Chapter 4
Four
“Hey, Holly. I need…”
“Shush!” she hissed. Waving her hand impatiently at Crystal, Holly tried to listen to the holiday stylist’s reason she couldn’t fit one more house into her schedule.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Brown, but when I didn’t hear from Mrs. Brooks by the end of August, I booked other clients. I simply just don’t have the time or the staff to accommodate you.”
This wasn’t acceptable.
“I understand what you’re saying, Ms. Gray. Violet. Can I call you Violet?”
“That would be fine. However…”
“Violet, Mrs. Brooks has used your services almost exclusively for ten years. She has recommended you to many of her friends and business associates. Haven’t you benefited from those clients?”
“Of course, but…”
“And you’re telling me you’re okay with reaping the benefits of those recommendations—something Mrs. Brooks did not have to share—and not returning the favor when she needs it?
You realize that recommendations can also be to warn people away, don’t you?
What if all those people Mrs. Brooks praised you to found out that you left her hanging high and dry? ”
Silence.
“You and I both know that house is decorated the same way every single year. You could probably do it with your eyes closed. And if you need a few extra sets of hands, I can arrange that. Now, what do you say? Will you help?”
“I really wish I could, Ms. Brown. It’s just not possible. My staff and I are already working seven days a week. There simply isn’t time. I’m very, very sorry.”
Okay, this wasn’t going as planned. She thought that by mildly threatening someone with some bad reviews, she’d get her way. Clearly she’d underestimated how much that weighed.
Rats.
“Then you leave us no choice,” Holly said, hoping she sounded confident, even though her heart was racing and she felt like she was going to be sick.
“I’m sure Mrs. Brooks will be fine with hiring and recommending a new holiday stylist moving forward.
Have a good day.” And then she hung up, slouching down in her seat. “I’m screwed, Crystal.”
“I’m sure you’re overexaggerating. You tend to do that.”
“No. This time, I think I really am screwed, and I have no idea how to fix it! I promised Lucas that I’d make this happen and nothing’s falling into place.
I had no idea Mrs. Brooks booked everything so far in advance!
No one on her list is available! I need to find someone to hang all the exterior lights and decorations, and let me tell you, I’m afraid of heights, so it can’t be me! ”
“Okay, okay, okay…I might be able to help you with that one. I have a neighbor who does this sort of thing seasonally. He doesn’t do more than put out a few lawn signs around town, but I can totally call and ask if he’d be willing to do it.”
“Oh my God, CeeCee! That would be amazing! Can you call him now?”
“Now?” her friend said with a hearty laugh. “I don’t have his number memorized, Holly. But I promise to call when I get home.”
Groaning, she slouched down even further. “Any chance you have a neighbor who decorates interiors?”
“Sorry, kiddo. I don’t.” She paused. “Why don’t you just do it? I get Mrs. Brooks hiring people because…well…she has the money to do it. But why can’t you and Lucas and maybe a few other people do it?”
“I get the impression that Lucas isn’t used to being hands-on in this sort of thing. And it would be super weird for me to bring, like my mom, dad, and maybe you, over to his house to decorate.”
Crystal’s eyes went wide. “Um…you’re not dragging me into this. I hardly decorate my own house. My artificial tree stays decorated and I put a bag over it and stuff it in a closet on January first. Styling and decor are not my thing.”
“You’re killing me…” Holly whined. “It’s just simply following directions. I wouldn’t be asking you to figure it out by yourself.”
“Let’s figure out other options. When are you going back to the house?”
“Tonight.”
“Ooh…dinner two nights in a row with Lucas Brooks,” Crystal sang. “You must be so freaking giddy!”
Crystal was the only person who knew about her crush on Lucas. “I have to admit that it was pretty awesome hanging out last night. And tonight, I’m bringing dinner.”
“Seriously? The man’s a millionaire! Why isn’t he buying you dinner? You’re totally helping his family out; the least he can do is buy you a nice meal!”
“Okay, okay, calm down. No need to get so ragey. Sheesh. He bought dinner last night and I was already making some beef stew for my own dinner tonight.” She shrugged. “It just seemed like the polite thing to do to share it. Plus, I think he’s a flight risk.”
“Um…excuse me?”
“Yeah. I think it wouldn’t take much for him to just bail on this whole party thing, so I need to make sure there are no obstacles. And if bringing dinner keeps him focused on the task at hand, then I’ll gladly throw something in the crock pot every night this week!”
