“I don’t know that’s what I’d call a one-sided attraction.”
“Why do you think it was one-sided? I thought he asked you out on a date before he left for France.”
“No, I thought it was a date, but then I realized … well, I was wrong.”
“You sure about that?”
“Very.” Ashley’s brother couldn’t have been clearer about her lack of a chance with his best friend.
Madison’s fingers tapped the edge of her lower lip. “All I know is that the truth has a way of coming out. Remember when you urged me to tell Evan the truth about our past?”
“That was different. You were being stubborn and making assumptions about what he wanted.” Ashley folded her arms and sat back in her chair.
“I could say the same about you.” At Ashley’s pointed glare, she held up her hands. “Fine. My point is, maybe you can’t tell Derek how you feel now. But maybe talking about the past—how you used to feel, how things used to be—would go a long way in helping you heal. Let the truth set you free.”
How could she ever tell him about the past without making her current emotions totally obvious?
Ashley stood, gathering up the plates and forks, stacking them to make it easier for the busboy. “It’s a nice idea, Mad. But I’m not sure that the truth would bring anything but pain.” And embarrassment. “Besides, it would only ruin the fragile bit of friendship we’ve managed to build.”
Standing, Ashley hugged Madison goodbye and left the Frosted Cake—and Madison’s suggestion—behind.
Late-night work session all by her lonesome, here she came.
Chapter 8
“What do you mean, we’re not on the schedule?” Ashley’s grip tightened on the arm of the chair where she sat across from Janessa Kennedy, the Moonstone Lodge’s events coordinator. Derek shifted in the seat next to Ashley, a frown fixed on his face.
This couldn’t be happening. Not with this wedding.
With soaring crossbeam wooden ceilings and plush furniture featuring crystal-button tufted seat backs, Janessa’s office was as opulent as the rest of the luxury resort nestled in the pines just a few miles northeast of Walker Beach. Guests came from all over for the 360-degree views—the ocean on one side of the hotel and the forest on the other.
The woman’s black bob swayed as she shook her head. “That’s not quite what—”
“I mean, we’ve paid the hefty deposit.” Ashley’s voice gathered steam. “I’ve triple-checked the date with your assistant and met with him to go over details.”
In fact, this was the first time she was dealing with Janessa regarding this event at all. The woman had left a voicemail on Ashley’s phone this morning requesting an urgent call back. Since Derek needed to tour the venue and make a few decisions that Ashley hadn’t been able to make on her own—despite working non-stop the last three days on the wedding details—they’d decided to drop by to chat with Janessa in person.
But the coordinator’s news had not been part of the plan. “How did this happen?” Again Ashley peeked at Derek, who hadn’t removed his hawk-like gaze from Janessa.
How could he be so calm? He was getting married in eighteen days, and they’d just been informed that the venue wasn’t available.
In all his years of planning, this had probably never happened to Kyle. And he was going to kill Ashley if Derek didn’t first.
But instead of murder in his eyes, Derek merely looked like he was assessing any old business problem that needed a solution. “I’d like to know the same thing. What happened?” He sat back, folded his arms across his chest, and waited.
Ashley breathed out slowly. If he wasn’t freaking out, she wouldn’t either. She couldn’t. Besides, anger would only serve to alienate the events coordinator of the Moonstone Lodge, one of the only wedding venues in town that was elegant and large enough to accommodate higher-end weddings. The resort’s hilltop location and ocean views made it a coveted wedding locale.
Janessa had the good sense to at least look chagrined. “When Mr. Mahaney called to inquire about the date in question, my assistant didn’t look at the calendar properly. While it’s true that there are no outside events scheduled during the date in question, we have a very exclusive private party renting the entire lodge for two weeks, including the one before and after Memorial Day weekend.”
Exclusive private party. Aka a celebrity or at least someone very rich and high profile.
“And frankly, Ashley, I’m surprised at your assumption.” Janessa’s chin raised in challenge. “Everyone knows that we book up a year, sometimes two, in advance.”
Janessa was right. When Ashley had found out Moonstone Lodge was available so last minute, and on a holiday weekend no less, she should have known it was too good to be true. Even though she’d talked with Janessa’s assistant several times, she should have dug deeper. “I …”
“Hang on now.” Derek straightened. “It doesn’t sound like it’s Ashley’s fault at all. Sounds like it’s yours.”
“As I explained, my assistant—”
“And your assistant answers to you, doesn’t he?”
The event coordinator’s lips pressed into a firm line. “Not anymore. I let him go over this incident, of course.”
“Is there anything we can do about this?” Derek asked. “Any way you can squeeze us in?”
“I wish I could, but the private party’s contract explicitly states there are only to be employees on-site, and each of us has been asked to sign an NDA. So a wedding is out of the question, I’m afraid.”
The air in the office crackled. “And what about our contract?” Though Derek’s voice remained steady, it was laced with steel. “If I contact my attorney, will he tell me I have grounds to sue you for breach of contract?”
Ashley’s gaze ping-ponged between them. Much as she hated that this was happening, she couldn’t afford to burn bridges with Janessa.
She placed a hand on Derek’s forearm. His eyes shot toward it, then up to meet
