Page 110 of Owen North

“Charlize, thank goodness you finally answered.” She sounds unnerved. “We’ve just had an extremely disappointing turn of events for the gala, and I don’t know how we’re going to fix it at this late notice.”

“What’s happened?”

“The emcee has pulled out, and since his presence has been instrumental in attracting attendees, the committee is in a state over this.”

She’s right that losing a top Hollywood actor as the emcee is extremely disappointing, but I’m unsure why she’s telling me this. It’s not like I can just wave a wand and produce another actor for her. “I’m sorry, Mom, but surely you’ll find someone who can step into his shoes.” I look at Adeline and mouth “Sorry” to which she shakes her head and mouths back “It’s all good.”

“Charlize,” my mother snaps, and it’s at this point that I realize she’s more than unnerved. She’s actually completely frazzled, which isn’t a state I’ve ever seen my mother in. “These aren’t shoes that can just bestepped into. Without the exact right replacement, our entire night is at risk.”

Wow.

Okay.

My mother needs me to step up here. She needs someone to help calm her. To reassure her that she and her committee can pull this off.

If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s taking charge and managing situations that need managing. See: Owen. But also, see: all my previous EA jobs. This is what I do, so I can do it for my mom.

“I know I’m not a committee member, Mom, but I can help you find someone.”

“No, I didn’t call for that. I just got a little sidetracked there. It’s quite stressful having to worry over something like this. What I called you for was to see how you’re doing with getting in touch with the fund’s past scholarship recipients. We’d like to finalize that portion of the night and know it at least is arranged.”

One of my suggestions to the committee was to invite past recipients to attend the gala. The recipients who have gone on to success. Having the chance to speak with them might help the donors connect more deeply with the work the fund is doing and see how their donations make an impact.

“I’ve been in touch with the five recipients I mentioned. So far, four have agreed to attend. I’m just waiting to hear back from the last one. I’ll follow up with her tonight and let you know ASAP.”

“Thank you, Charlize.” I hear her exhale a breath. “The committee will be very happy to hear this.”

“Mom, I know people. I can find you someone to emcee.”Peoplemight be exaggerating. I know Poppy and I know Dylan. I hope to God they know the kinds of people I think they do.

She’s silent for a moment before finally saying, “Okay, we would appreciate your help. Please work fast. We don’t have a lot of time.”

When I end the call, I stare at Adeline. “Right, so I just told my mother I could do something that I’m not sure I can actually do. I may need a strong drink. And then I need to get to work because failing my mother on this is something I cannot do.”

“I could hear your mother. She sounds stressed.”

“She is.” I tell her all about the gala and how I managed to get myself involved in it. I then tell her about the emcee pulling out, and about how I’ve never known my mother to experience stress like this. “So, now I have to be a good gala girl and figure out how to gopoofand magically make a new emcee appear.”

“I know people who might be able to help.”

“Oh God, no, I didn’t just tell you all that so you would help me.”

She smiles. “I know. But seriously, I have a large network. Let me put some feelers out for you.”

It’s not often I meet women like Adeline. Women I feel comfortable with so fast. I return her smile. “Thank you. I would really appreciate that.”

We move to the sofa and curl up there for the next hour. Jameson takes longer than his half hour with Owen but neither of us care. We’re too engrossed in a conversation about our favorite restaurants in New York and London which veers into a conversation about art galleries and our favorite artists. When I tell Adeline that one of my favorite artists is Ione, she tells me that Jameson commissioned an erotic abstract of her done by Ione. I’m only a little jealous over that. I mean, one, I would die to meet Ione, let alone be painted by her. And two, I would die for a man I loved to commission that painting and hang it on his wall.

When she and Jameson leave, Adeline promises to text me about our breakfast date once she checks her schedule for Monday. She also promises to get onto her network tonight and find me the best emcee out there.

“I really like Adeline,” I say to Owen as we walk into the kitchen so we can cook dinner. He gave his chef the night off again and I’m looking forward to spending time in the kitchen with him after seeing how relaxed he is in here.

“She’s great. And she’s been great for Jameson.” He reaches into the fridge for some of the ingredients he needs.

“In what way?” I eye the onions on the countertop. “Do you want me to cut these up?”

“Yeah.” He finds me a knife and chopping board.

While we work together, he tells me all about Jameson and how marrying Adeline has softened him a little and made him happier.

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