Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold) (2 page)

The door to Brew-haha opened and a woman entered. She was in her late twenties, with shoulder-length blond hair and blue eyes. She looked slightly rushed and a little frazzled. Not nervous, he thought as he studied her. More determined, with a little unsure thrown in.

Her gaze landed on him. Instantly her shoulders squared and her chin went up. Madeline, he thought, recognizing her from the mayor’s description and appreciating how she looked more resigned than thrilled. He supposed most people wanted to be liked. He did, too, but for the right reasons. Anyone who was impressed the second they met him left him looking for the closest exit. Because they weren’t there for him. They were there for Jonny Blaze, Action Star. Wariness was a lot more honest than gushing, and in his world, honesty was a sought-after commodity.

Madeline crossed the small café and stopped by his table. Her gaze was direct as she offered him a slight smile. “Mr. Blaze, I’m Madeline Krug. Mayor Marsha said you’d be expecting me.”

“Jonny,” he said easily, rising and pulling out a chair for her. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

She sat down and opened a large black tote. From inside, she pulled out a pad of notepaper and a pen. After placing both on the table, she drew in a breath and turned her attention to him.

“I understand your sister is getting married.”

“So she tells me.” He smiled.

Madeline stiffened, then drew in a breath. “December 26? The Saturday after Christmas?”

He nodded.

“All right. So here’s the thing. I work at Paper Moon. It’s a bridal gown store. I’m the manager there. I work with brides every day. I handle the details of their gowns, veils and often shoes. I outfit the wedding party. Sometimes I have to act as referee between various family members. Grandma doesn’t always approve of the bride’s choice.”

He’d seen enough reality TV to know that was true. But he had a feeling Madeline hadn’t yet gotten to the point of their conversation. She had something to say and he was going to be patient until she got it out.

She looked at her blank pad of paper, then back at him. “I’m not a professional wedding coordinator. I’m not even an amateur one. I’ve seen a lot of weddings and my friend Dellina, who’s an actual event planner, has offered to give me direction, but this isn’t what I do for a living. Having said that, I’m happy to help you with this, if you’d like. Or you can bring in someone from Los Angeles or wherever. It’s totally up to you.”

Jonny couldn’t remember the last time someone told him she couldn’t do the job. Everyone generally overpromised and underdelivered. It was a fact of life. They wanted his money or the prestige of saying they worked for him. The former made sense. People had to make a living. But the latter genuinely flummoxed him. The fame might screw up his life, but it wasn’t real. It was imposed on him. Underneath the big name on the billboard, he was just a guy doing a job. A really weird job, but still. There was nothing magical about his abilities. He wasn’t saving the world. He was jumping out of planes and punching fake bad guys. Not the stuff of legends.

None of which was Madeline’s problem, he thought, looking at her.

She was pretty enough. Her makeup was light and he would guess none of her features had been altered by the careful skill of a plastic surgeon. She was dressed in a simple black dress. The style was plain and didn’t really suit her. No doubt she picked her clothes to blend in, rather than stand out. In her line of work, the bride would be the star.

“Just to confirm,” he said, picking up his latte, “you’ve never planned a wedding. You’re open to having me hire someone else, but if I need your help, you’ll be there.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then. Ginger and I don’t have any family, but her fiancé does. He’ll have ten or twelve relatives attending. The rest of the guests will be Ginger’s and Oliver’s friends. As of my last conversation with my sister, we’re at forty-four guests.”

Madeline picked up her pen, then put it down. “Is this conversation or information?”

He thought about his sister. She was sweet and funny and, by far, the smartest person he knew. She wanted a small, quiet celebration. Simple. Ordinary. She would hate anything big or flashy. A wedding planner from LA would want to design an extravaganza. Something that could make her career. Jonny wanted Ginger to be happy. Nothing else.

Madeline Krug, wedding-gown store manager of Fool’s Gold, California, would understand what Ginger wanted. And she had no portfolio to build at Ginger’s expense.

