From This Moment Read online

  He was definitely making progress.

  * * *

  The phones at Hearts and Flowers were ringing off the hook. The articles, photos and announcement of the winners for the host of the reality show that were posted on the Wedding Channel website had spread like wildfire.

  Brides read the article and then posted a link on their Facebook pages, tweeted and re-tweeted on Twitter and blogged about it.

  In addition, the mailbox from the Hearts and Flowers website was being inundated with e-mails. Gwen, their receptionist, couldn’t keep up with replying; for every one reply she received two new e-mails.

  Ivy had quickly become a hot commodity. She needed to call a special staff meeting in order to put procedures in place to handle this newfound popularity.

  “Man, the phones are ringing like crazy,” Lili said as she walked into the conference room on the second floor of Hearts and Flowers. Placing her notebook on the round oak table, she pulled out her chair and sat down, joining her sisters at the table.

  “Poor Gwen. I’m so glad she has a headset so she won’t have to hold the phone between the locks of her shoulders all day. It would get on my nerves,” Rose commented.

  Gwendolyn Clark was a petite young woman in her late twenties with fine features and shoulder-length hair. She’d been working for the Harts for five years.

  “Do you think she’ll need some help?” Violet asked.

  “That’s why we’re here, to figure that part out,” Ivy responded. She opened up her leather notebook and flipped the pad to a clean sheet of paper.

  “What I want to find out is if the callers are potential clients with legitimate business, or are they just people who just want to see what’s happening.” Ivy scribbled some notes on her pad. “We should start with the e-mails.”

  “First let’s make sure it’s not spam,” Lili said, interrupting Ivy’s thoughts.

  “Right, that’s key. The last thing we need is a computer virus,” Violet said.

  “If the calls or e-mails are about floral design/décor Gwen will send them to Rose, apparel to Violet, cakes to Lili and planning and all others to me.”

  “Our big sis is now a big star,” Lili joked, emphasizing the ‘r’ in ‘star’.

  They all laughed.

  Ivy blushed. “I wouldn’t say all that. This is going to benefit us all.”

  “We’ve come a long way,” Rose commented.

  “We sure have, and it hasn’t been without a lot of hard work and sacrifice on all of our parts,” Violet added.

  “Oh, and don’t forget the fights we’ve had in this very room,” Lili said.

  Lili was a petite young woman with her father’s walnut-colored skin and their mother’s small build. The twenty-seven-year-old pastry chef spoke her mind, which sometimes caused problems between the sisters.

  “You were always the instigator, Missy,” Ivy said. She shook her head.

  “I was right most of the time,” Lili replied.

  “Don’t start, Lili,” Violet warned.

  “Now, girls, we have a lot of work to do. I think I may need a floral assistant,” Rose said, studying the notes in her pad.

  Ivy and her sisters had been business partners for more than five years. When they inherited the mansion that now serves as one of the biggest bridal retailers in the Midwest from their uncle, Henry Hart, who owned the first black newspaper in the city of Taylor, they didn’t know what to do with it.

  Of course no one wanted to live in it. For one, it was entirely too large. None of them were married or had children at the time, so Ivy came up with the idea that they should open their own bridal business, since everyone already had their certifications.

  Ivy had earned hers from the National Bridal Service, Association of Bridal Consultants—the industry standard of wedding excellence—as well as joining the National Association of Wedding Professionals. Her ultimate goal was to become a certified member of the International Special Events Society, the hallmark of professional achievement, which she accomplished in twelve months.

  Thirty-year-old Violet had earned a fashion design degree from the International Academy of Design and Technology in Chicago. With an eye for fashion, she assisted with bridal attire.

  Thirty-two-year-old Rose handled the flowers, having been a floral consultant and designer with a degree in horticulture before the siblings decided to go into business together.

  The sisters discussed their plans to turn the mansion into a bridal Mecca with their parents, and they were tickled about the idea. So they applied for a business loan.

