Teresa Carpenter - The Best Man and The Wedding Planner

The Vineyards of Calanetti

Saying “I do” under the Tuscan sun …

Deep in the Tuscan countryside nestles the picturesque village of Monte Calanetti. Famed for its world-renowned vineyards, the village is also home to the crumbling but beautiful Palazzo di Comparino. It’s been empty for months, but rumours of a new owner are spreading like wildfire … and that’s before the village is chosen as the setting for the royal wedding of the year!

It’s going to be a roller coaster of a year, but will wedding bells ring out in Monte Calanetti for anyone else?

Find out in this fabulously heart-warming, uplifting and thrillingly romantic new eight-book continuity from Mills & Boon Romance!

A Bride for the Italian Boss by Susan Meier Return of the Italian Tycoon by Jennifer Faye Reunited by a Baby Secret by Michelle Douglas Soldier, Hero … Husband? by Cara Colter

His Lost-and-Found Bride by Scarlet Wilson

The Best Man & The Wedding Planner by Teresa Carpenter

His Princess of Convenience by Rebecca Winters Available January 2016

Saved by the CEO by Barbara Wallace

The Best Man & The Wedding Planner

Teresa Carpenter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

TERESA CARPENTERbelieves that with love and family anything is possible. She writes in a Southern California coastal city surrounded by her large family. Teresa loves writing about babies and grandmas. Her books have rated as Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, and have been nominated Best Romance of the Year on some review sites. If she’s not at a family event, she’s reading, or writing her next grand romance.

This book is dedicated to my editor Carly Byrne for her patience, understanding, speed and good cheer. I never see her sweat. Even when I do. Thank you for everything.

Contents

Cover

Introduction The Vineyards of Calanetti Saying “I do” under the Tuscan sun … Deep in the Tuscan countryside nestles the picturesque village of Monte Calanetti. Famed for its world-renowned vineyards, the village is also home to the crumbling but beautiful Palazzo di Comparino. It’s been empty for months, but rumours of a new owner are spreading like wildfire … and that’s before the village is chosen as the setting for the royal wedding of the year! It’s going to be a roller coaster of a year, but will wedding bells ring out in Monte Calanetti for anyone else? Find out in this fabulously heart-warming, uplifting and thrillingly romantic new eight-book continuity from Mills & Boon Romance! A Bride for the Italian Boss by Susan Meier Return of the Italian Tycoon by Jennifer Faye Reunited by a Baby Secret by Michelle Douglas Soldier, Hero … Husband? by Cara Colter His Lost-and-Found Bride by Scarlet Wilson The Best Man & The Wedding Planner by Teresa Carpenter His Princess of Convenience by Rebecca Winters Available January 2016 Saved by the CEO by Barbara Wallace

Title Page The Best Man & The Wedding Planner Teresa Carpenter www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author TERESA CARPENTER believes that with love and family anything is possible. She writes in a Southern California coastal city surrounded by her large family. Teresa loves writing about babies and grandmas. Her books have rated as Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, and have been nominated Best Romance of the Year on some review sites. If she’s not at a family event, she’s reading, or writing her next grand romance.

Dedication This book is dedicated to my editor Carly Byrne for her patience, understanding, speed and good cheer. I never see her sweat. Even when I do. Thank you for everything.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

“NOW BOARDING, FIRST-CLASS passengers for Flight 510 to Florence.”

Lindsay Reeves’s ears perked up. She glanced at her watch; time had gotten away from her. She closed her tablet folio, tucked it into her satchel and then reached for the precious cargo she was personally escorting across the ocean. She hooked the garment bag holding the couture wedding dress for the future Queen of Halencia over her shoulder and began to move as the attendant made a second announcement. “First-class passengers now boarding.”

“Welcome aboard.” The attendant looked from the second ticket to Lindsay. “I’m sorry, both passengers will need to be present to board.”

“We’re both here. I bought a seat for this.” She held up the garment bag.

The woman smiled but her eyes questioned Lindsay’s sanity. “You bought a first-class ticket for your luggage?”

“Yes.” She kept it at that, not wanting to draw any further attention. With the wedding only a month away, the world was alive with wedding dress fever.

“We have a storage closet in first class that can hold it if you want to refund the ticket before takeoff,” the attendant offered.

“No, thank you.” Lindsay pressed the second ticket into the woman’s hand. “I’m not letting this bag out of my sight.”

On the plane she passed a nice-looking older couple already seated in the first row and moved on to the last row where she spied her seats. She draped the garment bag over the aisle seat and frowned when it immediately slumped into a scrunched heap on the seat.

That wouldn’t do. She pulled it back into place and tried to anchor it but when she let go, it drooped again. The weight of the dress, easily thirty pounds, made it too heavy to lie nicely. She needed something to hold it in place. After using her satchel to counter the weight temporarily, she slid past a young couple and their two children to speak to the flight attendant.

“We have a closet we can hang the dress in,” the male attendant stated upon hearing her request.

“I’ve been paid not to let it out of my sight,” she responded. True enough. Her reputation as a wedding planner to the rich and famous depended on her getting this dress to the wedding in pristine condition without anyone seeing it but her, the bride and her attendants.

“Hmm,” the man—his name tag read Dan—tapped his lips while he thought.

“Welcome aboard, sir.” Behind Lindsay another attendant, a blonde woman, greeted a fellow passenger.

Out of the corner of her eye Lindsay got the impression of a very tall, very broad, dark-haired man. She stepped into the galley to give them more room.

“You’re the last of our first-class passengers,” the attendant advised the man. “Once you’re seated, please let me know if you need anything.”

“Check,” the man said in a deep, bass voice and moved down the aisle.

Goodness. Just the one word sent a tingle down Lindsay’s spine. She sure hoped he intended to sleep during the long, red-eye flight. She wanted to get some work done and his voice might prove quite distracting.

“I’ve got it.” Dan waved a triumphant hand. “We’ll just put the seat in sleep mode and lay the bag across it.” He poured a glass of champagne and then another. “Will that work?”

“Yes, that will be perfect. Thank you.”

“Seats aren’t allowed to be reclined during takeoff. Once we reach cruising altitude I’ll be along to put the seat down. And I’ll look for something to secure it in case the flight gets bumpy.”

“Great. You’ve been very helpful.”

Lindsay headed back to her seat. Halfway through first class she caught sight of the newcomer and her breath caught in the back of her throat. He was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Long, lean features with high cheekbones, dark, slanted eyebrows and long, black eyelashes. Dark stubble decorated his square jaw.