“Information,” he said firmly. “I want you to help me with my sister’s wedding.”

* * *

Madeline resisted the need to ask the obvious question. Why would anyone want her to plan a wedding? Although it was possible the answer would be clear to someone who wasn’t suffering from being so incredibly close to Jonny Blaze.

She was pleased that she was able to breathe. And her heart seemed to be working fine. Maybe it was because the moment was so surreal. Here she was in the town where she’d grown up, sitting across from Jonny Blaze.

Up close he was just as handsome as he was on-screen. His eyes were a beautiful shade of deep green and his hair was glossy and dark. She wondered if that was his natural color, because it had been light brown, blond and red for various roles.

He was broad-shouldered, with muscles. Thin, but not skinny. When he spoke, he sounded incredibly normal. She simply couldn’t reconcile what was happening, although she was going to try to go with it. The alternative was to run screaming into the street and that didn’t look attractive on anyone.

“What are you thinking?” he asked unexpectedly.

Madeline blinked. No way she could answer that question. Not directly at least.

“That you’re a regular person.”

He flashed her another smile. “Thanks for noticing. Some people don’t.”

“How strange. To go through life with people thinking they know you when they don’t,” she said without thinking. “It must be both good and bad.”

“It is.” He sipped his latte. “We should talk about your fee.”

Madeline felt her eyes widen. “What? Fee? No. You’re not paying me. This isn’t a job. Mayor Marsha asked me to help out and I’m happy to.”

He put down the drink and leaned toward her. He was so close she could see all the colors of green and gold in his irises. It was mesmerizing. As was he.

“You can’t do this for nothing,” he told her.

“Why not?”

She tried to control her breathing so she wouldn’t start hyperventilating. The man was impossibly handsome. The line of his jaw, the shape of his mouth. She could sit here and shiver and stare all day long.

“You’re doing a job.”

“I’m helping out a fellow citizen. There’s a difference.” She drew in a slow breath. “I’m not doing this because you’re Jonny Blaze. I’m doing this because you live here.” She shrugged. “The store is quiet this time of year and I’m looking forward to seeing a wedding through from start to finish. Normally all I get to deal with is the wedding gown.”

He didn’t look convinced, but that didn’t matter. There was no way he was going to pay her. That was just icky.

“Tell you what,” she said with a grin. “You figure out what you think is a fair amount to pay me and then you can donate that amount to HERO—our local search and rescue program.”

He studied her as if she weren’t anything he’d encountered before. “You’re a little strange.”

“Just like the town?”

“Yes, and equally unexpected.” He nodded slowly. “All right, Madeline. I accept your offer to help and I will make a generous contribution to your favorite charity.”

“Deal. Now I should probably talk to your sister to get her thoughts about what we’re doing.”

“Good idea.”

He gave her Ginger’s email address and cell number.

“Set up a time to talk. If she’s not in the lab, she’s studying or working on her dissertation.”

“Okay. I’ll email her as soon as I get back to the office. Once she and I have spoken, I’ll have a more clear idea of what she wants. Then I’ll put some ideas together and you and I can talk about them.”

“Great. I appreciate you helping me. I want Ginger to have the wedding of her dreams.”

“Then we’ll make that happen.”

They both rose. She held out her hand to shake, realizing a half second too late that it might be a mistake. He took her hand in his and they shook. People did it thousands of times a day. Maybe millions.

But she’d never done it with Jonny Blaze, so was unprepared for the hot, melty sparks that erupted all over her body. Or the way her chest got tight and her thighs tingled.

Lightning, she thought with amazement. The lightning her mother had always told her about. The lightning that meant the women in her family had found
the one
.

No, she told herself firmly as she pulled back her hand. Not lightning. Star power. There was a very big difference and she would do well to remember that.

