The Perfect Mix (Keller Weddings Book 1) by Kenna Avery Wood Page B
Authors: Kenna Avery Wood
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Jillian walked in, with Gale close behind her.
“It’s her, right?” Jillian asked.
Anna nodded.
Jillian grimaced. “I had no idea.”
“Well, now you do.” Anna sank into a chair again.
Gale sat next to Anna. “I’m sorry. We figured it was her, and I wanted to kick her out, but Jillian wouldn’t let me.”
Anna gave her a ghost of a smile.
“It’s not that,” Jillian said. “She’s the mayor’s daughter. We don’t want bad publicity.”
“But you don’t want her business either,” Beckett said, staring at her. “Right?”
Jillian folded her arms. “It’s going to be a huge wedding.”
Beckett winced at her words and watched Anna for her response. She was right. Catrina and Tom were getting married.
Anna stood slowly, taking a few deep breaths. “I need to go.”
“No, you’re right. This is ridiculous.” Jillian took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Of course we’re not going to help with the wedding. There are other wedding planners out there.”
Gale smiled and put her arm around Anna. “Yeah, not our fault we’re the best. They’ll just have to go with second best.”
“No.” Anna shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense, does it? If you turn her away, we will get bad publicity. I wouldn’t put it past her and her family, or even Tom, to make a big deal about how Keller Wedding Consultants discriminated against them. Get it in the paper, and maybe even‒” She broke off, her breath hitching. “I can’t do this right now.”
Beckett reached for her. Her cheeks were tinged in red, and her lips pressed into a tight line. “Anna–”
“I have to get to work,” she said, shaking her head.
She brushed past him, mumbling an apology when her arm hit his, and left the room. Silence followed.
Finally, Gale stood with a frown. “I can’t believe she had the audacity to come in here.”
“She’s the mayor’s daughter,” Jillian said. “I’m willing to bet her family wants the best, and that’s why she came here. Maybe she doesn’t even know who Anna is. Besides, she was just checking us out. Maybe she’ll go with someone else.”
Beckett folded his arms. “And if not?”
“We’ll tell her it’s a conflict of interest,” Gale said simply. “We can’t do this to Anna.”
Jillian nodded. “You’re right. Of course you’re right.”
But Beckett could tell she didn’t want to agree. Getting the Whitmore wedding would be a huge deal for Keller Wedding Consultants, and losing it might hurt the business. Still, this was Anna. They couldn’t very well have her make a cake for her ex-fiancé.
Beckett turned for the door. “I should go check on her.”
“Just give her some space.” Gale set her hand on Beckett’s arm. “She’ll get through this like she got through Tom the first time, but I know my Anna needs her space.”
He sighed and nodded. He could give her space, but he hated that she wanted it. He hated that she wouldn’t let someone be there for her. He’d give her space for a few days, but then he was going to do what he could to get her mind off Tom for good.
Chapter Six
When Anna arrived home from work late Friday afternoon, Poppy was already there with a smile on her face.
“It’s the weekend,” she announced.
Anna narrowed her eyes at her sister. “Yeah…and?”
“Date night.”
Anna plopped on the couch. “Shit. I forgot.”
She’d busied herself with baking and putting on a smile and anything else she could do to get through the week. It had helped. A little. Pretending she was fine was easier than dealing with the problem. Especially because she’d decided Jillian and Keller Wedding Consultants should take Catrina and Tom on as clients.
It just made sense. Her family business was the best and it was a smart decision for them to host what was sure to be one of the biggest wedding events of the year, or whenever Tom and Catrina decided on a date.
Poppy frowned. “Don’t sound so
“It’s her, right?” Jillian asked.
Anna nodded.
Jillian grimaced. “I had no idea.”
“Well, now you do.” Anna sank into a chair again.
Gale sat next to Anna. “I’m sorry. We figured it was her, and I wanted to kick her out, but Jillian wouldn’t let me.”
Anna gave her a ghost of a smile.
“It’s not that,” Jillian said. “She’s the mayor’s daughter. We don’t want bad publicity.”
“But you don’t want her business either,” Beckett said, staring at her. “Right?”
Jillian folded her arms. “It’s going to be a huge wedding.”
Beckett winced at her words and watched Anna for her response. She was right. Catrina and Tom were getting married.
Anna stood slowly, taking a few deep breaths. “I need to go.”
“No, you’re right. This is ridiculous.” Jillian took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Of course we’re not going to help with the wedding. There are other wedding planners out there.”
Gale smiled and put her arm around Anna. “Yeah, not our fault we’re the best. They’ll just have to go with second best.”
“No.” Anna shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense, does it? If you turn her away, we will get bad publicity. I wouldn’t put it past her and her family, or even Tom, to make a big deal about how Keller Wedding Consultants discriminated against them. Get it in the paper, and maybe even‒” She broke off, her breath hitching. “I can’t do this right now.”
Beckett reached for her. Her cheeks were tinged in red, and her lips pressed into a tight line. “Anna–”
“I have to get to work,” she said, shaking her head.
She brushed past him, mumbling an apology when her arm hit his, and left the room. Silence followed.
Finally, Gale stood with a frown. “I can’t believe she had the audacity to come in here.”
“She’s the mayor’s daughter,” Jillian said. “I’m willing to bet her family wants the best, and that’s why she came here. Maybe she doesn’t even know who Anna is. Besides, she was just checking us out. Maybe she’ll go with someone else.”
Beckett folded his arms. “And if not?”
“We’ll tell her it’s a conflict of interest,” Gale said simply. “We can’t do this to Anna.”
Jillian nodded. “You’re right. Of course you’re right.”
But Beckett could tell she didn’t want to agree. Getting the Whitmore wedding would be a huge deal for Keller Wedding Consultants, and losing it might hurt the business. Still, this was Anna. They couldn’t very well have her make a cake for her ex-fiancé.
Beckett turned for the door. “I should go check on her.”
“Just give her some space.” Gale set her hand on Beckett’s arm. “She’ll get through this like she got through Tom the first time, but I know my Anna needs her space.”
He sighed and nodded. He could give her space, but he hated that she wanted it. He hated that she wouldn’t let someone be there for her. He’d give her space for a few days, but then he was going to do what he could to get her mind off Tom for good.
Chapter Six
When Anna arrived home from work late Friday afternoon, Poppy was already there with a smile on her face.
“It’s the weekend,” she announced.
Anna narrowed her eyes at her sister. “Yeah…and?”
“Date night.”
Anna plopped on the couch. “Shit. I forgot.”
She’d busied herself with baking and putting on a smile and anything else she could do to get through the week. It had helped. A little. Pretending she was fine was easier than dealing with the problem. Especially because she’d decided Jillian and Keller Wedding Consultants should take Catrina and Tom on as clients.
It just made sense. Her family business was the best and it was a smart decision for them to host what was sure to be one of the biggest wedding events of the year, or whenever Tom and Catrina decided on a date.
Poppy frowned. “Don’t sound so
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