Snowdrop Kisses Part Seventeen
A Christmas love story featuring a plucky florist and a tall dark and handsome entrepreneur
Previously… in Part 16 Wendy and Kim inspect the ballroom
Chapter 33
Catriona wore a white suit and clutched a clipboard. “Morning, ladies,” she addressed both Kim and Wendy with a curt nod. “Lovely to see you.”
The warmth left Kim’s voice. “Hello.”
Catriona smiled without warmth. “James and I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation and I think it’s best to nip your plan in the bud. While the party’s guest list does include all of James’ employees, people who have been hired to help with the party aren’t considered staff.”
Wendy was mortified. James probably thought she had been begging for an invite.
Kim jumped in.“Wendy has been doing fantastic work for us, and I think she should come. Besides, it’s important to have her on hand in case there are any floral emergencies, isn’t that right?”
Wendy was startled. “Floral emergencies? Like something catching fire or a plant having a heart attack?”
Thankfully James laughed at her dumb joke, but Kim took on a stubborn expression. “What if a vase falls over, or needs to be adjusted or watered? You should be here.”
Wendy could kick Kim. She didn’t want James thinking she was angling to attend his party. Besides, he hadn’t jumped in with any enthusiastic entreaties. “I can’t attend because I have to be back first thing tomorrow to take all the flowers down. It’s too much driving.”
“Oh, dear. That is too bad,” said Catriona.
Kim glared at Catriona. “Don’t worry about that, Wendy. You can sleep here. Lots of people are staying the night. I’ve got the list.”
Kim unfolded a layout of the big house. All the rooms were marked with people’s names. “My room has two beds, you can share with me. That is, if James doesn’t mind, of course.” Kim finally seemed to remember that the choice wasn’t hers, and turned to her boss.
Wendy couldn’t believe that Kim had just volunteered her to stay in James’ home. If the near-miss-kiss was anything to go by, Wendy’s self control was not great around him.
“Of course Wendy can come tonight, and of course she can stay.” James’ expression was unreadable, but Catriona’s look of irritation was easy to decipher.
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
Catriona jumped on the comment. “That is unfortunate, but we’ve all worked very hard to achieve a certain tone for this party.” Catriona cast a disparaging look at Wendy’s jeans. “We don’t want anyone throwing off the look of our black-tie affair, now do we?”
“See?” Wendy turned to Kim. “Even you can’t conjure up a party dress for me.”
Kim was about to say something, when Catriona spoke.
“Take comfort in the fact that all of your wonderfully interesting floral arrangements will be here, even if you aren’t.” She didn’t attempt to look friendly, and Wendy understood that she had made an enemy of this woman over the course of the party planning.
Catriona turned to her checklist. “James, the electrician will be here momentarily. I want to double-check this room’s wiring to ensure it can handle the sound system.” She pulled out a pen, scribbled something on her list and strode to the door.
“Kim, when you have a moment, I’d like to go over the Ash report with you. See you later, Wendy.” James nodded and left the room.
As soon as they’d gone, Kim turned to Wendy “Is there any way I can convince you to come to the party? We were counting on you being there.”
“We?” Had James asked Kim to invite her? That would change everything.
Kim looked flustered. “I meant that I was hoping you’d come.”
“Why are you so anxious to get me to the party?”
“I know you’d have a great time, and I do think it would be good if you were on hand for any crisis.” Kim paused and then laughed ruefully. “If I’m honest, I relish every opportunity to annoy Catriona. Did you see how panicked she got when she thought you would show up in jeans?”
Wendy laughed. “That was kind of satisfying.”
“James wanted you at the party as well.” Kim shot her a sly look.
“You think? He didn’t seem that eager.” Wendy remembered his disinterested tone when he had invited her.
“He’s pretty good at masking his feelings, but I’m even better at reading them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can tell when James is intrigued by someone.”
Wendy was insanely attracted to James and there had been moments when she’d thought he felt the same, but mostly she’d been confused by his behaviour. “How do you know?”
“Over the years I’ve seen him give women the once over. Trust me, he’s interested.”
Wendy was deflated. She was just one of the many women James saw as a potential conquest. “Well, I’m not interested in him.”
“I wish you’d change your mind. James always goes for the wrong sort of woman -– but you’re sensible and smart. I think you have a chance of making him really happy.”
Kim was talking about her like she was some sort of medicine that James should be forced to swallow. Wendy was more interested in finding happiness for herself than briefly amusing James Crofton. She needed to shut this conversation down. “What can you do? I can’t go to the ball. I’m a princess without a dress.”
“You worry too much, Cinderella. Sometimes things work out.”
Kim’s words made Wendy uneasy, but she was sick of talking about attending the party and didn’t pursue it.
They were in the main foyer now, which was the size of Wendy’s entire apartment. Its white marble floor and high ceilings leant the room a light, airy feel. The foyer’s focal point was the staircase, which swept up to the second floor in a grand curve.
“Can I leave you here to finish up? I’d better go to James,” Kim said.
“Yes. Thanks for everything.”
“No problem.” Kim pulled out the house floor plan from her pocket. “Listen, my room is down this hallway,” she pointed to the sheet. “Pop up and see me when you’re finished for the day. I think I can figure out something in the dress department.”
Wendy laughed. “Unless you’ve got some singing field mice, you won’t be able to accomplish much.”
She chuckled. “Trust in a little magic!”
Chapter 34
Back in the workroom, Wendy was pleased to see Isaiah had arrived. As usual, the big man folded her into a hug.
