Page 32 of I Loved You First

Dressed far more casually in a navy-blue V-neck cami top and frayed distressed shorts, Fiona set up a new folder on her laptop, treating Grandpa Bennet’s party like she would any other event she managed. Being ultra-organized was one of the keys to her success. “We’re actually in pretty good shape. You have your event space locked in, which is usually the most difficult element to secure. The rest should come together without much trouble.”

“But we have two and a half weeks to pull this off.”

Fiona nodded. “It’s certainly tight, but I’ve had much less time to perform major miracles. This party only needs a small one.”

Ellie laughed. “If you feel good about our timetable, so do I.” She settled her hand on Fiona’s arm, giving a gentle squeeze. “I really appreciate your help with this, Fi.”

“I’m happy you asked. This is what I love to do.” And she did. “Let’s talk about the guest size, your budget, and what you’re looking for regarding ideas for the overall event.”

“Danny and I were talking this morning. I think the only way we’ll make this thing work and keep everyone happy is to make this a Bennet & Sons’ anniversary party and surprise Grandpa with a cake at some point during the evening.”

Fiona nodded her approval. “That’s an excellent idea.”

“I want to keep things simple and classy but fun. Grandpa hates a fuss, but Danny and I want to do this for him. Seventy-five is a milestone. And fifty years in business is no small feat.”

“Definitely.”

“We’re probably looking at about a hundred guests—maybe one hundred twenty. I’ll email you the guest list at lunchtime.”

Fiona nodded, adding the information to her spreadsheet. “Sounds good. I’ll create an evite and send out invitations right away. The program I use has RSVP tracking, so I can stay on top of things.”

“Perfect. Regarding the budget, it’s whatever we need it to be.”

Fiona continued adding to her notes. “That’ll make things a lot easier. We should expect a premium at some of the vendors for the short notice.” She picked up her tea and took a sip. “Are we talking about a sit-down meal, a buffet, or heavy hors d’oeuvres?”

Ellie winced. “I don’t know. What do you think?”

“If you’re worried about the fuss factor, heavy hors d’oeuvres may be the way to go. We could have tables with oysters and shrimp cocktail, a crudité, a fruit and cheese platter—maybe a nice baked brie. There’s also the option of a carving station. Then go heavy on the passed items.”

Ellie nodded, clearly relaxing by the second. “I love it.”

Fiona typed everything in, making a note to contact the events manager at the country club immediately. “What about music?”

Ellie nibbled her lip as she shrugged. “Suggestions are welcome.”

“You could get away with a deejay or a band. Neither option is wrong in this situation.”

Ellie sighed. “I think a deejay. They’ll probably be more eclectic. Grandpa and Danny like country. The rest of the boys don’t.”

Fiona grinned as she nodded, remembering the arguments about song choices when she would visit Cam on the build sites long ago. “The deejay sounds like the way to go.”

Ellie glanced at her watch. “I have about five minutes before I have to head out to a consultation. Basically, I’m giving you carte blanche on this, Fi. Food, flowers, entertainment. And I’m more than happy to pay you for your time.”

Fiona shook her head. “It’s my honor to do this for you guys. You’ve been like family.”

Ellie sighed as she touched Fiona’s cheek. “I miss seeing your beautiful face around here, sweetie. At the house, too. Things have been a lot different since you left. Cam’s different.”

Fiona pressed her hand to Ellie’s, grateful that Ellie’s time crunch would prevent them from delving any further into this conversation. “I miss you, too.”

“You’ll have to swing by sometime. Danny’s eager to give you a great big hug. That man’s busier than ever.”

She’d always loved Cam’s parents. Ellie and Danny had treated her like one of their own. “Be sure to tell him hello until we get to that hug.”

“I will.” Ellie stood, gathering her iPad and the stack of files she’d brought with her. “The office next door is empty. Feel free to set up in there if you need a place to work for the next little while.”

“I’ll take you up on that.” Because her childhood bedroom wasn’t ideal for a large project.

“Kathleen works from home most of the time now unless we have something going on here at the office, so you’ll want to program yourself a code to get in the building. And you know where the keys are if you need to borrow one of the trucks.”