Shirley Jump - Sweetheart Lost and Found

Planning perfect weddings…finding happy endings!

It’s the biggest and most important day of a woman’s life—and it has to be perfect.

At least that’s what the Wedding Belles believe, and that’s why they’re Boston’s top wedding-planner agency. But amidst the beautiful bouquets, divine dresses and rose-petal confetti, these six wedding planners long to be planning their own big day!

But first they have to find Mr. Right….

This month:

Sweetheart Lost and Found

by Shirley Jump

And don’t miss the exciting wedding-planner tips and author reminiscences that accompany each book!

For more tips and bridal fun please visit the Wedding Belles at http://harlequin-theweddingplanners.blogspot.com.

“You seriously can’t take me anywhere without a calamity happening. I’m a walking America’s Funniest Home Video. Even my own wedding had a near-disaster. My husband got laryngitis the day of the wedding (hmm…was that a convenient way of not having to say any vows?), so his vows came out as a squeak. I forgot our toasting glasses and we had to borrow other guests’ champagne glasses when the best man made his speech.

But all of that was nothing compared to my veil catching on fire.

Let’s just say tulle and candles aren’t a good mix. When my husband and I went to blow out the unity candle, it was before he kissed me, so my veil was still down. I tried to blow through the tulle. The netting swooped forward into the flame and, whoosh, caught on fire. Not a big flame, thank goodness, but a nice little spark. So here I am, madly blowing out my veil, then trying to lift the veil and get the unity candle blown out at the same time. I have a nice round hole in my veil as a memento.

Don’t even get me started on the time I tripped and fell on the church altar in front of two hundred people at someone else’s wedding. And just don’t ask me to do a reading at your wedding—not unless you’re planning on splitting the prize money from AFHV with me.

At least in my fictional world of Sweetheart Lost and Found I can create weddings where almost nothing goes wrong!”

Catch up with Shirley’s latest news at www.shirleyjump.com.

TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON

AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG

STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID

PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND

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To Kathy, who has brought music and laughter

into our lives, and who graciously forgave me for

tripping on the altar in the middle of her wedding.

Planning perfect weddings…finding happy endings!

In April: Sweetheart Lost and Found by Shirley Jump

Florist: Will Callie catch a bouquet, and reunite with her childhood sweetheart?

In May: The Heir’s Convenient Wife by Myrna Mackenzie

Photographer: Regina’s wedding album is perfect. Now she needs her husband to say “I love you!”

In June: SOS Marry Me! by Melissa McClone

Designer: Serena’s already made her dress, but a rebel has won her heart….

In July: Winning the Single Mom’s Heart by Linda Goodnight

Chef: Who will Natalie cut her own wedding cake with?

In August: Millionaire Dad, Nanny Needed! by Susan Meier

Accountant: Will Audra’s budget for the big day include a millionaire groom?

In September: The Bridegroom’s Secret by Melissa James

Planner: Julie’s always been the wedding planner—will she ever be the bride?

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CALLIE Phillips slipped the final flower into the cheery wedding bouquet, stepped back to admire her handiwork and marveled at the irony of her career choice.

A woman who didn’t believe in happily ever after, crafting floral dreams for starry-eyed, Cinderella-was-no-fairytale brides.

Callie fingered the greenery surrounding the flowers symbolizing hope. True love. A happy ending. Her clients at Wedding Belles were paying her to act like she believed fairy tales came true. But all the while Callie created those dreams with vibrant blooming white roses and delicate pastel freesia, she hid the fact that the petals had long ago dropped from her own jaded heart.

“My goodness, will you look at that. Another beautiful creation, darlin’.” Belle Mackenzie, the owner of the Wedding Belles and Callie’s employer, breezed into the basement floral design area. She was impeccable as always in a skirt and bright red sweater set that offset her gray hair and shaved years off her fifty-plus age. “You are incredible. Whatever made you think of this combination?” Belle bent to inhale the fragrance of the burnt-orange tulips, paired with deep purple calla and crimson gloriosa lilies.

“The bride, actually,” Callie said. “Becky was just so outgoing, and this design seemed to suit her personality, not to mention the unique colors of her wedding party dresses.”

“I don’t know how you do it. You read people like novels.” Belle smiled. “Best thing I ever did was hire you.”

Callie smiled. “No, I think it’s the opposite. Best thing I ever did was walk in here and apply for a job.” Belle had taken Callie under her wing years ago, seeing a budding creative talent and someone who needed a stable, maternal figure. She’d taught Callie the art of flower arranging, even paid for her to go to classes, then when she’d expanded her wedding planning company into the much bigger Wedding Belles, had given Callie the job of florist. And through that job, a group of close friends who had since become Callie’s rock.

Giving Callie’s unstable life a firm basis for the first time in her life.

Now Callie spent her days discussing calla lilies and Candia roses with starry-eyed brides, but never for one moment believing she would hold another bouquet, opening her heart a second time, believing once again that one man would be by her side forever.

Just the idea of forever made her consider heading for the hills. She’d tried it once, on a whim, and it hadn’t worked at all. Callie wasn’t slipping on that gold band of permanence again under any circumstances.

Belle gave her a grin. “We all make a good team, don’t we? The Wedding Belles.”

“Even if one of us has never been swayed to the dark side?”

Belle’s laughter was hearty. “You mean the white side of the aisle? It’s not as bad as you think over there. And one day, darlin’, I’ll convince you that falling in love and getting married isn’t the prison sentence you think.”