Page 6 of The Wedding Planner's Secret
Really, Faith?
Will was going to kill her. He shouldn’t have promised to oversee her wedding planning while she finished filming her latest movie. Faith had told him this would be easy. As easy as pushing an elephant into an elevator. And the wedding was the least of it.
Will was used to being around beautiful, wealthy, accomplished women and having them flirt, even pursue him. He tolerated such women; he was an expert at fending off their advances unless he wanted a little company. But it never went further than that. No one intrigued him enough to make him want more.
Until today.
Something had happened when he’d seen Kelsey’s reflection in the mirror. He’d stood transfixed as if watching a piece of living art. Unguarded expressions had played on her face, and emotion clogged his throat. He’d felt as if he were trespassing, but he hadn’t been able to stop staring at her. Tall and willowy, with long chestnut hair that shone and sparkled like each strand had been individually polished, she looked so young, so soft, so sweet. The wistful smile on her face had touched his heart, and he’d wanted to capture the moment. For the first time in a long while, he’d felt the racing of his pulse, the pounding of his heart. And he’d liked the way it felt. Liked it a lot.
When Kelsey had realized she wasn’t alone, the glowing bride-to-be had metamorphosed into an icy, distant professional. No flirting, no fawning. She’d even called him Mr. Addison and kept it strictly business.
Yet when she’d realized he was Faith Starr’s brother…
Talk about passion boiling under a cool façade. Will couldn’t believe the change in the woman. Flames had danced within the violet depths of her eyes, raising his temperature enough to melt the ice in his veins. She’d shown restraint, yet her anger had been clear. No amount of charm would ever change her mind. Forget the sweet talk, even his never-fail smile hadn’t worked.
Will didn’t get it. He always got what he wanted from women. Even with Sara.
Sara.
Will’s gut tightened.
What was he doing? Being attracted to Kelsey was one thing—he hadn’t spent the past eight years as a hermit—but he had no right to be intrigued by her. She wasn’t simply another guest at one of his resorts; she was the woman he had to convince to plan his sister’s wedding. His family, especially his mother, was counting on him to bring Kelsey to Lake Tahoe. He wouldn’t let his mother down. Hecouldn’tlet her down.
The door to Kelsey’s office finally opened. She stepped out, locked the door, and turned. The moment she saw him, her lips tightened. “What are you still doing here?”
Her above-the-knee gray tailored skirt and jacket hugged each curve. Will forced his gaze to focus away from her body and on her face. There was both a delicacy and a strength to her features. Her classic beauty would only improve over the years, and she didn’t need all the makeup she wore. High cheekbones dusted with blush, full lips painted the color of a mouthwatering plum, and eyelids outlined with black liner. At least she hadn’t tried to hide the small mole near the left side of her mouth. “You seemed upset. I wanted to apologize.”
She stared down her perfectly shaped nose as if he were a mere peon. Fine by him. Will knew how to deal with women like that. He made a living catering to customers, to the whims of the wealthy guests staying at his family’s resorts. He hadn’t thought Kelsey fit that cold and shallow mold. She’d seemed more the warm and passionate type, but it would be easier this way. Much easier. “I also wanted to apologize for Faith. She’s very sorry for what she put you through.”
“Which time?”
“All four of them,” he admitted.
Unblinking, Kelsey studied him. “You’ve made your apologies. Now leave.”
“I don’t blame you for being upset at Faith, but I wish you would hear me out. You didn’t lose money on any of her weddings.”
“No, your mother saw to that, but I lost something far more valuable—my time.” Kelsey flipped her hair behind her shoulder.
Something in Will’s chest twinged.
Ignore it; ignore her.
“And it hurt my reputation,” she continued. “In an industry like mine, reputation is everything.”
“Granted, but Faith has changed. She loves her new fiancé and is serious about getting married this time.”
“Which of her latest co-stars is she engaged to?”
“He isn’t an actor.”
The news seemed to surprise Kelsey, but she continued to stare at the gilt-framed botanical print on the wall. “A director, then?”
“No. His name is Trent Jeffreys. He runs a nonprofit agency.”
“A nonprofit?”
“Low-cost housing, affordable living alternatives. He’s even got Faith volunteering on a few of his projects.”
