Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“How old is the kid now?” He runs his fingers through his hair and checks out his profile.
“Peyton is nine.”
“So that was a while ago? How old was she when you nannied for this guy?”
“I took care of her when she was an infant until she was a year and a half.”
“Must be nice to be able to afford to have someone else raise your kids for you,” he scoffs.
I purse my lips. “His wife died in childbirth.”
He stops messing with his shirt and his eyebrows lift. “Shit. That’s harsh. I didn’t realize that was something that still happens.”
“Unfortunately, it can happen. Anyway, I was close with the family, and I’m a familiar face, which Peyton could use a little of with such a big move.”
“Yeah. Sure. They do realize that you’re not a nanny anymore, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Don’t want anyone edging in on my time with my girlfriend.” He winks. “You ready to go? I’m starving.” He leans in and snaps his teeth together close to my jaw in a way that makes me flinch. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He kisses my cheek softly before lacing his fingers through mine. “Come on, our friends are waiting on us.”
Five
CALLING IN A FAVOR
HARLEY
“I have some really great news for you,” my brother-in-law says as I drop into the chair across from him.
It’s Tuesday afternoon, and the four of us usually spend the morning reviewing the schedule for the week, then we break to tackle calls and anything that needs to be handled for the event later in the week. We follow that with a working lunch to plan for the coming month. Since our events often happen over the weekend, Mondays are sometimes a work-from-home day, depending on the scope of the upcoming event.
“What kind of good news?” I take a sip from my travel mug and set a Tupperware container of scones in the middle of the table. Last night I ended up getting sucked into a foodie show focused on scones, which inspired me to bake some of my own.
“We scheduled a birthday party just for you.”
“I thought they were money-suckers, not moneymakers.”
“Normally this is accurate; however, it’s a sweet-sixteen party, and the family is loaded, so it’s going to be huge, like 150 guests and lots of out-of-towners,” Declan says.
“And we’ll need your party-throwing skills and London’s creative brain to pull this one off,” Avery adds as she plops down into her chair. She reaches for a scone and takes a huge bite, groaning through a mouthful about how good they are.
Declan reaches over and rubs her pregnant belly as crumbs fall and makes a joke about feeding the beast. Their love is the kind that warms the room. And he calms her in a way no one else can. Having him on board the last few years has been amazing, especially since he’s been a regular fixture in our lives since Avery was in college. They’re best friends, work partners, and now they’re going to be parents.
Chad and I have fun, but I don’t think we’d be the kind of partners who would work together. We’re more opposites attract. He’s an IT and gaming nerd, and I’m a kid-loving, Disney fanatic who enjoys glitter crafts, bakes when the mood suits me, and still prefers family movies to any other kind. I don’t think we need to be in each other’s pockets for us to date.
“We’re going to have so much fun planning this one!” London tosses one of her stars in the jar she carries with her everywhere. Probably even to the bathroom. Those stars are the entire basis for Starry-Eyed Treasures, her Etsy store. She used to make them when she was nervous, and now she makes them so she can keep up with her online store. It’s pretty cool.
She’s cut back on her hours at Spark House over the past few years, in part because she travels with Jackson and Ella. But since she also loves working with me and Avery, and putting an innovative spin on everything, she spearheads the artistic planning and design for every event, even if it is virtually. I usually fill in for her when she’s away, following her plan, because I enjoy the creative stuff too.
“And you know what the best part is?” London taps her fingers together excitedly, and she and Avery exchange a look.
I take the bait. Obviously whatever it is makes them both giddy. “What’s that?”
“The birthday girl is a huge fan of that movie with the guy who says inconceivable all the time. What’s it called again?” London is practically vibrating with her excitement.
“The Princess Bride?”
“That’s it!” London nods vigorously.
I glance between them. “Seriously?”
“Super seriously.” Avery nods.
“I love that movie. I can totally get on board with planning a party around that theme.” Obviously there won’t be an arts-and-crafts component, but it will definitely be fun to plan with London, who I haven’t had enough time with. Understandably so, since she’s a new mom and married. But any opportunity to work on an event with her is a good one, so I’ll take it.