Page 51 of Sunshine

Thiswas what Julian had been talking about. I did know her well enough to see the shift in mood, even when the pretty beta was trying to put on a good show.

Sunshine flicked her wrist. “I can see it all in my head, but I don’t have a venue, and all I have are these mockups that won’t really capture what I’m trying to do. It’s going to sound like a science fair, or a museum visit.”

She looked so crushed that I wanted to hug her. Luca got the same desperate, panicked expression on his face when he had to present a big case.

“Plus, I have a bunch of other events to work on,” Sunshine added. “And my brain is just going at a thousand miles an hour.”

A vague plan formed in my mind. “We could do a mock set up with a sample menu.”

“At the conference center at Cosmic Bonds?” Sunshine made a face. “She was really high and mighty about not wanting it to be about the foo-foo stuff.”

I grunted. There were many events I’d catered for since the business took off. Mostly I spent time in the kitchen, but before and after the event I liked to walk around, experience the space. If I got a feel for the place where I was serving food, it felt like getting the essence of what I was trying to do. Cosmic Bonds had a great vibe going on, so I wasn’t sure what Mrs. Cullen’s hang up was.

The back door opened, and Luca and Julian came in at the same time.

Julian reached out both arms and pulled Sunshine straight into a hug. “Hey, babe, thanks for coming.”

Luca gave her a tamer side hug, and then I felt like an idiot for not having hugged her. In my defense, we never usually hugged.

My alpha and omega came and gave me kisses on the cheek.

“Did you tell her yet?” Julian grinned between me and Sunshine.

“I suggested the sample menu.” I gestured at the countertop where I’d pulled out a lot of random ingredients. “You can talk about the next part.”

Sunshine frowned. “Tell me what?”

I passed Julian a plate and watched as he grinned at Sunshine. “So I was thinking about your problem. And Logan is right. We should do a little set up, so Mrs. Cullen gets what you’re trying to do.”

Sunshine frowned at her plate of pasta. “She didn’t really like the vibe at Cosmic Bonds.”

“We won’t do it at Cosmic Bonds.” Julian elbowed Luca. “Tell her.”

Luca gave her the suave and charming smile that made people flock to him. Sunshine’s cheeks turned a little pink, and she swallowed hard.

I hid my grin that Luca had the same effect on Sunshine as he had on Julian and me.

Luca slid into the seat next to her. “You need to show Mrs. Cullen your vision, yes? So why not find a breath-taking spot to set up some of your ideas so she can walk through the event herself?”

Sunshine looked so hopeful it almost hurt. “But you can’t book venues for previews.”

“I can.” Luca winked. “Mrs. Renata owes me a huge favor. She’s agreed to let us do some simple set up at her Italian villa?—”

“The Villa Del Salerno?” Sunshine squealed. “That place is booked out foryears.”

“It is.” Luca grinned. “But she likes things quiet there, so we have this weekend to set up?—”

Sunshine’s face fell. “Mrs. Cullen wants to see the mockups tomorrow. If I put her off, she’s going to think I’m flaky.”

Luca pressed his lips together. “We could tell her the delay is for a good reason?”

I knew what to do. I pulled my phone out. “I got this.”

I hit the contact button for Mrs. Cullen.

Sunshine frowned. “What are you doing?”

I held up my hand. Julian was smirking like the cat that ate the canary and Luca was giving Sunshine a look that said he was considering dragging her back to the house.

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