Triple Dip Debacle: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 7) Read Free Page B

I’m doing this because I know you want your wedding to go off without a hitch so why not hire someone who knows how to plan weddings. We’ve never planned one before so I thought it best to bring an expert into the mix.”
     
    “See, that’s what always happens. You think its best so it’s your way or the highway. Well I don’t want a wedding planner. I will plan this wedding myself and it will go off without any problems despite what you think.”
     
    The two of them stood toe to toe, like a couple of bulls sizing up the other. I was waiting for one of them to charge the other when finally Mr. Pennington spoke.
     
    “Now now ladies, there’s no reason to get all riled up.” He patted Stormi lightly on the shoulder. “I’ve seen many a bride go off the deep end and I’ve had to pull her to safety.”
     
    Stormi narrowed her eyes at him as he continued his speech.
     
    “Of course you don’t think you need help right now, but as I explained to your mother, you will. Every bride thinks they have the situation under control until they get overwhelmed dealing with the wedding dress seamstress, the cake decorator, the florist, the venue and so on and so forth.”
     
    As he talked his hands waved dramatically in front of him. I was afraid Stormi might get smacked if she got too close.
     
    Stormi put a hand on her hip. “So you don’t think I can take care of my own wedding?”
     
    “Of course you can’t,” Mr. Pennington replied flippantly. “No bride can. They’re too absorbed in the whole idea of matrimony that they can’t think clearly. They don’t know what they want. It takes an expert like me to tell them what they should have for their wedding day. I can choose the dress, the decorations, and the type of cake and so on.”
     
    “But I want to do that all myself. I don’t want a stranger coming in and telling me what I want. That’s absurd!”
     
    Dottie tried to pull Stormi away from Mr. Pennington with little success. Unfortunately, Mr. Pennington decided to keep opening his mouth.
     
    “Miss Rogers, are you an expert at decorations for a wedding? Or a wedding cake? Or even a wedding dress?”
     
    Stormi opened her mouth but before she could answer, Pennington interrupted.
     
    “No you are not, but I am. I will make your wedding better than you could ever dream of doing yourself.”
     
    Stormi took a hold of one of the ice cream scoops and waved it in his face. Uh-oh.
     
    “I don’t need some expert to tell me what I want. I know what I want and I can do it myself without any help.”
     
    Dottie wedged herself between the two. “Now look darlin, Mr. Pennington is here to help. Why don’t you at least hear his ideas? Maybe you’ll like them.”
     
    Stormi threw her hands in the air, the ice cream scoop moving dangerously close to various heads.
     
    “I don’t need anymore ideas Momma. I know what I want and that’s it.”
     
    Mr. Pennington moved his hand willowy through the air as if to pooh-pooh Stormi’s tantrum.
     
    “Don’t worry about it my dear,” Mr. Pennington directed towards Dottie. “Sooner or later she will come crawling for my help.”
     
    What the frick?
     
    I saw Stormi tighten her grip on the ice cream scoop. She was known to take down murder suspects by lobbing the scoop towards the unfortunate person’s head. Right now Mr. Pennington was in her line of sights. I could only steel myself for the inevitable blowback. But I was wrong. Stormi placed the ice cream scoop back on the counter. I thought she was about to turn around to leave, but then she took one-step towards Mr. Pennington and grabbed his lapel. Stormi started screaming in his face while Dottie attempted to dislodge Stormi’s grasp on his shirt.
     
    “How dare you speak to me like that! Who do you think you are?”
     
    “I am one of the premier wedding planners in Atlanta!” Somehow, I don’t think Stormi was fishing for an answer.
     
    Stormi tightened her grasp. “Listen Mr.