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Chapter 1
Newport Beach, CA
Megan Bradley wiped tears of joy from her eyes as she gazed at the middle-aged minister wearing a black suit, eagerly anticipating his following words. She had waited a long time for this moment and hoped it would be as perfect as she had planned it to be. There was no room for mistakes, no turning back. Her livelihood depended on it. Soon it would all be over, and the rest would be history. She drew in a quick breath, waiting for those familiar words.
“By the authority invested in me by the State of California and that of the Almighty God, I now pronounce you as husband and wife. Alex, your time is finally here. You may now kiss the bride.”
Megan joined the crowd in applause as she watched the bride and groom happily kiss for the first time as a married couple. Then, she sighed, a grin on her face. She had jealously witnessed this happy event as a wedding organizer hundreds of times, only to wonder when it would be her turn to stand in front of the altar.
For now, she had pulled off another perfect wedding ceremony at the Big Canyon Country Club. All that remained was to make sure the reception was equally perfect. She marched into the large kitchen, gazing at the frenzied servers as they prepared to serve the first dish.
She turned to the head chef, a short man with slicked-back hair and glasses. “George, are we ready for the first course?”
“Yes, Megan, it’s ready to be served. But we have one slight problem.”
“Problem? What problem?” She could feel a slight wave of nervousness in her stomach. The last thing she needed was a food crisis in the middle of the reception.
“The bakery called, and their van is stuck in traffic on the Fifty-five freeway by the Edinger exit. Something about an accident.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me! I can’t afford a missing wedding cake! The bride’s family will kill me.” Megan’s eyebrows pinched together in frustration and disbelief.
George shrugged his shoulders, pursing his lips. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“My reputation as a wedding planner here is finished if I don’t do something.” Megan put her hands to her mouth, pondering a solution. There had to be a way to transport the cake to the reception in the next forty-five minutes. Seconds later, the corners of her mouth lifted into a wide grin.
“George, did you bring your motorcycle?”
“Yes. Why?” He gave her a puzzled look.
“Give me the keys!”
“For what?”
“I’m going to get the cake.”
George’s eyes grew wide. “Are you crazy? You can’t bring the wedding cake here on the back of my bike. You’ll destroy it!”
“I’ll have to take the chance.”
“Do you even know how to ride a bike?”
“My dad gave me some lessons when I was a senior in high school.” Megan’s grin did not falter.
George reluctantly took the keys from his pocket and handed them to Megan. “Please, promise me you’ll take care of my bike.”
Megan smiled as she snatched the keys from his hand. “You should know me by now.”
***
The wind rushed against the helmet protecting her face, whipping her hair wildly as she navigated down the congested freeway, desperately searching for a white van with the words “Beverly’s Best Bakery.” Time was running out, and she only had fifteen minutes before returning to the club. She said a prayer, asking God to help her find the van.
Seconds later, she breathed a sigh of relief. In the distance, she spotted the van, about twenty cars up. She cautiously navigated the bike down the broken white line, praying a disgruntled driver wouldn’t open a car door in her path. She finally cleared the last car before easing the bike to a stop alongside the van. Then she rapped on the driver’s window, and the driver turned with a puzzled look. Then she gestured to the window. He complied, quickly rolling it down.
Megan cut straight to the chase, “I’m Megan, the wedding planner. “I need that cake now.”
The driver looked at her as if she had just escaped the mental hospital. “Lady, are you crazy? There’s no way you’re transporting the cake without messing it up.”
“I’ll take the chance. The bride and groom depend on me. Help me load it onto the back of the bike. I have some bungee cords we can use to secure it.”
The driver and his helper got out and loaded several cake boxes onto the back of the bike. Megan thanked them for their help and glanced at her watch before mounting the bike and speeding towards the nearest exit. She was right on schedule. The question was, could she make it back without any mishaps?
***
After traversing the wide, paved driveway into the country club, Megan eased the bike to a stop, parking it near the kitchen building. “George, grab the cake,” she called, spotting him making his way from a table to the building with an empty punch bowl.
George quickly rounded up several servers to help him move the boxes to the kitchen. Megan opened the boxes, inspecting the cakes for damage. Two layers had minor frosting damage, but nothing they couldn’t fix in the kitchen.
“Do you have any white cake frosting?” Megan asked.
“I should have a tube in the fridge somewhere.” George hurried to check, returning a moment later with a small white tub. Megan opened the container, grabbed a spatula from a drawer, and began to repair the damaged areas on the cake skillfully. Working in her aunt’s bakery during high school had prepared her for the few emergencies during her career when a baker wasn’t available.
Minutes later, she breathed a sigh of relief as she put the last finishing touches on the cake.
George admired her work, “Looks great. Now let’s get it out to the table.”
Megan wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her sleeve as she watched several kitchen staff members slide the cake onto a wheeled dolly and roll it into the reception room next door.
Then she collapsed into a folding chair, thankful the ordeal was over. It was a close call, but she had saved another wedding, thanks to her quick thinking and courage.
She spent the rest of the evening in envy, watching the newly married couple as they conversed with happy guests and stole loving glances at each other. Megan vowed someday, she, too, would be doing the wedding dance and partying into the late-night hours. If only God would answer her prayers for a soul mate, just like He had done for Lauren, her younger sister.
It was hard for Megan not to be jealous of Lauren for finding a true man of God, especially after the fiasco of her last relationship with Peter. A knot began to form in the pit of her stomach as she recalled that fateful day he had sat her down at home and told her he was leaving her for another woman, that he was having doubts if she was the right one for him.
