Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Hollie
I stepped back and smiled as I looked at my handiwork. “Pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself,” I whispered as I let my eyes take in the room.
“Hollie! Oh, my goodness!” a voice said from behind me. “It looks beautiful, sweetheart!”
Turning, I grinned as I saw the host of the party walk up. Rose Dayton. I’d known her since I was a little girl and had always adored her. The fact that she hired me to set up her fall-themed book club party was an honor. I had dived into this project head-first, full of excitement. Fall was, after all, my favorite time of year. Especially in Salem. And this was Rose, one of my favorite clients. I’d done a number of parties and events for her, so I felt honored that she kept asking me back to plan more. I’d even, though I’d never wanted to admit it to myself, always secretly hoped to see her son, Lucas.
Looking back at my handy work, I sighed. I had poured my heart into this one simply because it had been for Rose. My eyes swept over the room again. On the table was a beautiful yet simple fall centerpiece that featured red apples I had used as little vases with fall flowers in them. Sage and copper greenery were on the table, along with a few books that had candles in small hurricane lamps placed on top of them.
“I’m glad you like it, Rose. It means a lot to me that you’re happy with it all.”
“Like it? I love it, Hollie. How in the world did you do that to the apples? Are those real flowers in there?”
Smiling with pride, I nodded. “They are! Just a simple little trick I use.”
She reached down and picked up the small pinecone that had a slip of paper with a guest’s name handwritten on it in calligraphy. She placed it back down on the sage-colored plates she had bought just for this party. “The placeholder cards are adorable. Everything is so perfect. No wonder you’re the best in Salem. You never fail to outdo yourself.”
I felt my cheeks blush. After working my ass off for the last six years, I had finally made it; I’d become one of the top event planners in Salem. I could do any kind of event asked of me. From newborn showers to retirement parties to everything in between. The City of Salem had even asked me to plan their big Christmas party for their employees this year. I was over the moon excited about that. If I did a good job on it, I was hoping they’d let me do next year’s Salem Witches’ Halloween Ball. My aunt and sister were on board, of course, but I’d never wanted to use my influence to get the job. I wanted my talent to win it for me.
I was best known for my romantic events like surprise engagements or anniversaries. I had to admit, those were my favorites. I was a sucker for a good romance story. Maybe because I was still looking for my own happily ever after.
Rose turned in a circle. Faux trees lined the walkway from the porch to the back patio and were covered in white lights, with Edison lights strung across the large trees in the backyard for when the sun set and the host needed to provide light in the backyard.
In the yard were large beanbag chairs, each with a blanket placed over it, along with the book that Rose’s book club had been reading. In the middle was a fire pit ready to go with a push of a button. Small s’mores kits were also placed on a small table that sat in front of each beanbag, along with a cup that had a small bag of hot chocolate and mini-marshmallows in it. All they would need to do is add hot water.
“In each s’mores kit is a small skewer that opens up for them to roast the marshmallows on. They also have their names on them, and each blanket has the name on it as well so they should be able to find their chairs with no problem,” I said as I walked toward the other seating area in the yard. “You mentioned the gift idea would be left up to me, so I hope you like that.”
“You thought of everything!” Rose gushed. “I love the gifts! How do you come up with such cute ideas?”
Simply smiling, I wanted to say, when I had an open checkbook to work with, I could make anything amazing. And for this job, the hostess was attempting to make her fall book club meeting outshine any other member’s, past or future. I loved Rose to pieces, though. So, when she told me to outshine last year’s book club fall party, I had tried my best. Rose’s husband, Tim, was a doctor in town and sat on the city council. He had given me my first big solo event to plan, and I would forever be grateful to him for it.