Page 89 of Captivating Mr. Second Chance

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Technically, Laney talked to Ethan, but with their argument being mere days before their fundraiser, they didn’t have time to get together and hash it out. He’d given her space to cool down and waited for her to call, which she did, although it wasn’t much more thanI’m sorryandme toobefore she moved right on to her never-ending to-do list.

Laney had single-handedly put this whole event together, and Ethan couldn’t have been prouder. He’d agreed to meet her early to help finish the setup. However, by the time he’d arrived at the hotel, he was stunned. He blinked around the room, astounded thatthiswas a big ballroom and not an actual carnival. Red and white fabric hung from the ceiling like a circus tent, and booths were set up around the perimeter of the room with games and food, as well as some information tables from medical centers and hospitals. The silent auction was in front of the stage, where a DJ was setting up. Outside of the small dance floor were high-tops mixed in with larger tables, big enough to sit ten people.

In the middle of all of it was Laney, directing someone to set up balloons.

Ethan headed right for her. “Lane,” he said in a hushed tone, touching her elbow so she spun around to him. “This is amazing. You are amazing.”

With black heels, dark blazer, and her hair straightened into a sleek ponytail, she looked all business, and he was so into it. She grinned. “You like?”

“Do I like? I love.” He bent to kiss her cheek. “I love you. Thank you.”

She shrugged as if it was nothing, but he knew better. She’d spent months putting this together, all out of the goodness of her own heart. She wasn’t getting paid for this.

“I feel like I owe you. Big-time,” he said, moving his hand up her arm to curl around her neck. “What can I do to show you how much I appreciate this?”

Her eyes drifted behind him, and she nodded to someone, waving hello, before meeting his gaze. “Nothing. This is going to be a great night, and we’re going to raise a lot of money. This is what you wanted, right? To help your brother, Trace, other families like yours.”

He nodded, rendered momentarily speechless at the generosity of this woman. He could only stare at her, take in her light eyes, his favorite color blue, and her lips, his favorite flavor. “Do you want to come over tonight? After all this is over. I need to talk to you.”

“Yes. Of course.” She smiled. “I have something to tell you too.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded, starting to explain, but someone jogged over. “Hey, excuse me. Laney, we’ve got an issue with the sno-cone maker.”

Laney squeezed Ethan’s bicep. “You’ve got some time to check everything out. If you want something changed or moved, let me know, ’kay?”

“Sure,” he said, although he wouldn’t touch a thing. This was her show.

With a finger wave, she followed the man over to the sno-cone maker problem, leaving Ethan to his own devices. After a slow lap around the room, where he met and thanked each person for offering their services and help, he took a picture and posted it on Instagram. He tagged Laney because she deserved to be recognized. He couldn’t help but say that she was an incredible woman and add a little red heart even though there weren’t social-media official.

Yet.

After a few minutes, his parents, along with Justin, Leah, and Trace, arrived, and they had the same reaction as he did.

“I was here yesterday and saw a lot of this,” Leah said, “but now that it’s all put together…wow. Just wow.”

Ethan grinned. “I know, right?”

“Pretty spectacular,” Justin added. “Laney’s a magician.”

“You have a gem on your hands, Ethan,” his mom said, referencing Laney, where she stood a few yards away by the pretzel stand, laughing about something with an older woman behind the counter.

“Look, look, look!” Trace pointed to the face painting booth. A young woman set out a sandwich board sign with pictures of kids with animals and twisty fairylike designs on their faces. “A tiger! Can I get a tiger?”

Justin patted his shoulder. “Sure, buddy, but I think you need to wait a few minutes.”

Laney appeared suddenly, greeting the entire Marrero clan with hugs. “I thought I heard someone say they wanted to have their face painted. Hmm?” She tapped her finger on her chin. “Who was it? Ethan?”

Trace held up his arm as he jumped at her. “Me! It was me!”

“Oh, you. Okay. Well, come on.” She held out her hand to him. “There’s no waiting for my favorite kid. Let’s go turn you into a tiger.”

Again, Ethan couldn’t take his attention off her as she walked his nephew over to the booth while the woman opened up her paints, and by the time Trace had been transformed into a tiger, guests had started arriving. And that was the last time he’d been able to talk to Laney.

The music turned up, food was sold, and kids ran wild with ring-toss prizes. Ethan caught up with Dean and the guys from poker night as well as the Anchormen, including Hank, his wife, and their verynewbaby.

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