  The girls worked with the general contractor, tailoring the Southern-style building to their specifications.

  By the time they held their grand opening, they’d transformed it into a fantasyland for brides. White wrought-iron gates, meticulously manicured lawn, towering trees and a decorative running fountain in front of the circular driveway that led to ample parking in back, was only the start of what they hoped to be a one-of-a-kind shopping experience for their clients.

  When it came to the décor of the mansion they wanted classy, elegant and royal. From the white marble flooring in the foyer, crystal chandeliers, fluted columns, wall coverings and draperies to the Gone With the Wind-style staircase and balcony; they wanted every bride to realize their wedding dream.

  They’d come a long way, but Ivy wanted to make sure they continued to live up to their reputation for excellent customer service and attention to detail.

  It was important that they discussed sales figures and unusual requests, talked about any problems and/or needs for supplies, and so on for each aspect of their business.

  It was usually done on a monthly basis, but with the new surge of potential business they would have to report weekly just in case they really needed to hire additional staff.

  Just before the meeting was over, the receptionist buzzed in.

  Ivy picked up the phone. “Yes, Gwen.”

  “There is a young woman on line one who said she read the article on the Wedding Channel website and she needs our services right away.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Lauren Kabins. She’s twenty-six years old and she wants to get married in three weeks.”

  “She wants to get married in three weeks,” Ivy repeated so her sisters could hear.

  Weddings with short timelines only meant a lot of rush work for them. If the client was uncooperative and unresponsive to their requests it made it even more frustrating. Ivy hoped this would not be the case with this young woman.

  “Thanks, Gwen.” Ivy ended the call and cleared her throat before she spoke.

  Pressing the button, she said, “Good morning, Lauren, this is Ivy Hart speaking.”

  “Ms. Hart, I read your bio on the Wedding Channel website and I need your services right away. My fiancée is going to work overseas in three weeks. Can you help me?”

  “You have a three-week timeframe?

  “Yes. Can we put something spectacular together in such a short time?”

  “Yes, we can, but we’d have to start planning right away. Are you looking to have a ceremony in a church or synagogue?”

  “Neither. I’d like to have the ceremony and reception in the same place.”

  “How many guests do you expect?”

  “One hundred of our closest friends and family.”

  “Will you have a large wedding party?”

  “Eight. Two bridesmaids, two groomsmen, a maid of honor, best man, flower girl and ring bearer.”

  “Have you purchased a wedding gown?”

  “No, the only other thing I’ve done is call you.”

  Ivy chuckled as she wrote quickly on her writing pad. There were several banquet halls that came to mind. She’d have to call Jonathan’s first.

  “Lauren, are you free this afternoon?”

  “Yes, I’m free. Can you see me today?”

  Ivy could hear the excitement in the young woman’s voice. “Hold one moment; I need to check the
calendar.”

  Ivy turned to Violet. “Can you pull up the schedule and see what we have in three weeks? I don’t want to tell this young lady we can help her when we’re booked solid.”

  “How does she sound?” Lili wanted to know.

  Quickly everybody gave her the eye. They didn’t want her to start causing trouble. Lili hunched her shoulders. “Hey, I’m just asking. I don’t want to have to bring out the Vaseline and the straight razors if this girl is a fruitcake.”

  Ivy shook her head. “Anyway, Violet, what do we have?” she asked, ignoring Lili’s comment.

  The schedule popped up on the large screen of the laptop computer they kept in the conference room. “We have one event, the Chamberlain wedding, that Saturday afternoon, but that’s it.”

  Ivy was satisfied. They didn’t have a lot to do for Shauna Chamberlain, so planning Lauren’s wedding would be a breeze. “Good, we can handle that.”

  She went back to the caller. “Lauren, we are available.”

  “Yes, yes, yes. Oh, I’m so relieved.”

  Ivy could hear the excitement in the young lady’s voice. She nodded, confirming to her sisters that they had a new client.

