I wonder if Oliver is in the loft and worry that he might get out.
Ashley laughs at something the person on the other line must have said and continues.
“Right? Who would have thought after that first night he would have invited me to stay in the lofts? But what can I say? You can’t stop the course of true love. Looks like I’m destined to be Mrs. Holm after all.”
I freeze. The lump in my throat feels like I’ve got a porcupine stuck in there. I can’t breathe. I’ve got to get Cookie. I’ve got to get out of here.
I drop the helmet on the ledge outside the door and turn to run.
Instead of taking the elevator, I head to the roof garden and make my way down the stairs to the pet valet area where Cookie is playing with the volunteers. She’s having so much fun she doesn’t want to leave, but I force her, dragging her behind me.
We exit the party via a side gate.
Tears stream down my face as I pause on the street outside the building.
Inside, everyone is having a wonderful time dancing, laughing, toasting. Walker is spinning his daughter on the dance floor. There are crowds gathered around the small tables, bidding on the silent auction items. Kenna is circulating among the guests. I find her easily by following the bursts of flashes. Jackson isn’t far behind, shooting video. Emily, Xander, and Mac are standing with a group of people I don’t recognize, laughing at some joke.
And finally, I spot Hudson.
Hudson Holm is taking the stage, resplendent in his Viking costume. He’s about to make an announcement, but he’s searching for someone. Someone who is obviously not me. Because I’m on the outside again, looking in at all the happy people who belong to someone. It’s just me and Cookie on a foggy, starless night.
hudson
“Good evening,everyone. I am Hudson Holm and I have the honor and distinction of being your emcee for tonight. I’d like to start off by thanking all of you for being here and for your generous contributions to Ephron’s local pet shelter. Tonight, we have raised enough money to help hundreds of pets be treated, vaccinated, spayed, and neutered and, most importantly, to find loving homes.
“Most of you know Xander and Georgia, whose mom, Joan, founded Celestial Pets and the Pawsome Mobile Grooming van. Joan was a beloved member of our community, and this masquerade honors her lifelong mission to bring people and their pet soul mates together.
“I never really believed in soul mates—animal or otherwise—until recently. That’s when I met eleven-year-old Oliver, who incidentally was also a shelter pet.”
I pause here to connect my phone to the computer running the projector so I can share the photo of me and Oliver in our matching costumes from earlier this evening. Predictably, this photo gets a lot of oohs and aahs.
“Pretty amazing photo, right?”
I proceed to tell the crowd about how unexpectedly Oliver came into my life and how he carved out a place for himself, becoming such an important part of my life.
“I finally had to come to terms with it,” I confess. “I’m a cat person. This is my cat, and I love him.”
There’s a quick bit about the lofts and how the space we’re in will soon be a part of a vibrant, pet-friendly, live/work community. I encourage everyone to take a tour of the models.
From there, I go on to thank all the sponsors, mention all the businesses that donated items for the silent auction, and play a quick video showing some of the ways the local shelters will use the donations that are collected tonight.
While the video is playing, I scan the crowd, unsuccessfully, for Georgia. I spy Walker, with his arm around Ashley. He gives me the thumbs-up sign.
“Some of you might be wondering why a large pet supply company like Farm & Holm is hosting a small, local business like Celestial Pets tonight. On the surface, it seems like we shouldn’t be allies, we should be rivals.”
I see Emily sitting in the crowd, notebook out, taking notes. She nods at me.
“And in the past, maybe that would have been true. But coming home to Ephron—the town where our family’s business was founded—has really driven home the importance of communities. It’s taught me the value of shopping local and supporting local businesses and artisans. That’s why, moving forward, Farm & Holm will be highlighting independent artisans and smaller, local shops on our site each month. These shops and vendors will have the opportunity to participate in an incubator and receive training and capital to help them grow and scale their companies.”
Someone in the crowd whistles and there’s clapping. I catch Xander’s eye, and he’s nodding approvingly, conferring with his partner. But where the hell is Georgia?
“We’ll be working closely with pet influencers as part of our discovery and promotion of these companies, and we hope to see a significant portion of the profits turned over to shelter projects in communities like ours all over the country.”
There’s a round of applause now, and a few people stand up.
“But I don’t want to make tonight about Farm & Holm. We’re honored to have been given the opportunity to play host to this event. And now, I’d love to introduce you to Georgia Starr, the owner of Celestial Pets and daughter of Joan Starr. None of this tonight would be possible without Georgia. She’s certainly been my muse since I arrived in town. She sparked this idea, and honestly, she’s sparked so much more. Georgia? Won’t you come up here?”
The crowd looks expectantly from side to side, searching for her.
