“I agree. A setting that any bride would give her eyeteeth to secure.”
“Perhaps we should suggest that to Angie. This would be a fine resort to house weddings.”
He smiled. “And it would bring me back to see your lovely face.”
“Why Mr. Fredricks; are you flirting?”
“I suppose I am. Feels good too. Hope you don’t mind.”
Sandra did not. The man who’d landed on her doorstep was likeable and she found herself enjoying this brief time together on his first evening at the resort. “Suppose at our age, there’s no time to waste,” she said half blushing.
“I’m only forty-nine and do not consider that the end of my life. Got lots of living left in these bones.”
She sighed. “You’re right. Suppose I got to feeling old when Braxton passed away, and more so when my son decided to fly from the nest and get married.”
“Just a ripple in the pond. Sandra. You’ll find a new wave to soar on.”
Just then the light flicked on and illuminated the room. Trevor and Angie stood at the door.
“I thought I heard voices. What are you doing sitting in the dark?” Angie asked.
“It’s not dark,” Sandra said. “There’s a full moon and we have a lantern glowing on our table.”
“Yes, I noticed the cozy scene, mother. Who’s your friend?”
Sandra jumped to her feet. “Why it’s Robert Fredricks – the wedding planner.”
Robert stood. “Gather you two are the happy couple. I arrived a day early. Hope you don’t mind that I came straight out to the resort and that this lovely angel has fed me and shown me to my room.”
Angie rushed over to the table. “Not at all. And thank you, Sandra for filling in for us.” She turned her attention to Robert. “Welcome to Heritage Inn. I’ve read wonderful reviews about your services and am excited to work with you.”
“This wedding will be a walk in the park. The splendor of the Inn will do most of the work for me.”
“Possibly, but I will be grateful for you to relieve me of the pressure of wedding details. Its year end at the resort, I have a turnaround of guests before ours arrive, and my fiancé is finally here. I feel torn in too many directions to do anything satisfactorily.”
“Well, you rest easy, Miss Parkinson. I’ll sort through the details and run only the best ideas by you and Mr. Dristoll before finalizing it.” He glanced at Sandra. “And I believe his mother is looking for something to occupy her time. With her help, we’ll make this the best wedding Pineville has ever seen.”
The next morning, Sandra took extra time choosing her outfit. She shuffled through the clothes she’d packed from home and came to the sad conclusion her wardrobe was outdated. She’d began to dress like the old woman, much like the woman she perceived herself to be. That picture had changed last night. Robert’s worldview had awakened a fresh spirit and her focus on being abandoned took a back seat to a woman with more living left to do. How fickle – that one handsome gent paying a bit of interest could awaken the sleeping beauty within.
She laughed at her silliness, but continued to take additional care to her appearance. Puffing her chestnut hair slightly on top gave the impression she was taller than she actually was and it beat wearing those unbearable high-heels. She used a hot-iron to curl the ends under at chin length. Sandra chose a pair of well-fitting jeans that Angie had purchased from Pineville as a gift and a multi-colored pullover sweater that stretched down low over her ample hips. She wasn’t as slender as she used to be. Probably too many cookies and not enough exercise. But when she stood in front of the mirror, she beamed, and her face lit up. Braxton had always claimed her smile made her a rare beauty. Did she want Robert to see that same quality? He was the first man, other than Braxton, that had sparked anything womanly inside her. The thought scared and revitalized her at the same time.
Sandra shook off the musing and headed for the door. They had a wedding to plan. When she entered the dining room, she noticed Robert sitting at the same table as last night, his head buried in his computer screen. She approached him.
“Never could get my head wrapped around that technological monster. I still prefer the old-fashioned pad and pen.”
He stumbled to his feet and although he said nothing, she noted he gave her a once over scan before settling his eyes on her face. “My daughter insisted that I learn. Said no one would hire me as a wedding planner if they couldn’t communicate via the airwaves. I’m afraid she was right. The world is going viral, but I’ve discovered that if I stick to my program, my online site, and a bit of Internet browsing, I slay the monster most days.”
Sandra sat across from him. “How can I help you today?”
He grinned. “I was hoping you’d take me on a grand tour of the resort and maybe even hit the town highlights this afternoon. I like to get a feel for the venue. It helps make the details of the event come alive.”
“I’d love to show you around. I am an encyclopedia of information so you definitely picked the right assistant.”
“I had no doubts.” He closed the computer and pushed it aside. “Shall we order breakfast and get our day started?”
“The special is Cook’s farmer’s omelette. Comes complete with hash browns and pancakes on
