Page 99 of Once Upon a Holidate
Her gaze softened. “You are such a guy.”
“That should be good news.”
She laughed. “Fine. It’s good news and you’re very sweet to worry, but please, don’t ask me if I’m okay for the twenty minutes it’s going to take to unload your truck.”
“I’ll be quiet if you give me a kiss.”
She leaned in and pressed her mouth to his. “No bargaining required for that,” she told him.
“I like knowing that.”
The light kiss was enough to get him thinking about his bed and them together. He enjoyed the fantasy for about two seconds, then firmly pushed it to the back of his mind. Getting ready for Joylyn’s baby shower was the more pressing concern, but maybe later...
Renee and Pallas had loaned him folding tables and chairs for the weekend. The tables he was using were rectangular, and apparently the weddings planned for the weekend were using round tables. Renee had given him more detail than that, but he’d tuned it out. All he’d wanted to know was if he could borrow a few tables or not.
He and Wynn made quick work of unloading the rest of the tables and the chairs.
“Let me show you what I’ve got so far,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the house.
They went into his office where he’d stacked boxes and shopping bags.
“You are serious about this,” she said, looking around.
“It’s Joylyn’s shower. Of course I’m serious. I went online to figure out what to do and ordered as much as I could.”
He pulled out a pad of paper from his desk. “The menu is simple. I checked with all the caterers in town and no one could squeeze in a full meal, so we’re doing a high tea. Finger sandwiches from one of the caterers. Different kinds of sconesand little petit fours from the bakery. Renee came through with a bunch of teapots, and Silver is going to swing by and drop off a big serving container and ingredients for punch.” He looked at Wynn. “Does that sound okay?”
“It sounds great. I’m still pretty impressed you’re doing all this.”
“I’m getting a lot of help.”
“Still, it’s a baby shower. That has to be scary.”
“I’m a big manly man. I don’t get scared.”
As he’d expected, she laughed. “Yes, my liege. I bow to your manly man-ness.”
He went over his notes. “The colors are light blue and pale yellow. I have yellow tablecloths for the tables. Renee gave me a bunch of white plates to use. I’m picking those up in the morning. Oh, I gave the bakery twenty-four terra-cotta pots. Little ones. They’ll bake cupcakes in them. So an edible party favor.”
“You know about party favors from your research?”
“I do now.” He scanned the list. “I have blue and yellow balloons on order, the Winnie the Pooh wall decoration for the big wall next to the sliding glass door.” He looked at her. “Drinks, food, decorations, games. Oh, prizes.”
He crossed to the bags against the wall and pulled out a heavy box. Inside were enamel giraffe key chains.
“I got these from Carol. She sells them at the little shop they have. They’re really popular.”
Wynn smiled. “You’ve thought of everything.”
“I hope so. You’re going to be here, right? To make sure I don’t mess up?”
He wanted the day to be perfect for his daughter, and he knew that Wynn would help him make sure that happened.
She wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll be here, and Carol’s going to stop by to help with the setup.”
“Why would she do that?”
Wynn smiled. “Because she’s my friend and she’s met Joylyn and I asked her. I thought one more body would be helpful. Natalie has a gallery showing in New Mexico, and all my other friends are busy with the snowman wedding.”
