One More Night (Sweetbriar Cove #13) - Melody Grace Page 0,2

when she was in kindergarten. Aunt Sylvie used to quiz her on the correct place settings instead of science or math.”

Letitia rolled her eyes good-naturedly, but it was true. Her mom had raised her to be the perfect hostess, and even though she traded in etiquette manuals just as soon as she learned how to read the Financial Times, the lessons had stuck. “Fine then,” she said, whisking the plate away. “No eclairs for you.”

“I didn’t say that!” Cal snatched it back, and they all laughed.

“This is a cute place,” Eliza said, looking around, “And the perfect location, too. We’re just a mile away. So anytime you want to drop by and help me with all the boring wedding plans, feel free.”

Letitia stopped. “What do you mean, ‘plans’?” she demanded. “You’re getting married in a month! The invitations went out. Everything should be booked already. Isn’t it?” she asked, panic rising.

Eliza laughed. “Relax, it’s all set,” she reassured her. “Kind of. Brooke’s taking care of everything, at her hotel. She’s done a million of these events, so I figured I’d just leave the details to her. And you,” she added. “Since you have such exquisite taste.” Eliza batted her eyelashes, and Letitia couldn’t help but laugh.

“Of course I’ll help,” she reassured her. “I know the Prescott family can turn everything into a circus.”

“Understatement of the year!” Eliza agreed. “Your mom called me yesterday at six a.m., asking if we’d finalized the seating charts yet. Apparently, your aunt Mindy can’t be within twenty feet of her cousin?”

“A vicious feud over their prize orchids,” Letitia explained. “I’m not sure what happened, because it was twenty years ago now, but they still refuse to even speak. Welcome to the family,” she added with a wry grin.

Eliza gulped. Cal slung his arm around her shoulders. “You know, we could always just elope…” he said, sounding hopeful.

Letitia snorted with laughter at the idea. “The only Prescott son and heir, getting married on a beach somewhere?!”

“I’m not the heir anymore, remember?” Cal grinned. “I quit. That’s all on you now.”

Letitia wasn’t so sure. Her father had been grooming Cal to take over the Prescott Group for years – while she worked her ass off to prove that maybe, being a woman shouldn’t automatically rule her out of the job. Since Cal had stepped back, she’d made progress: finally getting to work on projects that weren’t just fluff PR and party-planning, but she still had a long way to go before her father took her seriously as a businesswoman.

As seriously as a man, anyway.

“It doesn’t make a difference,” Letitia said. “The wedding is still an excuse for my parents to lord it over all their society friends. It’s going to be the event of the season, whether you like it or not.”

Eliza’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. “It’s the print shop,” she explained, sliding down. “I’m trying to put together a double issue of the newspaper, a big summer special for all the tourists.” She headed into the next room, already cajoling someone to extend her deadline.

“So, are you going to tell me the truth?” Cal asked, the minute Eliza was out of earshot.

Letitia choked on her sparkling water. “What do you mean?” she asked, trying to keep a straight face. But Cal knew her too well for that.

“You love the city,” he said, studying her suspiciously. “And you’ve spent forever getting Uncle Arthur to take you seriously at the company. There’s no way you’d just take off for the summer. What are you going to do, just sit around all day, working on your tan?” he asked, disbelieving.

“Maybe I need a break,” Letitia lied. “You’re always telling me that the Prescott Group isn’t the center of the universe, that I need to relax, and have more fun.”

“Yes, but I never expected you to listen.” Cal said. He took another éclair. “Anyway, I’m happy to have you in town. Maybe you can run interference with your mom, and stop her harassing poor Eliza.”

“I think your fiancée can stand up for herself,” Letitia replied wryly. If anyone could take on the Prescotts and win, it was Eliza. She’d been at Cal’s throat when they’d first met, and Letitia had watched in amusement as her cousin fell head over heels in love despite it. Or maybe because of it. But either way, it had all worked out, and they couldn’t be happier together – if they could make it down the aisle without the rest of