TWO

J
ONNY
PARKED
HIS
SUV near the lake and walked the rest of the way into town for his meeting with Madeline. He found that when he was in Fool’s Gold, he liked being out and walking around with everyone. The air was cool—they’d already had the first snowfall of the season. People were bundled up with scarves and jackets, but the extra layers and chill didn’t keep them from greeting each other.

He’d been smiled at and wished a good day more times than he could count. It was nice. Regular. At least out here. In LA everyone would be driving, even if they only had to go three blocks, and in New York, each person was in his or her own personal bubble. He didn’t have to worry about paparazzi. They’d shown up for about two days after he’d moved here. But once they’d realized there was nothing to report, they’d left him alone. Which was exactly how he liked it.

He’d spoken to his sister that morning. She’d had a good conversation with Madeline and was excited about her upcoming wedding.

He’d wondered if Ginger would ask Madeline about her credentials, but his sister had only raved about how Madeline understood exactly what she wanted. For his part, he needed a local connection because he wanted to use vendors from the area. While flying in someone from LA might be easier, working with Madeline gave him more control.

Ginger’s wedding was important to him. Since their dad had died nearly a decade before, it had been Jonny and his sister. They looked out for each other. Seeing her get married would be great. He liked her fiancé. Oliver was a good guy. Just as smart and focused as Ginger. They did well together.

He crossed the street, heading for Paper Moon. He was meeting Madeline in her store. As he turned a corner, a woman walked up to him. She was a tall, attractive redhead.

“You’re Jonny Blaze,” she said as she stopped next to him. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Talk about the inevitable, he thought, wondering if he had a pen with him. While it had taken longer here than most places, him being recognized and stopped was a part of celebrity life. Mostly he was fine with being asked for an autograph or picture even when he was between movies or publicity tours, like now. Because his fans didn’t care if he was working or simply enjoying a few weeks off.

He glanced at the woman’s left hand and saw a wedding band. Hopefully that meant she wasn’t going to come on to him. Although it didn’t always.

The fame thing was complicated. He had to admit, there were times when he liked not having to wait in line or always being able to get a table at a popular restaurant. But the downside could be dark, and for the most part he preferred to live privately.

“I’m Felicia Boylan,” the woman continued. “I run the festivals here in town.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, as well.” She offered him a quick smile. “We have a parade in town on Thanksgiving morning. Will you be here for the holiday?”

“I will.” Ginger was going to be spending it with Oliver’s family, so he was on his own.

For a second he worried this Felicia woman was inviting him to dinner. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy some company, but he wasn’t interested in hanging out with people he didn’t know. Then the comment about her job, along with the parade, clicked into place and he got it.

She wanted him to be the grand marshal. He wondered who had gotten bumped when Felicia had found out he’d moved to the area. And while he appreciated the offer, he wasn’t exactly a parade kind of guy. He would let her down gently, he told himself. No hard feelings and all that.

“Excellent. I heard you had a classic car. A 1956 Cadillac convertible. An El Dorado, I believe.”

Her stare was intense, as if she wanted to be sure she got all her facts right.

“That’s right,” he said slowly.

“And it’s red?”

He nodded.

The smile returned. “Perfect. I was hoping we could borrow it for the parade. The vehicle Mayor Marsha normally uses isn’t working and it appears the parts won’t arrive in time. I was hoping your car could be the backup. We have insurance. I would personally watch over your car. So can we borrow it for the parade?”

The car was in mint condition with white leather interior. He loved that car. But what he couldn’t wrap his mind around was the fact that Felicia wanted
it
, rather than
him
, in the parade.

“You want to borrow my car,” he confirmed.

“Yes. For the parade.” She drew her eyebrows together. “You do know what a parade is, don’t you? If not, I’m happy to explain.”

“I have a basic idea of what’s involved.” The car. Huh. He never would have guessed that. “Okay. You’re welcome to my car.”

“Thank you. I’ll be in touch to make arrangements.”

