Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(69)

Annabelle and Charlie had spent most of the afternoon setting up. Balloons were tied together in clusters in the corners of the room. Paper tablecloths covered the round tables. Jo was providing all the dishes, flatware and glasses. Charlie had stayed in the room to accept the flower delivery while Annabelle had gone to get the cake. The two-tiered replica of a wedding cake was done in three kinds of chocolate and had a special place of honor near the front of the room.

By the window, a long table held the goodie bags and the supplies for the games. There were scissors and tape and a stapler to make a wrapping paper dress and inexpensive plastic tiaras so everyone could be a princess.

Jo picked up a clipboard from the bar and grabbed a pen. “Okay, just to confirm. You’re having champagne as your only liquor. I have twenty bottles chilled, but I’ll only charge what you use.”

Annabelle laughed. “Twenty? We’re only having about thirty people at the shower.”

“Uh-huh. Trust me. I’ll make sure everyone is either walking or has a ride.” She moved to the next item. “The menu. We have lasagna, fried ravioli, raw vegetables with dip so we can pretend to be healthy, garlic bread, cut fruit with melted chocolate, individual cups of tiramisu and cake. The champagne I mentioned along with soda, coffee and tea.”

Annabelle looked at the menu. “Where did the fried ravioli come from?”

“I’m trying it. That’s on me. I want to see if people like it.” Jo put down the clipboard. “I’ll be in and out all evening. I know I’m technically a guest, but I’ll want to check on the bar, as well. Two servers will be assigned. The sound system is set.” Jo went behind the bar and handed her a remote. “Adjust the volume with this. If anyone hates a selection, push the ‘next’ button and it will skip the song. You know where the bathrooms are, right?”

“End of the hall.”

“Then we’re good.” Jo glanced around at the banner proclaiming “Happy Wedding, Heidi,” the flowers, the cake and balloons and shook her head. “I was right to elope.”

“Not your style?”

“No, but it looks good on Heidi. Have fun. Call me if you need me.”

Jo left. Charlie came in with one of the servers. Both women carried buckets of ice.

“In case,” Charlie said.

She’d traded her usual firefighter uniform for dark wash jeans and a simple long-sleeved blue shirt. The top was fitted, as were the jeans. More so than Charlie’s uniform or her traditional casual look of a T-shirt and baggy cargo pants.

Annabelle took in her long, lean legs and narrow hips. Maybe it was nerves about the shower or carrying the ice up a flight of stairs, but Charlie’s face was slightly flushed, her eyes bright. The shirt deepened the blue in her eyes.

She had amazing bone structure. Annabelle wasn’t sure why she hadn’t noticed until now.

Charlie set down the ice and glared. “What?” she demanded. “You’re staring at me.”

“You look nice.”

Charlie grimaced. “Oh, please.”

“I’m serious. I never got it before, but you go out of your way to avoid dressing like a woman. You don’t wear makeup or act feminine at all. But you’re really very pretty.”

The grimace turned into a glower. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

“I’m unimpressed by the threat.” Annabelle continued to stare. “You downplay your looks because you don’t want attention.”

“I’m the tallest girl in the room. Trust me, that’s not attention I want.”

“I’m short, so I know there’s an advantage to being the tallest girl. But you don’t use it.”

Charlie drew in a breath. “I know what beautiful is. My mother. I’m nothing like her.”

“There are all kinds of beauty.”

But Annabelle could tell Charlie didn’t believe her. Charlie’s mother was a petite, graceful ballerina. That could intimidate anyone, let alone a tall, gawky girl. Add the horrible date rape to the mix and it made sense that Charlie avoided anything remotely feminine. But with their guests arriving in the next few minutes, this wasn’t the time for that conversation.

They checked on the food, hit Play on the remote to start the music and then suffered through three minutes of “What if everyone hates our party” jitters before Heidi and May arrived.

“It’s perfect,” May announced, glancing around at the room. “I love it.”

“Me, too,” Heidi said. “I’m nervous. Why am I nervous?”

“Because you haven’t had champagne,” Charlie said, giving both women hugs.

One of the servers opened the first bottle of champagne and started to pour. Annabelle passed out glasses.

In the next twenty minutes the rest of the guests arrived. The Hendrix triplets were there, along with their mother, Denise. Mayor Marsha, Charity Golden, Pia and their resident famous author, Liz Sutton. Rina McKenzie, recently married to the local vet Cameron, arrived with Julia Gionni of the feuding Gionni sisters.

As more women arrived, Annabelle made sure she was by the door to collect the gifts and guide guests to the champagne. Conversation and laughter drowned out the music.

Once everyone had their drink, Charlie proposed a toast to the bride-to-be. The buffet was set out and people lined up to get food. The tables filled quickly as everyone settled in for dinner.