Page 43 of Happily Never After

“You’re not going to believe this.”

Claire glanced at her watch. There was only half an hour ‘til the doors were due to open. Maybe a sporting event had been cancelled and some of the patrons had wound up here?

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Just come with me. You have to see it.” Mindy grabbed her wrist, and Claire nearly tripped over the hem of her glittering red evening gown as she staggered after her.

Mindy tugged her to the doors in front of the venue. Some guests had arrived and were milling about. Luckily it was a very mild evening, and the predicted rain had never come.

“Okay? So?”

“Look at the back of the lot.”

“Is that?—”

Mindy jabbed a finger. “Threecoach buses. That’s another two hundred people easily. The assisted living facility ads must have worked.”

“Oh, thank god.” Claire backed away from the window and leaned against the wall. Her heart beat furiously, but this time it came without the urge to throw up and die. “Can we go through the checklist again?”

“Of course. First, everyone will be funneled toward the bars on either side and encouraged to look at the calendars and the artwork,” Mindy said, gesturing to the framed pieces on the walls that had been donated by local artists. “I’ve enlisted a couple relatives to make slightly misleading statements about the value of some of the portraits.”

Claire glowered.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s for a good cause. Next, when people are sufficiently toasty from their sneakily strong drinks, they’ll be allowed to look over the gambling tables and find their seats. When people are seated, we’ll start the talent show and serve dinner.”

“Do we really have to put on those ridiculous outfits for the talent show?”

“Hell yes. Sex sells, Claire,” Mindy said, poking her with each word. “God has given you two voluptuous gifts. If you’re not going to share them with the world to save some innocent dogs, I never knew you at all.”

“Fine.” Claire crossed her arms over her chest. “And next we’ll do the auction?”

Mindy nodded. “Right, we don’t want people to blow all their money gambling first.”

“Do you think it’ll be enough?” Claire turned back to the horde of people outside.

“It’ll have to be.”

Claire glanced at her phone. “Oh, Bri’s here. I better go let her in the back. We can do this, right?”

“Did you see the amount of gold chains on those retirees out there? Everything’s going to be fine. We’ll buy some time for the rescue, and then we’ll absolutely kill it in LA.”

“I hope so. By the way, I’m also planning a premiere for Luke’s documentary.”

Mindy dropped the roll of tape. It bounced on the carpeted floor and disappeared under a welcome table. “You’rewhat?”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

To Do:

- Make that money

- Save the furbabies

“Ladies and gentlemen,”Claire called into her wireless microphone. The stage lights shone down oppressively, disguising everyone past the first row as shapeless blobs. Had she applied enough deodorant that morning? Were the sequins on her ringleader outfit covering up her back sweat?

Her heart jumped in her chest as she stared out at the completely full tables. Miraculously, beyond the two hundred people from the assisted living facility, a last-minute social media post from Brianna had resulted in another hundred attendees. They even had to turn some people away.

“Thank you all for coming tonight. I hope you enjoyed the art.” There was some polite applause. “We’re here tonight to save an organization that is very near and dear to my heart, Tender Hearts Animal Rescue. Tender Hearts is a no-kill animalshelter that accepts all animals, not just the healthy ones that are likely to be adopted quickly. This is the shelter I adopted my dog from two years ago. Rosie?”

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