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had thought Granny Ginny was only being entertaining, of course, but as time wore on, Edie had never fallen in love, Marley had divorced, and their youngest sister, Bridget, had actually applied to the Guinness Book of World Records, hoping to be recognized for having survived the most bad dates in Manhattan.

      Edie was sure that sending good wedding karma into the Universe by planning weddings would turn the tide for the Benning sisters, and so far, things seemed positive. Even if the chemistry wasn’t right, at least she’d gotten some dates with a real hunk, right? And while her relatives weren’t technically employees, they’d begun to offer their skills, which meant Edie now had talented, trustworthy subcontractors at her fingertips.

      “At least you got a restraining order for Jimmy Delaney,” Emma was saying, addressing the next order of business.

      Since the wedding announcement, Julia had become a magnet for paparazzi, and Jimmy Delaney was the most persistent photographer. Pete looked proud of himself. “Yeah.”

      “Only photographers from Celebrity Weddings can cover the event,” reminded Emma. “We have the exclusive.”

      “Delaney won’t get near the estate,” Pete assured.

      “Lighten up!” Julia interjected with a laugh, breaking a kiss and pulling her gaze from Lorenzo with difficulty. “I thought this was supposed to be a wedding!”

      Lorenzo leaned over, tugging the bill of a baseball cap Julia wore with old jeans and a sports-logo sweatshirt. She’d draped a Gore-Tex jacket around the back of her chair. His eyes never leaving hers, Lorenzo said, “Let’s start talking hearts and flowers. If I don’t marry this lady soon, I really will die.” Crossing a finger over his heart, he shot everyone a lovesick expression.

      Edie smiled. “You’re in luck, Lorenzo. I brought more tapes for review. And about the ring.” She slid drawings toward the couple. “We’re hoping you’ll approve….”

      “You need to decide,” urged Emma. “Our next article appears soon, and while readers have loved sharing the pressures of a rushed celebrity wedding, they want to see results.”

      “The wedding’s going to be amazing,” assured Julia.

      Not if she didn’t choose the music, thought Edie uneasily. And the ring. On so many other points, Julia had been amiable. The cake she’d approved was a design Edie had initially conjured for her own fantasy wedding. The traditional gown was perfect, and the pink roses twined with lavender glass beads. Edie just wished the wedding wasn’t in April. The wedding and reception were at the estate, and Edie didn’t know what to expect—a blizzard or spring rain.

      Julia gasped. “Look, Lozo.” Lozo was her pet name for Lorenzo.

      Unbidden, Edie’s heart pulled. These two were so in love that they’d marry happily with no ceremony, much less a ring. Lorenzo had proposed with a pop-can lid, now silver-plated and hanging from a chain around Julia’s neck. It would be on Julia’s finger if Sparky hadn’t insisted that his daughter have a diamond.

      Edie still couldn’t understand why Julia had rejected the first designs. While Big Apple Brides really wasn’t officially a family business, Edie’s relatives were helping with the Darden wedding, a trend Edie hoped would continue since she was picking up clients daily, and she really appreciated how Bridget had gone the distance.

      Working around her hours as a clerk at Tiffany’s, Bridget, the youngest sister, had put her heart and soul into the ring design, and the initial offering had wowed even Marley, which was saying something. Sure that Julia would be impressed, Bridget had commissioned a model made of cubic zirconia, but Julia had rejected it, after all, and now Bridget was wearing the ring, which was sort of pathetic, Edie decided. Just as determined as Edie to counteract the wedding curse, it was as if Bridget had placed an engagement ring on her own finger….

      “This is it,” Julia announced.

      The ring wasn’t as beautiful as Bridget’s first design in Edie’s opinion, but it was impressive, as was Lorenzo’s band. “The diamonds will be of the best quality,” Edie assured. “Set at Tiffany’s.”

      Julia flashed a grin. “Great!”

      “Oh,” cut in Emma. “Before I forget. Since you’re going on Rate the Dates after this meeting, Edie, I want Celebrity Wedding’s photographers to meet you at the studio. Okay?”

      Edie wondered what to say. Just days after she’d been hired by the Dardens, Celebrity Weddings had phoned, asking for exclusive rights to cover the wedding. In turn, Edie had broached the subject with the Dardens, feeling sure they’d decline, only to find that Sparky was ecstatic. Despite Julia’s camera-shyness, he wanted her to have the documentation of her special day forever. Well and good. But one thing had led to another, and Celebrity Weddings—which had been a bit pushy—wanted Edie and Cash, a man she’d only casually dated, to appear on a nationally televised reality show called Rate the Dates.

      “Just audition, Edie,” Emma had urged at the time. “It’s a promotional thing and you can always cancel. Since it’s a weekly show and airs live, they have alternates waiting in the wings.”

      On the show, newly acquainted couples were videotaped during dream dates in Manhattan while a studio audience and two-person judging panel rated their likelihood of sharing a future. So the audience could see how well it had judged, each show included a segment called “Where Are They Today?” By generating interest in Edie’s love life, Celebrity Weddings hoped to boost circulation for the issues covering Julia and Lorenzo, and when the idea was initially broached, Edie decided to do it, since she might get new clients.

      But then she’d come to her senses. After all, the Benning sisters were affected by a wedding curse, something proven by their lifelong histories of bad dates, which meant Edie’s appearance on Rate the Dates could backfire. If Julia’s wedding was somehow tainted, Edie would never forgive herself.

      Feeling a rush of guilt, Edie told herself she was being ridiculous. Surely curses couldn’t rub off on third parties. Still, from a practical standpoint, it was better not to complicate matters by focusing on her own romantic life while planning this wedding. She didn’t need any distractions, which was another good reason to quit dating Cash Champagne.

      Yes…she’d concentrate on only one wedding—Julia’s. When it came off perfectly, that would prove to Granny Ginny and Edie’s sisters that the Benning name was to be associated with marital bliss—not tales of spinsterhood.

      “Emma,” Edie said with conviction. “I’ve thought about it, and I’m going to cancel. As you say, Rate the Dates always has alternates.” Deciding not to mention the unpromising, dry-as-dust kisses she’d shared with Cash, Edie added, “Cash and I only dated a month.”

      “That’s the point,” argued Emma. “Contestants get to know their dates while America watches!”

      Edie hardly wanted America to witness her and Cash’s lack of passion on TV. Besides, as far as her sisters went, any failure would be interpreted as proof that they were cursed and never likely to marry. “No, I really can’t appear.” Refusing to consider the show’s hefty grand prize, a sum that would help with the overhead at Big Apple Brides, Edie continued, “Marley’s going to let Cash know.”

      She wished she’d been able to track him down herself, but the man was definitely elusive. And the way the day had progressed, ending in this impromptu meeting, finding him had been impossible. Frowning at her watch, she wondered if Marley had succeeded yet, and then why her twin had been so unusually helpful. Since her divorce, Marley had viewed men suspiciously, but today, she’d seemed almost eager to help Edie find Cash. Well, maybe it was because Edie had decided not to appear with him on Rate the Dates, despite the sizable grand prize….

      AS SHE APPROACHED Rockefeller Center and NBC, Marley tried to ignore the fact that the hike uptown had made her thirsty, and she wished she had time to stop for water, but she didn’t. Catching a glimpse in Saks’ window, she barely recognized herself. Was she really wearing press-on nails, sheer pantyhose that couldn’t

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