With that, she hurried away. Jonny stared after her, then shook his head. He was the one who’d wanted to be treated like everyone else. He should be grateful only his car was going to be in the parade.

He continued walking and saw Paper Moon up ahead. The big front windows displayed wedding gowns along with shoes and veils. When he stepped into the store, he paused to glance around.

A few years ago he’d dated a set designer. From her he’d learned how seemingly insignificant details could set the mood or ruin the moment. That a misplaced lamp could produce awkward shadows and that furniture created movement.

Now he took in the high ceilings, the plush furniture, the elegant armoires and shelves. Everything directed the eye toward a kind of dais placed in front of a half circle of ten-foot-high mirrors. He would guess that customers stepped up in front of those mirrors and immediately became the center of attention. Practice for the spotlight of the big day, he thought.

To his left were racks of wedding gowns. An open doorway led to another room, also filled with dresses, but they were for the bridesmaids, he would guess.

“Jonny.”

He turned and saw Madeline approaching. She was still dressed in black—this time a sweater and slim pants. Her hair was wavy, her makeup simple. She looked polished and capable. Reassuring, he thought. Brides would like that.

“Thanks for coming here,” she said as she stopped in front of him. Humor brightened her blue eyes. “All this girlie stuff making you sweat?”

He chuckled. “Not even close. You forget, in my job I have to wear makeup.”

“That’s right. Then I won’t feel guilty for asking you to visit my office.”

“Don’t. I like coming into town and this gave me an excuse.” He looked at the dresses. “They’re like costumes. A woman puts them on and becomes someone else for the day.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. It is a costume for a rite of passage.” She tilted her head as she smiled at him. “Although if I’m doing my job right, instead of becoming someone else, she becomes a better version of herself.”

“Good for you.”

She was smart, he thought. Easy to talk to. Both of which would be an asset in her career. She would have to get along with a lot of different types of people. Bend to them, find out what they wanted and make it happen.

It had been a long time since that had been his problem. Mostly people did what he wanted. More often than not, they anticipated his needs. After a while, it was easy to forget how to be normal, which was the reason he didn’t have a personal assistant. One was always hired for him when he was filming, but the rest of the time, he made himself deal with stuff like grocery shopping and laundry.

“My office is this way.” She pointed to a narrow hallway, then turned to lead the way.

He followed, his gaze dropping to the sway of her hips. As she moved, he found himself intrigued by the curve of her ass and the length of her legs. As he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been even slightly tempted, he enjoyed the sensation of waking arousal.

On the bright side, that part of him wasn’t dead. Something to remember when the nights got long.

Her office was small and utilitarian. No window—just a few file cabinets, a battered desk, her chair and two others for visitors. A plastic palm tree nestled close to pictures of an older couple, along with a man in his midforties. There was also a younger woman close to twenty. A younger sister, he would guess. And the man?

So much for his brief moment of fantasy, he thought as he pointed to the photos.

“Your husband?”

She turned, then shook her head. “I’m not married. That’s my brother and his daughter, Jasmine. Those are my parents.”

All good news, he thought. “Nice family.”

“Thanks.”

He settled in one of the visitor chairs. “How long have you owned the store?”

“What? I don’t. I’m a partner. Isabel Hendrix owns most of it. She bought it from her parents a couple of years ago. It’s been in her family over fifty years. Paper Moon is kind of a Fool’s Gold tradition.” Her voice turned wistful. “Nearly every little girl grows up imagining buying her dress here.”

She smiled. “Luckily most of them end up doing just that. The other half of the business is women’s clothing. A lot of regional designers who haven’t been discovered yet. Isabel offered me a small percentage of the business to be paid out over several years. While I appreciate that, I’m putting in part of my salary to increase my ownership.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Which is way more than you wanted to know. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s interesting. You’re ambitious.”

“In my tiny way, yes. I also want to earn my way in.”

He liked that. Too many people wanted things given to them. He could appreciate that quirks of fate and just plain dumb luck could change everything. He was proof of that.