  “I have to put you on hold one more time, Lauren. I want to call the banquet hall to check their availability. I may be able to get us an appointment for this afternoon, and we can get started.”

  “I’ll be right here until you get back.”

  Ivy put her new client on hold, and then switched to another line and dialed.

  “Magic Moments, Bessie speaking, how can we help you?”

  “Ms. Bessie, Ivy Hart calling for Jonathan.”

  “Ms. Hart, how are you today?”

  “I’m great. Is he in the office?”

  “Yes, let me get him on the line. Hold one moment, please.”

  Suddenly butterflies swarmed in Ivy’s stomach. Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, she waited only moments before that rich baritone voice wafted through the phone.

  “Jonathan Damon.”

  “Jonathan, this is Ivy Hart.” Why she said it like that she’ll never know. Of course he knew it was her, the receptionist probably already told him.

  “Do you have any events scheduled for three weeks from now?”

  “Sounds familiar, but let me check.” Jonathan pulled up his meeting calendar on his computer. “Saturday’s booked solid, but we do have the Embassy Ballroom available on Friday night. Maximum capacity is one hundred people.”

  “I’m not sure if the bride is set on getting married on Saturday. I’ll have to find out. Do you have some time to meet with me and the bride this afternoon?”

  “How’s two o’clock?”

  “Excellent.”

  Suddenly there was a pregnant pause. Ivy wondered if Jonathan wanted to say something. All she could hear now was his breathing. She couldn’t say anything personal to him, since her sisters were watching.

  Finally, Ivy spoke. “See you at two.”

  “Look forward to it.”

  Ivy ended that call and quickly pressed line one.

  “Lauren, Saturday’s booked. Would you consider getting married on Friday evening?”

  “Friday may work out better.”

  “Have you heard about Magic Moments Banquet Hall on Broadway?”

  “I’ve seen their ad in the Chicago Wedding Magazine, but I’ve never been there.”

  “Can you meet me there at two o’clock today?”

  “Really? You are awesome, and quick, too. I’ll be there?”

  “Wait, wait, one second.” Ivy stopped her before she hung up. She needed to give to her the address and directions. She hadn’t met a bride yet that let her giddiness cause her to forget important details.

  “Do you need the address?” Ivy asked.

  Lauren giggled. “Oh, yes, I’m sorry, I got so excited. It’s actually in the magazine, but you can give it to me.”

  “Do you have a pen so you can write down the address and the phone number? I don’t want you to get lost.”

  “I’m ready.”

  “Where are you coming from?”

  “Alsip, Illinois.”

  “Take I-80/94 east to the Broadway South exit. Drive about one mile and Magic Moments is located on the left side of the street. The address is 8215 Broadway.”

  “I have GPS on my cell phone, so I shouldn’t have a problem.”

  “Lauren, I look forward to meeting you at two o’clock this afternoon at Magic Moments.” Ivy repeated the name of the place and the address one more time to be sure the young woman was clear as to where they were meeting.

  After she hung up, she stood. “This young lady is going to need everything.”

  “I don’t mind last-minute weddings when they’re simple,” Rose commented.

  “Once I meet with her over at Jonathan’s, we’ll know if it’s going to be simple or a problem,” Ivy responded, gathering her things.

  “Speaking of Jonathan, when are you going to put him out of his misery?”

  “What are you talking about, Rosie?”

  “Marc told me that Jonathan has asked you out and you keep saying no. When are you going to go out with him?”

  Ivy’s stomach dropped. She hoped the horror she felt didn’t show on her face. Jonathan was much closer to his brother than she thought. Would he truly be able to keep their secret? The last thing she needed was her sisters butting their noses into her affairs. The day had started out perfectly, and she hadn’t thought about her marriage or Jonathan other than going to see him about a bride.

  “Vee, you’re not going to answer, are you?” Lili asked.

  “The man has been sweet on Vee for years now. I know you guys had to have seen the way he looks at her,” Rose said picking up her notebook from the table.

