“That’s why. I only have to learn the hard way once.”
We’re all laughing when the waiter is back with our drinks. “Thank you,” I tell him, picking mine up and having a sip.
“So, how did the two of you meet?” I ask, motioning between them.
“Oh, well, Evan hired me to take some pictures of his art for his website.”
I nod. “So mixing business with pleasure, huh?” I ask, wagging my brows. “You dog,” I joke.
He laughs. “I’ll admit, I should’ve kept my space, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’m going to marry this woman one of these days.”
When he says that, her face flushes with embarrassment and a nervous giggle slips out. I watch as he laughs with her and then leans over and kisses her lightly on the top of the head. I’ve never been the jealous type before, but watching them causes the emotion to bubble up inside me. Evan is lucky that he found his other half. I can’t help but wonder if and when I’ll find mine. It’s hard to picture being with anyone for any long period of time. I’ve always been self-sufficient. I don’t like having to check in, consider someone else’s feelings, or share everything I’ve worked for. My life is mine and I like it that way. Evan and Lola are cute, but my life is fun and full of traveling, parties, and plenty of women. I like my life just the way it is, and it would take a special woman to change that.
Chapter Five
DESTINY
Ileave the hotel in a hurry, wanting and needing to get away from Mr. Billings. He’s nothing like what I imagined him to be. He’s young, so I thought he would be cool and laid back, but he’s not. He’s stuffy, self-assured, and way too used to getting everything he asks for. Micromanaging is an understatement when it comes to him. That means my usual tricks won’t get me far with this job. If he wants white china with gold trim, that’s exactly what I’m going to have to find. Swapping it with something similar will never pass his inspection. I don’t see what the big deal is as long as the china is white and gold, but I’m sure to him, it will be the end of the world.
After listening to him go on and on, I can tell that the people that work for him usually give in to his every whim and demand, but I don’t work that way. I know better than most clients what will and will not work. You’d think he’d understand that. I’m not trying to tell him how to run his hotel. I’m telling him how to have a great party. He needs to take a step back and let me handle the party while he focuses on his hotel and getting it ready. I mean, who plans a party without knowing when construction will end?
I let myself into my office and I drop my things onto my desk. The front of the building is my office, with my desk and chairs for clients, and the back of the building is all my warehouse space for storing items after they’ve been ordered. I have a seat in my desk chair and lean my head back, letting out a long, drawn-out breath. I was really looking forward to this project, and now it all seems impossible. I feel like Mr. Billings is working against me instead of with me. I curse myself for even taking this job, but I know it’s too late to back out now. Most of the town knows by now that I’ve been hired on to plan this party.
If I tell them how impossible Mr. Billings is to work with, that won’t help the hotel with business. A lot of folks are so loyal, if I tell them that I don’t like him, they won’t like him either and again, that won’t be any good for the hotel. No, it’s too late to back out. Now I have to suck it up and get the job done.
I open my computer and pull up the website for the table and chair rental place. I order fifty tables that hold six guests each, and then the chairs. I look over their options of slipcovers and choose the white ones. I pay for the order and click submit. I print out the receipt and put it into the file folder to be added to the itemized bill. That’s the easiest part of this whole process. I order the white tablecloths and the cloth napkins. If I get all of the bigger pieces out of the way, I’ll have more time for the stuff that may require a little time. Like finding the white china with gold trim or the vases he wants for the flowers.
After ordering the few things I can, I focus on the harder parts of my mission. First, the flowers. I pick up the phone and call my girl at the flower shop. “Hey, Lynn. It’s Destiny.”
“Oh, hey. How are you?”
“Good, I have a new client and he’s a picky one.”
“What’s up?”
“I need centerpieces of white lilies and red roses, enough for fifty tables. They need to be in white vases that have a gold accent. And then, of course, I’ll need some bigger arrangements for decoration.”
“Okay, and when do you need these by?”
“Two weeks.”
“Two weeks?”
“Yep.”
“It will probably take me two weeks just to get the lilies in.”
“I know, girl. See what you can do and let me know if I need to go somewhere else. This guy isn’t budging on what he wants. I have to deliver on the white lilies.”
Lynn sighs. “I got it. Let me make some calls to some other local flower shops and see if I can get my hands on what you need. “
“Okay, call me back on my cell.”
“Okay! Bye Destiny.”
“Bye.” I hang up the phone and move on to the next thing on my list.
My cell phone rings, and I pick up, thinking it may be Lynn needing to ask another question, but to my surprise, it’s my sister.
