“Ethan.” Mac dragged in a breath. Released it. Slowly. “I don’t think you realize what you signed on for. Weddings don’t just happen by themselves. You need a cake. A photographer. Decorations.”
In a little less than two weeks.
The Hollis Channing that Mac had gone to school with would have taken that long to pick out her nail polish for the event.
“It sounds like you know a lot about weddings.”
“Not really. My friend Annie Price is getting married next month.” Mac had spent a Saturday afternoon with Annie at Second Story Books, the bookstore she managed, paging through bridal magazines. Every wedding task list she’d seen had had a one-year countdown.
“You know more than I do, that’s for sure.” The sudden gleam in Ethan’s green eyes made Mac nervous.
“Ah . . . I have to be at work by seven thirty. I’ll get out of your way as soon as I take a few pictures of the boathouse.”
“You know,” Ethan mused, “Hollis wasn’t exactly thrilled when I told her that Mom contacted the Register about her wedding.”
“I never said it was your mother.”
“You didn’t have to.” Ethan reached out and the tip of his finger grazed her cheek. “Your freckles turned pink. Dead giveaway.”
Mac was glad he couldn’t see her toes curling inside her boots.
“It’s—” What is it again? “News.” That’s right. It’s news. “Everyone in Red Leaf remembers your family, and Hollis is marrying an actor.”
“Which is one of the reasons they wanted to keep it simple.” Ethan’s hand dropped to his side and the gleam became a smile that spilled into the corners of his eyes. “So I propose we make a deal.”
“A deal.”
“You need photographs, and I need some help.”
“What kind of help?” Mac asked suspiciously.
“You give me a little guidance and I’ll make sure you get your story.”
“That’s . . . you’re trying to bribe me?”
“I like to think of it more as a win-win situation. You get the inside scoop on the wedding, and I get someone who knows there’s supposed to be a guy in a penguin suit.”
And Grant would let her interview Senator Tipley.
It also meant spending more time with Ethan.
“I don’t know—”
“I need you, Mac,” Ethan said quietly. “It’s important to my baby sister that her wedding day goes smoothly. Dad isn’t here to make sure that happens so I promised her I would.”
Mac heard a disturbing sound. The sound of another interior wall crumbling.
“Fine. I’ll do what I can.”
Not the most enthusiastic response but Ethan would take it.
Mac started down to the lake, all business, and he fell into step behind her, fascinated with the way the swish of her auburn ponytail matched the gentle sway of her hips.
“You do have a nice view.”
“Um . . .” She’s talking about the water. “Yes. Nice.”
“Where are Hollis and Connor going to exchange their vows?”
“Down by the water.” Ethan pointed to a natural curve in the shoreline.
Mac raised her camera. “What time?”
“Six o’clock.”
“An evening wedding.” She nodded her approval. “The natural lighting will be good that time of day.”
Ethan hadn’t thought about the lighting at all. He hadn’t thought about music or decorations or flowers, either.
Mac snapped a picture. “Do they have a theme?”
“It’s a wedding. Isn’t that the theme?”
He took Mac’s ragged exhale as a no.
“Hollis said all she needs is a groom, a pastor, and a wedding dress.”
“I hate to tell you this, Ethan, but your sister lied to you. My friend Annie is having a simple wedding but she’s been planning for months to make it special. The two don’t cancel each other out.”
“I’m open to suggestions.” Really open.
“Start by working with what you have.” Mac’s gaze swept over the property. “Brides pay tons of money for hydrangeas and you’ve got a whole row of them growing against the foundation of the house. Don’t rip the wild grapevine down, have the photographer use it as a backdrop. Put floating lanterns in the lake. Strings of lights in the trees.”
“You said you didn’t know much about weddings. Where did you come up with all these ideas?”
“I don’t know.” Mac shrugged, but a wave of color washed over the delicate curve of her jaw and filled the spaces between her freckles. “What about the menu for the reception?”
“Hollis said—”
“Let me guess.” Another sigh. “Keep it simple.”
“Right.”
“How many guests?”
“Mmm. Twenty?” Judging from Mac’s expression, Ethan should have made it sound like a statement rather than a question.
He was beginning to understand why Mac had reacted the way she had when he’d said he was in charge of the details. Planning a wedding wasn’t exactly part of his skill set.
“Red Leaf doesn’t have anyone who caters, but you could talk to Sharon at the Korner Kettle. Her daughter made hors d’oeuvres for the historical society’s fashion show last week and they were amazing.”