Gina Cresse - Devonie Lace 03 - A Deadly Change of Heart by Gina Cresse Page A

marveled.
    “No.  Is that bad?” she asked.
    “Three weeks?  I don’t know if we’ll find a reputable one on that short notice.  Is money an issue?”
    Pamela shook her head.  “No.  Bradley’s paying for the whole wedding.  He said to just send him the bills.”
    “Wow.  Guess your folks must be relieved,” I said.
    Pamela frowned.  “My parents died when I was sixteen.  I don’t have any other family.  Bradley’s all I have.  He’s my family now.”
    My heart sank.  This poor kid, I thought.  I didn’t know what to say.  I gave her the most sympathetic look I could.  I’m sure she thought it was in response to the fact that she’d lost her parents, but if I had to be honest, it was really because she was about to chain herself to Bradley Parker.
    She shook the brief moment of sorrow off.  “Don’t be sad.  I’m happy.  I’m in love with the most wonderful man in the world, and in three weeks, I’m going to have the most beautiful wedding ever.”
    I put the pen back to the paper and made a note.  “I’ll check with my photographer.  Maybe he has an opening, or knows someone who might be available.  What else?”
    The waitress brought our food.  I cleared a spot for my salad and asked for a refill of my water.  Pamela spread a pat of butter on a warm roll.  “A caterer would be a good idea.  At first, I was just going to have a cake reception, but if we have an evening wedding, we should probably feed the guests.”
    I set my fork down.  “You don’t know if you’re having an evening wedding?” I asked.
    “I haven’t decided.”
    “You mean you don’t have the church reserved?” I asked, sounding more like a mother than a helpful acquaintance.
    “Oh, no.  Bradley doesn’t want a church wedding,” she replied.
    Right.  Someplace where he won’t be struck down by lightning the second he steps foot in the place , I thought.  I set the pen down on the table.  “Maybe we should take a different approach.  What have you taken care of so far?”
    Pamela appeared slightly injured.  “I’m sorry.  I’m really embarrassed.  I’m just horrible at planning and organizing.  It’s one of those things that, if you don’t learn by a certain age, you never will.”
    I felt like a heel.  This poor girl hadn’t developed the callused scars around her heart that life tends to create, and I’d managed to unwittingly hurt her feelings.  “It’s okay, Pamela.  Everything will work out.  Have you considered a Nevada wedding?  Not Vegas, but maybe Lake Tahoe?”
    She shot me a horrified look, her eyes as big as saucers.  “No.  I refuse to get married next to a slot machine.”
    I could tell she was adamant and there was no point explaining that it wouldn’t have to be the way she imagined it, marching down an aisle flanked by one-armed bandits to a minister who doubled as a black-jack dealer.  I picked up my pen.  “Okay, then we better get busy.  Tell me what we have to work with.”
    “I have reserved the day at Bay Vista.  Have you seen it?  It’s spectacular.  We’ll have the entire Pacific Ocean as a backdrop.”
    I jotted it down and nodded with approval.  “Good.”
    “And I have a Justice of the Peace arranged.  He’s available any time that day.  I just need to let him know the time.”
    I flipped the page on my notebook and started on a fresh sheet.  “Okay.  Here’s what we still need to do.  Invitations?”  I looked at her with raised eyebrows.  She nodded.  I wrote it down.  “Flowers.  Photographer.  I think you should go for the cake reception and forego the caterer.”
    “Okay,” she agreed.
    “Cake.  Chairs for the guests.  How many?” I asked.
    “About a hundred.”
    “One hundred chairs.  A table for the cake.  Punch.  Wine?”
    “Champagne,” she said, decisively.
    “Champagne.  Glasses.  Plates.  Forks.  Do you like chocolate covered strawberries?” I asked.
    Pamela rolled her eyes.  “I