He had unloaded all of the flowers, including the centerpieces. Wendy examined them critically. She and Vivienne had put together red and cream ranunculus with strands of dark green, spiky ivy. They added pale pink anemones and even a lighter green eucalyptus to the mix. The bouquets looked seasonal and lush. The flowers had held up beautifully and they would stay fresh, thanks to the cool temperature of the workroom.
The entire space was now bursting with blossoms, which Isaiah and Vivienne placed in big white buckets filled with water.
“Thanks for bringing all this out, Isaiah.”
“No prob, Wendy. This is a good gig.”
“Listen, do you mind not leaving with Vivienne right away? I need her help with the garland. It should only take an hour.”
“No worries. I’ll wander around.” Isaiah’s voice took on a studied casualness. “Is there anyone cool here?”
Wendy looked at him more closely. Isaiah’s hair was different. It was still green, but it looked combed. What’s more, his jeans were clean and his shirt didn’t have a single hole in it. “Well, I saw Catriona earlier. She might be back in the ballroom.”
Isaiah smoothed his hair down. “Cool. Which way is that?” He walked off in the direction she pointed.
Wendy was irritated. Catriona had men falling at her feet. The newspaper photo of her and James entwined together floated before her eyes.
Wendy couldn’t let herself dwell on that disheartening image. This party was going to boost Love's Bouquet’s profile and that’s what mattered. She and Vivienne started on the garland. Unlike the thicker creations Wendy did for a wedding, this one was thin and delicate. She wanted it to look like the creamy white ranunculus, with their fragile blooms, were floating up the staircase. They worked quickly, and in an hour were almost finished.
“This is great, Viv. I can do the rest.” Wendy glanced at her watch. It was noon. “If you leave now you’ll be home in time to help Didi with the afternoon rush.”
“Yahoo.”
Wendy ignored the sarcasm. She stood and stretched. “I’ll find Isaiah and tell him that you guys can scoot.”
Walking through the house, she passed several employees from LCC’s events area , busy with the set up. Catriona ran a tight ship. Wendy entered the ballroom, but saw only the equipment rental people setting up tables. She was about to leave, when she noticed a glint of glass through the far doors. It was the conservatory she spotted from the driveway. She had time for a quick peek.
She opened the French doors and smiled. A short glassed in passageway led to an octagonal conservatory with a high peaked ceiling. Fragrant orange and lemon trees formed a miniature grove to her left, the southern wall housed a dwarf palm that must be at least seventy years old. Orchids, amaryllis and other flowering exotics thrived in pots dotting the surfaces. The space was simply decorated with comfortable-looking wicker furniture. The air smelled tropical and vibrant, a sharp contrast to the white fields that rolled out beyond the windows.
She gazed out at the view and was surprised by a movement. Catriona and Isaiah were outside, standing a little below her at the bottom of the conservatory steps. The other woman spotted Wendy, and rushed up the stairs.
Catriona entered the room and turned to Isaiah, who followed behind. “As we were discussing, down there… Um…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes darting.
“You were telling me the plan for tonight,” Isaiah said.
Catriona glared at him. “You mean my plans for the party. That’s right. We’ll have food, and music and it should be really fun.”
Catriona seemed frazzled. Wendy glanced back to where they stood. Catriona’s clipboard lay in the snow.
“I think you dropped something.” Wendy pointed.
Did a blush just cover Catriona’s face? She hurried to grab her lists. Retrieving the clipboard snapped her back to her usual self. She strode back up the stairs. “If you’ll both excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.” She patted her hair and turned to Wendy. “Are the flowers finished yet? We don’t want any mistakes this late in the game, do we?”
Isaiah glowered. “Hey, Catie. Ease up on that tone.”
“Catie? Who said you could call me that?” Catriona’s eyes bulged.
“Relax.” Isaiah smiled in a condescending way, that even Wendy found irritating.
She could see that Catriona was incensed and she held up her hands, like a referee. “I was coming to tell Isaiah that I’m done, so he and Vivienne can head back.”
Catriona’s tone was acid. “He’s all yours.”
Isaiah and Wendy walked back to the workroom, leaving Catriona to study her clipboard, a fierce frown on her face.
“Was it just me, or was Catriona a little off back there?” Wendy asked.
A smile crept across Isaiah’s face. “She seemed pretty on to me.”
“I hope you didn’t say anything rude. The last thing I need is Catriona Hunt getting riled up. She’s hard enough to deal with as it is.”
“Nah, it’s all good. She’s extra fierce when she’s mad.”
They were at the workroom now, where Vivienne had loaded all of the boxes into the truck.
“Were you hitting on her?” Wendy asked.
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”
“So you admit that you did?” Wendy said. She didn’t know why she cared, except that Catriona’s insane sex appeal irked her.
“She’s a very attractive woman.”
Vivienne snorted, rooting through her bag for her cigarettes. “Typical. Men are blinded by a nice rack and a mean attitude.”
“I can’t help it. When I see a fox, I react.” Isaiah grinned.
“Well, what does that say about me?” Wendy was still miffed at the way he had pumped her for information about Catriona at Chronic Pain.
“Oh hell, Wendy. I think you’re foxy. Just not Catriona-foxy. You’re sort of like a pretty girl next door. You’re cute and funny -- ”
“Ah, there you are.” James stomped into the room, exuding annoyance. He glared at Isaiah and Wendy. “I need talk to you, now, Wendy.”
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