“It’s on loan from Grandmother Margaret.”
“Hel-lo,” the woman in question called, heading their way.
“Hi-ya,” Ava rejoined. Sofia came next, accompanied by Sally.
Before they got too close, Meredith latched onto Hope’s shoulders and tugged her closer. “Just for the record,” she whispered, “I don’t agree with this one bit. Thank goodness it’s just until tomorrow.”
Which meant she hadn’t gotten the latest update.
“Meredith,” Grandmother Margaret crooned. “We’re so glad you made it. Welcome to Blue Hill.”
“I can’t believe we’ve never met,” Ava gushed. “All Jackie does is talk about you.”
“I’m Sally.” She shook Meredith’s hand.
Sofia introduced herself as well, and then Grandmother Margaret said, “You might want to take your luggage down to the carriage house and settle in.” She saw Derrick striding toward the back porch and caught him.
“Derrick. Be a dear and grab Meredith’s bags from her car?”
He stared at his grandmother for a prolonged beat, then gave a tight grin. “Glad to,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and striding toward Meredith’s car.
“What’s up with him?” Sally asked no one in particular.
“Maybe rough seas?”
The group of women turned and stared out at the peaceful water.
“Beautiful place,” Meredith said to Margaret. “You can’t beat the view.”
The trunk of her car closed with a loud bang.
Sofia giggled. “Or the peace and quiet.”
Grandmother Margaret arched her eyebrows, her gaze trailing after Derrick. “Yes.”
All eyes turned expectantly on Hope, and she realized she should offer to accompany Meredith. “Come on,” she said brightly. “I’ll show you where you’re staying.”
As they headed toward the carriage house, Derrick sauntered ahead of them, carrying two huge suitcases, with smaller tote bags and a daypack tucked under his arms.
Brent rounded the corner from the drive, accompanied by William.
“Hello, sweetness,” he said, beaming down at Hope in her bonnet. “You look awfully cute in that.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. “How was the sailing?”
“Awesome. Did you ladies have a nice tea party?”
“The best.”
Brent gazed down the path at Derrick, who was struggling to open the screen door and hold on to Meredith’s many bags. “Looks like somebody better go and help him.”
Brent angled that way, but Hope stepped in front of him. “It’s all right. I’ll get it.”
She dashed down the path and held the front door open for Derrick as Meredith took her time teetering down the flagstone path in her heels.
“Where would you like these?” Derrick asked once Meredith finally made her way indoors.
She glanced around the charming cottage and then at Hope.
“Can you please put those in the room downstairs?” Hope suggested. “Thanks, Derrick.”
Derrick thumped down the wooden steps. A few seconds later, they heard the heavy thud of bags hitting the floor. A sliding door slid open and then shut with a clank, and Hope surmised he had departed via the deck.
She pursed her lips. “Hmm. He’s normally not like that.”
Meredith narrowed her gaze and studied Hope anew. “I can’t believe you and your sister,” she rasped. “How did you get yourselves into this?”
“It was all this really huge mix-up.”
“That’s what I heard from Jackie. But, seriously, Hope. You mean to tell me all of them believe it?” She gestured toward the main house. “Even the groom?”
Hope’s face steamed. “Especially the groom, I’m afraid.”
Meredith cocked her chin. “Uh-oh. He’s not…? You’re not…?”
“I’ve just been trying to hold down the fort, okay? I never meant for any of this to happen. I swear, Meredith, I didn’t. In fact, when Jackie suggested it, I told her I wouldn’t do it. Flat-out refused.”
Meredith screwed up her lips. “Of course it was Jackie’s idea. I love that woman to death, but she does get those wild card ideas.” Her eyes widened at Hope. “Like marrying some guy she doesn’t even love.”
“I know,” Hope said, sensing she was building an ally. “That’s totally wrong, right?”
“Totally wrong,” Meredith agreed. “I can’t even see how she agreed to it.”
“Do you know about Rodney?”
Meredith frowned. “Rodney-Schmodney, yeah. He is so totally not worth this kind of revenge.”
“It’s not just about Jackie,” Hope said. “It’s also about Brent and his family.”
“They seem very nice,” Meredith said. “All but one of them, anyway.”
“Derrick’s fine,” Hope assured her. “I’m not sure what his problem was earlier.”
“O-kay.”
Hope observed Meredith, her heart hammering. “There’s something you don’t know.”
“What’s that?”
“Jackie’s not coming until Friday now.”
“Friday? What?”
“It’s the Martin wedding.”
Meredith crossed her arms in front of her and began pacing the floor. After a beat, she met Hope’s gaze. “Nuh-uh. I don’t think that’s what this is about.”
“But the venue’s been blown. Jackie just told me this after—”
“It’s all a smoke screen.” Meredith’s dark eyes flashed. “Jackie’s getting cold feet.”
This was one thing that hadn’t actually occurred to Hope before. Now, she wondered if Meredith wasn’t making some kind of sense. “You mean, you think she’s having doubts?”
“Jackie is a wedding planner, Hope. She arranges matches made in heaven all the time. Don’t you think it might start to bother her after a while that her very own marriage is a sham?”
“I…um, maybe?”
Meredith tapped her chin. “I mean, I knew something was going on when Jackie got engaged so quickly, but she didn’t spill all the beans until I was about to come here.”