Page 25 of Second Chances
Hopping into a cab, her phone buzzed with an email just as they pulled away from the curb; it was Caro.
Beth,
Thanks for following up! Yes, please, add anyone to the list you think is fit. I’ll send you my guest list by the end of the weekend.
I would love to host Jane’s shower if that would work best for you. Just let me know when and if there is anything else I can do to help - Jane is a doll.
We’ll chat next week! See you tonight - ciao!
Caro
See her tonight? What did she mean?Beth wondered as the cab navigated the busy streets of the city.Did she know Renée?Beth hadn’t even looked over the updated and expanded guest list since Renée’s assistant had been on top of sending that to her for the past several years; plus, she’d never wondered who was going to be attending before.Well, it would be nice to see someone she actually knew there.Even though Jane knew about her and Darcy, and she was sure that Charles did too, Beth wasn’t sure how comfortable she was with Caro or anyone else knowing about their relationship yet; there was still too much at stake.
Her thoughts were derailed as the cab came to an abrupt stop in front of the Ritz Central Park - the venue for tonight’s event. She would have enough on her mind trying to successfully navigate a public event with Darcy tonight, on top of the fact that she would actually be working too; she didn’t have time or brain power to worry about other people right now. Hitting the elevator button for the mezzanine level, Beth pulled her event folder from her bag and pulled out the pre-event checklist she’d made up.
Exiting the elevator, she was treated to large floral displays accented with purple balloons at the entrance to the Emery Roth Room, the largest event space in the hotel. She should have known this gathering was going to bigger than the last when Renée requested both Salons instead of just Salon I like she usually did.God, had she really been that spacey lately?Her head shook subconsciously at herself as she looked down at her list to begin her preliminary exam.
Purple and white entrance hydrangeas -Check.
Dark purple and silver balloons -Check.
Congratulations banner -Not up yet.
Beth made her way into the venue space looking for Nancy, the event coordinator at the Ritz who would be overseeing the set-up. She spotted the older woman in the smaller Salon 2 talking to a small group that appeared to be the bar and wait staff.
“Nancy,” Beth exclaimed as she walked up to the group. “Sorry for interrupting you. Could I borrow you for just a minute to go over a few things?” She apologetically asked as Nancy turned around to see who was addressing her.
“Oh, Beth! Of course,” she said with a smile. “John, David, could you each make me one of the signature cocktails while you wait? Liz, can you go check downstairs and make sure the food is running on schedule?”
The small crowd quickly dispersed to perform their tasks while Nancy gave Beth her full attention.
“I’m sorry; I just wanted to stop by and see how things were going,” Beth said with a sheepish smile.
“Of course, of course. Although, I do have to say I think everything is pretty much on track here.”
“Great, I just have a few questions,” Beth began. “I didn’t see the ‘Happy Birthday’ banner on the way in…”
“Oh yes, I just sent Maria downstairs to my office to get it. You sent it to me earlier this week and it just didn’t make it up here with the rest of the decor, but it should be up in the next few minutes. As a matter of fact…” she trailed off, looking over Beth’s shoulder to the commotion at the entrance to the room. “I believe she and Jimmy are hanging it as we speak.”
Beth followed her gaze, confirming what the woman had said. She felt bad questioning Nancy because they had worked together many times before, but she was starting to second guess herself after everything that had happened and if she was honest, the real reason she was here was to check up on herself and make sureshehadn’t forgotten a crucial detail for the night.
“Wonderful,” Beth said with a smile. “Would you mind just walking me through the evening one more time now that I’m here and then I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Of course, of course,” Nancy replied cheerfully.
Beth had to give the woman credit; she seemed as cool as a cucumber and as if she had all the time in the world to indulge Beth’s compulsiveness.
“Let’s taste these cocktails while we walk,” Nancy suggested as she went to the bar behind them to pick up the two cocktails that the bartenders had just finished making - Renée’s Rum Runner.
Handing one to Beth, she held hers up in salute; Beth tapped her glass and took a sip of the drink. She wasn’t the biggest fan of rum but this was pretty good and was definitely strong enough to put her on the floor if she wasn’t careful. She continued to sip the cocktail as she walked with Nancy who began to review the layout of the party. The two bars, one at each end of each Salon, were up and stocked.
The center space was mostly open, with a table on one side for guests to place gifts and sign a collective guestbook, the far end of the room home to the movie poster forBridget Jones’ Baby, for guests to take photos with; it was kept in the back because Renée wanted this to be more focused on her birthday celebration rather than the movie’s success, which was just an added excuse for the celebration. Beth glanced around the room quickly -there should be one more table in here.Beth had suggested to Renée that they put out a table with masks on it for guests who forgot theirs but she didn’t see where that table was set up.
“The mask table is right around the corner,” Nancy said, as if she knew what Beth was looking for. “I just moved in inside while they were decorating the entrance because the masks kept getting knocked onto the floor.”
“Good thinking,” Beth murmured, breathing deeply as she was feeling more confident by the moment that she hadn’t forgotten anything.
They quickly moved into the far Salon, and so far, everything seemed to be in order and on schedule. The florist had finished all of the floral installations. The cocktail tables were set with the simple candle centerpiece, setting the mood with the dark wood interior of the space. Hors d’oeuvres would be served at eight-thirty, allowing guests to arrive and grab a drink before being inundated with the twelve different food choices that Renée had requested. The cake table was ready and waiting - cake would be served at ten. Nancy pulled up the event playlist on her phone that would be playing throughout all the rooms over the speaker system and Beth confirmed that everything looked like it was in order. Breathing a sigh of relief, Beth thanked Nancy for her patience and time and left the woman to finish her work.
