Grace Kelly were getting married today.”