  “Rosie, you’re always trying to play matchmaker,” Violet said.

  “Why not? Vee’s not trying to make a match or find a mate for herself, so I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” Lili commented, turning toward Ivy.

  Ivy didn’t know how to answer the question. She couldn’t tell them that she’d skipped the courtship and had already married the man. Nope, as soon as she got a minute, she’d get her annulment and that would cut the tie that bound them.

  “He actually asked me to go out with him the other night at the Super Bowl party.” She hoped the tidbit of information would satisfy her sister’s curiosity.

  There was a pregnant pause before Rose spoke. “Okay and did you say yes?”

  Ivy gave them a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yes, I’m going to go out with him.”

  “Well, it’s about time,” Rose said, smiling brightly.

  Ivy glanced at her gold bezel watch. “I’m going back to my office so that I can get a new client package. Then I’m off to Magic Moments. I’ll have to put her information in the computer later.”

  As soon as Ivy walked out of the room and down the hall to the stairs, she wondered if she did the right thing by telling her sisters that she was going out with Jonathan. She didn’t like other people in her personal business, especially her sisters.

  Chapter 4

  Ivy pulled her navy blue BMW into the closest empty spot in the massive parking lot of Magic Moments. As a business owner herself, she admired Jonathan and Marc’s ambition in taking a once boarded-up building and turning it into an elegant place for people to celebrate their special occasions. Jonathan was the business manager and Marc was the chef. It was one of the largest banquet facilities in the town of Taylor, accommodating up to seven hundred people. The building had four ballrooms, The Embassy, Royal, Grand, and Chateau.

  Hearts and Flowers started their partnership with Magic Moments after assisting them with their grand opening four years ago. Now the Damons were at the top of her preferred vendor list because of the diversity of the cuisine, their level of service, style and commitment to bringing a high-quality experience to their customers. Together they created stunning and unforgettable affairs.
r />   Ivy checked the time on her dash to make sure she wasn’t late. In fact the clock told her she was fifteen minutes early.

  Ivy didn’t want to go inside right away because she wanted to introduce herself to Lauren, so she turned up the heat in her car and waited. She hoped the young woman was timely. In her line of work there was nothing worse than a bride who didn’t respect time. It could cause a wedding budget to skyrocket out of control because of extra fees for going over the allocated timeframe.

  Soon, she spotted a silver Lexus 470 SUV pull into the parking lot. When the young woman locked eyes with her and smiled, Ivy smiled in return. Ivy was sure it was Lauren Kabins.

  Ivy turned off the ignition, hit the locks and got out of the car.

  “Lauren?” Ivy asked pulling on her navy blue leather gloves.

  “Ms. Hart,” Lauren responded, stopping in front of Ivy.

  Lauren Kabins had a small, round face, shoulder-length brown hair and wore square-framed eyeglasses.

  Like almost every other bride she’d met, Lauren carried bridal magazines and a notebook.

  Ivy extended her right hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Lauren anxiously accepted. “Nice to meet you, too, Ivy.”

  Ivy and Lauren walked side by side to the entrance of the building. “Did you have a hard time finding the place?”

  “No, and it only took me forty-five minutes to get here.”

  Ivy pulled her coat collar closer to cover her exposed neck. “Let’s hurry up and get inside. It’s freezing out here.”

  Ivy enjoyed watching the animated expression on Lauren’s face as she marveled at the elegantly furnished foyer when they walked through the large glass double doors.

  The champagne and taupe colored walls brought charm and matched the sparkle of the gold chandeliers, original oil paintings and antique furniture in the hallway that lead to the oval shaped lobby. It was surrounded by a beautiful winding staircase on each side adorned with white silk flowers and tulle.

  “This place is gorgeous,” Lauren commented, taking off her winter hat while admiring a large floral centerpiece on the table in the lobby.

  As Ivy walked over to Lauren, Jonathan came around the corner to meet them. “Good afternoon, Ivy.”