Patricia had told her she was personally spending almost twenty thousand dollars on wedding catering.
“I thought she saved for it.”
I showed Megan the emails.
Her face changed when she reached the line saying my employees were “happy to donate their time because they’re like family.”
“She promised people would work for free?”
“Yes.”
“My wedding isn’t worth that.”
“I know.”
She looked close to tears.
“I feel stupid.”
“You were lied to too.”
I prepared a real estimate for her.
Simpler buffet.
Same family discount I had offered relatives before.
Actual wages.
Actual food costs.
Megan studied the total.
“We could afford this if we change the flowers and skip the champagne toast.”
“You don’t have to hire me.”
“I know.”
“Seriously.”
“That’s why I might.”
Later, Daniel’s cousin Paige texted me.
Patricia is telling people you canceled Megan’s wedding catering after accepting a deposit.
There had never been a contract.
Or invoice.
Or deposit.
I called Ava.
She checked the venue file.
“There is a deposit receipt.”
“How much?”
“Five thousand dollars.”
“To whom?”
Keyboard sounds.
“Hearth & Pine Catering.”
I had never issued it.
Nina examined the file.
At first glance it looked real.
Company name.
Logo.
Receipt number similar to my software format.
Five-thousand-dollar event retainer.
But the account information did not belong to Hearth & Pine.
It belonged to Patricia.
She had moved five thousand dollars of her own money into another account and created paperwork making it appear that my company had received it.
She had not taken money from me.
She had created proof that her story to Megan was real.
Ava immediately removed Hearth & Pine from every wedding record until a genuine agreement existed.
That evening, I went home.
Daniel was at the kitchen island surrounded by containers of Christmas leftovers.
Seeing that food made me angrier than I expected.
Everyone had apparently eaten very well after I left.
“We need to fix this,” Daniel said.
“Yes.”
Relief crossed his face.
“I’m changing every business password you know. I’m removing you as an emergency contact. And I’m moving company records out of the home office.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“I know.”
He rubbed his face.
“Mom is humiliated.”