“You’re planning on seeing him every night this week?” Crystal asked with a hint of a smirk. “Look at you!”
“It’s not like I’m coming up with imaginary issues to keep me going there. Last night we had dinner and then searched in the attic. Do you have any idea how big that space was? Huh? Do you? It was bigger than my house!”
“Holly, that house is ginormous! Of course the attic would be huge too!”
“I know. That wasn’t the point. Not really. It just took a lot of time and we only found a small fraction of what we’re looking for. Tonight we’re going to tackle the basement.”
“Is there a basement? Or is it that ground level where we typically hold the party?”
“Yeah, it’s that space, but Lucas said there are several storage places there.
I don’t understand why everything wouldn’t be in the same place, but…
” She shrugged. “And I’m sure if there’s stuff in the basement, there’s the chance that there’s another space, or possibly even a storage unit.
” She sat up with a gasp. “Do you think that’s a possibility? Would Mrs. Brooks have a storage unit?”
“You probably should have asked that decorator lady. I bet she would have known.”
Dammit. Crystal had a point. Unfortunately, it was too late to call Violet back. Holly had a feeling she just burned that bridge.
“You can always ask Lucas when you see him tonight.”
But Holly was already shaking her head. “It’s almost like he was a stranger in his own home.
It was weird. They didn’t seem to have any family traditions with decorating the tree or anything like that.
Maybe he’ll be able to call one of Mrs. Brooks’s friends?
Or get me a phone number so I can ask if they know? ”
They sat in companionable silence for a moment before Crystal perked up. “I have an idea.”
“Really?” That perked her up as well. “What is it?”
“Hang on. I’ll be right back!” Crystal practically sprinted from the room and was back less than a minute later with her phone in her hand. “Okay, give me the decorator’s number.”
“What? Why? What are you going to do?”
“You’ll see. Just give me the number.”
Holly recited the number and then nervously sat back and listened.
Crystal gave her a thumbs-up. “Yes, hello. This is CeeCee Cassidy of Cassidy Interiors. May I speak to Violet Gray?” She paused.
“Oh, wonderful! Hello! It’s lovely to meet you!
Listen, darling, I am working on the Brooks family holiday party and I was told you had handled the account for the last several years. ” Another pause.
Holly felt like her jaw was on the floor.
“Yes, yes, I just met with Mrs. Brooks' assistant. A darling girl, really. Anyway, Mrs. Brooks is out of the country and I didn’t want to bother her, but I thought I’d reach out—you know, decorator to decorator—and ask if you knew if she had all of her decorations in storage or if you staged the house from your warehouse? ”
“Oh, she’s good,” Holly thought. Brilliant, actually!
“Oh, that’s fabulous! Thank you so much!
You’ve been such a big help!” Crystal gushed.
“And really, you’re so gracious. I’m sure you must have hated losing such a big account!
” And yet another pause. “Yes, yes…Mrs. Brooks is positively the best! But your loss is my gain!” She laughed in a haughty way that was almost comical. “Anyway, thanks again! Bye!”
Tossing her phone down, Crystal sat back smugly, smiling.
“And that’s how it’s done,” she said.
“Oh my God! That was amazing! So, what did she say?”
“She said everything is at the house, but it’s scattered all over the place. The only thing her company brought in was the tree. And that’s because it’s a twenty-foot one. So…that’s going to be your next task, I’m guessing.”
All she could do was nod.
“Where would you even begin to find that big of a tree? And can regular people just buy them or do you need to know someone?” Crystal asked.
“One thing at a time, Crystal. One thing at a time.”
“So…wait. Crystal called and pretended to be a holiday decorator?”
Holly had just explained the events of the day to him, and honestly, Lucas couldn’t believe just how committed she—and apparently, Crystal—were to this cause.
“It was amazing, Lucas!” she exclaimed, resting her hand on his arm.
They were sitting in the kitchen eating dinner and he found that Holly was a toucher.
He wasn’t sure she was even aware that she did it, but it wasn’t the first time she had touched him tonight and he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be the last.
And he wasn’t hating it.
At first it seemed awkward to be hanging out with her in his home—well, his family home—after hours, but then he realized they’d known each other for years.
It wasn’t like they were friends, but they were definitely work acquaintances, and he always enjoyed their brief interactions.
But now that he was getting to know her on a personal level, he was finding her fascinating.