“That’s why I’m excited about helping you with Ginger’s wedding,” she added. “It’s a chance to learn something new.”

* * *

Madeline couldn’t tell if she sounded reasonably intelligent or had been reduced to babbling. Being this close to Jonny Blaze was still difficult. From a distance, she was able to maintain a clear line of thought. But when he was just on the other side of her small desk, well, her brain had other things on its mind.

It wasn’t just that he was good-looking. In reality Fool’s Gold had more than its share of handsome men wandering around. But he was different. She didn’t know if it was the movie-star thing or a personality flaw or what. Her friend Felicia had once talked about the sociological aspects of hierarchy in the village. Something about having the biggest head.

No, that wasn’t right. The most important person. But there was also something about a big head. Anyway, she would need to go talk to Felicia and get it figured out. She was pretty sure the theory would help her act more normal around Jonny Blaze.

Now she forced herself to remember why he was here—which wasn’t to fill her afternoon with eye-candy moments. There was a wedding to organize and she was responsible for that.

“I spoke to Ginger,” she said.

“She mentioned that. She liked you.”

The unexpected comment momentarily flustered her. “I liked her, too. She’s really nice. And excited about the wedding.” Also dealing with school and the holidays and everything else. Just listening to all Ginger had going on had exhausted Madeline. “I made notes during our call. She confirmed what you said at our previous meeting. She wants a small, intimate, low-key wedding. The guest list is forty-four people and she swears it’s not going to get any bigger.”

“However big she wants it is fine with me,” Jonny said. “This is about Ginger and Oliver. She’s my sister and what makes her happy, makes me happy.”

A not uncommon sentiment from a big brother, yet nice to hear.

“The wedding is going to be at your ranch?” Madeline asked, checking her notes. “There’s a barn?”

The lazy smile returned. “It’s nicer than it sounds. The barn has been converted into a big, open space. We’ll be able to fit in tables and decorations.”

“What do you use it for?”

“I haven’t decided. I knew I didn’t need a place to house livestock.”

“No desire to raise horses and cows?”

“Not this week. You’ll probably want to come take a look at it.”

Go to his house? Or his barn, but still. They were on the same property. She hoped she looked normal as she nodded and made a note. “That’s a good idea. We can discuss decorations and table linens. I’ve already reserved the tables and chairs. I was worried they would all be set aside for other events. I wasn’t sure if you had enough dishes and glasses, so I reserved those, as well.”

“Good thinking.” Concern drew his brows together. “I hadn’t realized there was so much to organize. I’m glad we’re working on this together.”

His words made her tingle all over. Star power, she told herself. Nothing more than star power.

* * *

Madeline wrapped up her meeting with Jonny, then collected her handbag and walked toward the other side of the store. While wedding gowns would always be a part of Paper Moon, the retail clothing addition was doing well. Madeline found Isabel sorting through a shipment of handbags.

Her business partner, a tall, curvy blonde, smiled. “Is it time for lunch? Thank goodness. This has been one of those mornings. Only half of what I ordered got delivered and there was nearly a fistfight between two tourists who wanted the same jacket in the same size. I was afraid I was going to have to call for backup.”

“You know where to find me,” Madeline told her. “Rosalind is here most days, too. Between the three of us, we should be able to wrestle any unruly shopper into submission.”

Isabel laughed. “Thank you for that. I feel better.”

The words were appropriate, but there was something about the way Isabel said them. “Are you okay?”

“What? Of course. I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“I’m not sure.” There was something, Madeline thought, studying her friend. She just couldn’t figure out what.

“You’re feeling okay?” she asked.

Isabel had recently announced she was pregnant. As far as Madeline knew, everything was progressing normally.

Isabel put a hand on her belly. “Everything is going along as it should,” she said firmly. “I’m healthy. Not to worry.” She started for the back. “Give me one second and we’ll head to Jo’s.”