The news had devastated Megan, especially since they had been engaged for three months. At first, she vowed never to trust in men again, but her career was a daily reminder of the joys of finding a true soul mate and being in love. She could only watch with envy as her clients tied the knot and began their new life together as husband and wife. She only wondered when God would bring the right man along for her.
Megan’s long-term close friend and now her sister’s serious boyfriend, Andrew, seemed like a God-fearing man who gave Lauren the respect and admiration every woman desired. Men like Andrew were few and far between. But she remembered it hadn’t been easy for them initially.
Their relationship began with a rocky start. They had almost parted ways for good because of a fight over the purchase of Emilia’s, the Italian restaurant in Newport Beach. Her sister, Lauren, had set her sights on stepping into the role of entrepreneur. Of course, Lauren’s crush on her old boss hadn’t helped. But her sister remained faithful to God, patiently waiting for His timing, and she had ended up with Andrew, who loved and cherished her like the Proverbs 31 man every Christian woman desired.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, for the person who seeks Him.
The verse in Lamentations 3:25 was Megan’s daily meditation. She prayed God’s blessing would also include the perfect soul mate for her life. The pressure was on her to be the most responsible since she was the oldest of four sisters. Always taking care of others, she often made her needs the last priority in her life. Now that she was thirty-two, she felt time slipping away. She wanted desperately to be married, settle down in a lovely house, and begin a family of her own.
But she hadn’t found a suitable Christian man yet, one that took his walk with God seriously and treated her like a true daughter of God. Working at the Big Canyon Country Club gave her plenty of opportunities to observe many of the wealthy couples in the community, especially the rich single men who would flaunt their beautiful young girlfriends.
Working with the wealthy had given her a whole different perspective on life. Megan developed a greater appreciation for the finer things in life and often dreamed of what it would be like to be married to a rich man. Most of the guys she dated in her age category lived a humble lifestyle, acted immaturely, and were still struggling to get their careers off the ground, something she didn’t find appealing. However, she frowned upon the actions of some of her co-workers, who willingly dated the older single men of the club just for money. Her conscience would never let her do that. She believed in God’s master plan of true love between a man and a woman, and she would only date a man with the purest intentions. If only such a man would walk into her life.
Megan’s thoughts were interrupted by a deep voice from behind her.
“I saw what you did with the wedding cake. That was quite impressive.”
Megan turned, gazing at a handsome man with well-groomed salt and pepper hair. She snatched a quick breath, and her heart skipped a beat as she stared into his beckoning dark brown eyes. The seconds seemed like minutes as Megan remained in a trance, dreaming how breathless the stranger must have looked in his younger years.
“Miss, are you okay?”
Megan shook her head and smiled, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day. What were you saying?”
“I said you did a great job handling the wedding cake.” The stranger smiled. “I saw you come in with it on the back of the bike. Pretty clever of you.” His grin widened good-naturedly.
“Oh, thanks. Just part of the job.” Megan’s gaze drifted quickly to the guy’s hands: they appeared well-taken care of, nails buffed and fingertips clean and free of callouses. He wore no wedding ring.
Maybe he could be a potential client someday.
“Do you run into disasters like that often?”
She nodded. “I’d say I get my fair share of them. Luckily, I’ve managed to pull through them just in time. I work hard not to let my client’s down.” She turned to glance at the bride and groom dancing in the middle of the room, surrounded by a crowd of friends and family.
“I’m sure your clients appreciate the great job you do for them. They’re fortunate to have someone so dedicated as you.”
Megan smiled. She felt a rush of warmth spread across her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, where are my manners. I haven’t properly introduced myself,” the man apologized, extending a hand. “I’m Sean Taylor.”
They shook hands.
“Megan Bradley. I’m the wedding coordinator for the club.” She reached into her back pocket and handed him a business card. “If you ever decide to marry, I promise to go above and beyond to make your wedding the perfect dream come true.” She smiled at him.
“I don’t doubt that,” Sean replied, laughing. “I’ll keep that in mind if that day ever comes.” He put her card in his shirt pocket. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Megan Bradley, wedding coordinator.”
“The pleasure’s all mine.” Megan tried to keep from grinning too widely.
He gave her one last smile before exiting the main doors.
Megan wondered who the guy was. Judging by the crisp silk shirt, freshly pressed slacks, and polished black loafers, she could tell he lived a comfortable lifestyle. It was a shame he was too old for her. The man could almost be her father. Even though today, it was common for an older guy to have a much younger girlfriend, she could never see herself in that situation. If only she had met him when he was younger.
But she knew she couldn’t afford to be so picky anymore, especially with the years passing. Her biological clock was winding down, and she was beginning to feel quiet desperation grow inside her. She knew God had placed in her heart the desire to be married. The only question that remained was, when and to whom?
***
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Kelsey MacBride
P.S. If you enjoyed this book, please check out my other Christian Inspirational and Romance books:
Inspiration Point Series
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Glen Ellen Series (Complete Set)
The Hawaii Love Series
Hawaii Love Series (Complete Set)
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Crystal Cove Series (Complete Set)
The Colorado Springs Series
Colorado Springs Series (Complete Set)
The Newport Coast Series
Newport Coast Series (Complete Set)
The Grand Bay Series
Grand Bay Series (Complete Set)
Bradley Sisters Series
Bradley Sisters Series (Complete Set)
Voice of an Angel Series
Christian Clean Romance Collections
Choices of Love – A Collection of 3 of Kelsey’s Most Popular Series Including 6 novels)
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