27. Natalie #2
"I can see if there are any venues who’ve had a last-minute cancellation. There’s a secret network of event designers I’m in a group-text with. Let me put out an all-call.”
“Isn’t that resourceful? My goodness, you are a clever rabbit, aren’t you?”
Like fresh aloe vera on a sunburn, her compliment cooled the wounds left from the showcase. Natalie sat up a little straighter in her chair.
“How many guests did you have in mind? We may be able to try a private room at a restaurant too. I have a plan in mind actually.”
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I was hoping for something a little more grandiose than a banquet room at a local restaurant."
"Oh, grandiose can be done. I designed a lovely wedding reception at one a few months ago for about a hundred and twenty-five. I've got some pictures of it." Natalie held out her phone. "Take a minute to scroll through the gallery and let me know what you think."
"This looks stunning. The space is gorgeous!" Miranda squealed as she examined each photo.
"Isn't it? Rooftop venues are magical, especially ones surrounded with glass."
"It's definitely not the VFW Hall back home. I think you picked a winner. If it's available, book it. If not, see if you can find something similar."
"I'll call Anton, the owner, first thing tomorrow." Natalie smiled and made a notation. "Now, tell me a little about Amy, her likes and dislikes, food, flowers, colors, that sort of thing.”
“I’m not exactly sure what she likes.” Miranda thought for a minute. “Gardenias. She’s a big fan of gardenias. Oh, and evidently, she loves ice cream.”
Natalie jotted down these details. “Do you know what flavor of ice cream? I’ll come up with a way to work it into dessert.”
“I think it’s coffee. She’s a big fan of coffee in general. And I want dessert to be a big feature. Thom has a bit of a sweet tooth.”
“Got it.” Natalie continued to scribble notes. “Any thoughts on a theme you think Amy would enjoy?”
Miranda shook her head. “No clue. I've only met Amy one time.
She's your age. Very intelligent. Well-spoken.
Well-traveled. Excellent fashion sense. Drop-dead gorgeous.
In fact, I'd say you two are practically twins.” She leaned forward, giving Natalie her full attention.
“What would be your ideal engagement party? "
"Me?” A pink blush crept up Natalie’s neck. “I have absolutely no idea."
"Oh, come on! In all your years of event planning, I bet you've conjured up a few images. What would you create for yourself and your beau?"
Natalie shifted nervously in her chair. "First of all, I don't have a beau."
"What? With your gorgeous face and whip-smart brain? I bet you have them waiting in line. One look, and they fall like dominos."
Natalie laughed. "Only the crazy ones."
“Story of my life, hon, but I sure ended up with a good one.”
“There is one man with potential. No, let me rephrase that. There was one man."
"When you say was, you don't mean he …" Miranda shot her a look of sympathy.
"Died? Oh no, he's very much alive.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” Miranda placed a hand across her heart. “So, what’s the story of this man with potential? Think he might be the one?”
Natalie paused and flipped her dessert fork over several times.
Should I? I mean, she does seem genuinely interested. And she’s so easy to talk to.
No, not a good idea.
You're here to work, not share the dirty deets of your private life.
Get your ass back on track.
“He might be, but it’s … complicated. And you and I have much more interesting things to discuss, like music and menu options for this maybe-yes-maybe-no engagement party, which is going to be fabulous.”
“And there you go again, proving your elite level of professionalism. We’ll save the true girl talk for another time.”
“I’d like that.”
“Would you permit me to share one tidbit of advice though?”
“Of course.”
“Someone recently asked me how and when I knew my husband, Cecil, was the one.
I fought five ways from Sunday to escape his path.
But no matter how hard I tried, the universe found a way.
This party. That event. A wedding. A funeral.
Cecil always ended up in my orbit. I eventually gave up and gave in to my fear. And you know what happened?"
"What?" Natalie asked, eyes wide with wonder at the woman seated across the table.
"I found my happily ever after."
Miranda stood and dropped her napkin on the seat of her chair.
"I'm going to make a quick trip to the ladies’ room and when I return, we're going to lock down every aspect of this surprise party and we're going to do it in record time.
I know there's a million things you'd rather be doing than sitting here with an old broad like me. "
The woman gave her a supportive pat on the shoulder in passing.
Natalie turned her attention to her half-eaten piece of cake.
Miranda's cell phone pinged with the delivery of a text. A minute later, the phone lit up with another one. Even with the screen facing away, Natalie could see the name of the sender, thanks in part to Miranda’s maximum text size.
Noah?
What the literal hell?
Natalie looked over her shoulder and across the restaurant toward the hallway leading to the restrooms. No sign of Miranda. The phone pinged a third time.
What exactly are you up to, Mr. Barton?