Moments later, she dabbed her mouth with the paper napkin Cassie had set out beside the snack plates. “Definitely impressed. This is delicious, Paul. I’m giving you extra credit for the class.”
Cassie hooted.
Paul laughed. “You’re not even grading the class.”
“Okay, I’ll give you metaphorical extra credit. This is really good.”
Paul scooped dip onto a chip. “I found the recipe on one of those internet sites you recommended.”
He popped the chip into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. “It is pretty good, if I say so myself.”
Cassie munched appreciatively. “It’s so nice that Dad’s learning how to cook more healthily now that he’s going to be living here entirely on his own. I’m glad he’s taking your class, Bonnie.”
She smiled across the table at him, receiving a wink in return. “So am I.”
“Danielle called me and said she booked the inn for her wedding. She’s so excited.”
“I’m glad. And thank you for the referral.”
“Of course. I’ve been telling all my friends how nice it is to work with you. I’ll bet that article Kinley’s boyfriend wrote for Modern South will help with business, too. I read it online this morning. The history of the place is really interesting. Is it really haunted?”
Bonnie suppressed a wince as she thought of her sister’s probable reaction to that question. Not to mention Logan’s. “No, it isn’t haunted.”
“The ghost bride, right?” Paul nodded knowingly. “I heard about her once. Don’t remember where.”
Bonnie gave them a quick summary of the old legend about a young woman who had overcome many obstacles to be with the love of her life, only to die tragically the night before her long-planned wedding. It had been said that she had haunted Bride Mountain whenever true love was present there, smiling a blessing at couples who had found the happiness together she’d known too briefly with her love. Some had embellished the story to add that when a couple saw the bride, it meant they would live happily ever after together.
Cassie sighed deeply. “It’s such a sad story, isn’t it?”
“Most old legends are,” her father pointed out.
“But it’s sweet. Have you ever seen her, Bonnie?”
Bonnie smiled and shook her head. “No. But of course, I haven’t been in a serious relationship while I’ve lived in the inn.”
Paul looked at her quizzically. “Surely you don’t believe she really exists.”
“And why not?” Cassie demanded. “There are more things on this earth than can be explained with mathematics, Daddy.”
“Yes, but—”
Ignoring him, Cassie turned to Bonnie. “Have you ever known anyone who saw her?”
She hesitated only a moment, then answered candidly. “My great-uncle Leo and great-aunt Helen swore they both saw her the night Uncle Leo proposed. They didn’t talk about it much, and almost never outside the family, but they were convinced she smiled at them in the flower garden.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s so romantic!”
“Logan thinks Uncle Leo made up the story to entertain me because I loved hearing it as a child. Kinley says maybe they saw a wisp of fog and got carried away by their joy that evening into believing it was the bride. I was the only one who believed him unconditionally.”
“And you still do, don’t you?” Cassie challenged her.
Bonnie merely smiled.
“Have you considered using the legend for advertising purposes?” Paul asked, picking up his tea glass. “I haven’t seen it mentioned on your website.”
“Kinley and Logan worry that having a ghost story formally attached to the inn would attract the wrong kind of crowd, those looking for haunted house thrills they would not receive, or deter potential guests simply looking for a peaceful getaway. As for myself, I’m just reluctant to use that sweet story my great-uncle used to tell me for advertising fodder. So we rely on our excellent service, our beautiful setting and our comfortable accommodations to sell ourselves to potential guests.”
“And someday you and your brother and sister can tell your children about the sweet legend attached to the family inn,” Cassie said. “Maybe someday one of you will even see her in person.”