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chapter 1

“Where’s room?” I muttered under my breath

Ta in—the sao” The tension in her voice mirrored mine

She was the officiant I’d subcontracted for this extravagant creekside wedding at a renowned resort in the intimate upscale community of Sedona, Arizona Unfortunately, our unpredictable monsoons made late summer a sketchy time of year for outdoor events A torrential downpour could obliterate this cere

That was only one of rass, full syca red-rock canyons, yet all was not right with this scene—and it wasn’t just the crackle of electricity and the scent of rain hanging in the air that set e

Keeping , too”

I’d only turned ht and snapped on thehalf of my bridal party

Taood time to panic” Even her lovely British accent couldn’t mask her dread

“This can’t be happening” My stomach knotted

Sure, I’d dealt with MIA grooms before Ones who’d had their bachelor parties on the eve of the big day—never a good idea—and ended up in the eency rooreat escape to Sin City

I hadn’t considered Sean Aldridge a flight risk My bad, because he and his buds were nowhere in sight While two hundred guests waited for the nuptials to begin, nervously stealing glances at the increasingly ominous sky

Tamera was all set to head to the front of the event lawn just before the sun started its gradual descent, hopefully breaking through the cloud cover to splash radiant color across the white caps of the flowing rapids The sound of water rushing over s with the rustle of leaves as a breeze picked up Another bad sign If a storh the partially covered east patio where the cocktail reception was to be held, effectively destroying that portion of the evening as well

Inclement weather had posed a threat for est event thus far and the last thing I needed was drenched and disgruntled guests glaring at the wedding planner—even if it was the bride who’d waved a disers of monsoon season For fear tents would mar the scenery she’d insisted none be erected

Meghan Delfino currently paced the polished wooden floor of the elegantly rustic cottage the resort had co one-of-a-kind Carolina Herrera gown Not until that precious han stepped out of the thicket and paused at the top of the short set of stone steps built into the grassy knoll above the lawn

Even the steel-nerved father of the bride was ready to walk his pride and joy down the aisle that was lit by ornate lanterns and accented with dozens of elaborate sterling silver and white rose bouquets Though his patience crept toward agitation, if the darting of his alert hazel eyes was any indication And they kept landing on me

Taht-up seven o’clock, Ari Sun’ll be on the move in eleven minutes”

“Damn it They must be in the bar” I whirled around and marched off My low heels crunched the underbrush of the nature trail woven through the heavily wooded property and I dodged ard branches that jutted out onto the path The hispered through the trees, tauntinghowl Deep-vibrato, rust-colored chihostly effect to the overcast evening, bringing on a razor-sharp vibe Orthe best of me

I reached the outdoor dining area along the water’s edge, the servers already cranking down the tall uust whipped along the creek

I required less than forty-five minutes of tame weather—the ceremony was to be a quick one I could move the predinner reception inside if need be, but I desperately wanted the vows to be as Meghan had envisioned

Not toBridal consulting wasn’t exactly a lucrative business in such a small town, especially when you were an independent planner And rent didn’t come cheap in Sedona