Sometimes that made sense, if the wedding was big enough. Paula couldn’t recall the size of Davina’s wedding, but she didn’t think it was that big.

“How many are attending your wedding?”

“One hundred and fifty.”

Well, that wasn’t going to work. The Whitley had over two hundred rooms. Paula decided to take a different approach.

“We could certainly work with you on that. You are welcome to book all of the rooms. But that would probably be more rooms than you need. We have a total of two hundred and twenty rooms. Your party will fill more than half of them. We have had weddings that have bought out the hotel before. It’s up to you. But we can do that if you like.”

Davina looked confused and then did the mental math. “I’d have to pay for all the rooms, even if we didn’t use them?”

“Well, yes. If you don’t want us to rent them out.”

“You couldn’t just not rent them?”

“I’m sorry, no. If we did that then we’d be paying for those rooms and that’s not a good business decision for us. I hope you can understand that.”

“Well, maybe I’ll take my business elsewhere!” Davina stood in a huff and glared at Paula. But Paula called her bluff.

“That’s your choice, of course. We hope you’ll decide to stay. Let Hallie and Mia know what you decide to do.”

“Thanks, Paula,” Hallie said.

Paula walked back to her office and tried not to smile. She knew that Davina wasn’t going to cancel her wedding. There was nowhere else that she could get on such short notice. Instead, she would likely continue to terrorize them. But once it was over, they’d never have to see her again.

Hallie came up to her office twenty minutes later.

“What did Davina decide?”

Hallie smiled. “What do you think? She’s not going anywhere. She calmed down after you left. Said she thought about it and understood.”

“Good. Has she had her tasting yet?” All brides were invited in for a formal tasting of the menu options. It was usually a really fun night for the bride and groom and usually the mother of the bride and maybe the maid of honor or best man.

Hallie made a face. “No. That’s next Thursday night. Poor Nick.”

Paula laughed. “It might not be that bad. Nick’s food is amazing. Maybe she’ll actually relax and enjoy herself.”

“One can only hope,” Hallie said.

Chapter 11

“Good morning, ladies. Where did you end up going last night for dinner?” The two older women had asked Andrea for restaurant recommendations the night before.

“We went to Mimi’s Place, and you’re right, it’s wonderful,” Beverly Higginbottom said.

“Best swordfish I’ve ever had,” her sister, Jane, added. The two women were visiting for a week from upstate New York.