Page 5 of His Christmas Gift

“Alright, now it’s time to get table settings,” she said as Mrs. Nelson came in to check on them. “Does Mr. Thomas have settings for that many?”

“Lord no, his mother kept trying to get him to buy some china, but he argued that they always use caterers or planners that would provide it themselves,” the woman stated.

“I guess that means shopping,” Jenny said with a grin, and they hurried out with Keith to get it all arranged.

∞∞∞

Jasper’s brow lifted together as Melissa’s phone went to voicemail and he called Keith to see how she was fairing. He didn’t want her overwhelmed. He wanted her happy and enjoying herself, especially with the fact that she had to finish out the internship to satisfy her father. He didn’t need the man to be overbearing and constantly harping on her, upsetting her, especially not while trying to figure out how to make her his—and most certainly not afterwards when it might affect them even worse.

“Jasper, everything is going smoothly,” Keith said answering quickly. “They are currently picking out place settings for tomorrow, after that we’re heading to a couple other spots for flowers and décor I believe.”

“Ah, I was trying to get hold of Melissa, I wanted her to add another spot for herself. After going to all this trouble, she should at least enjoy part of it.”

“Melissa, Jasper’s on the phone.” He overheard Keith’s comment and a bit of rustling as he handed over the phone.

“Hello,” Melissa said with a smile as they moved to leave after signing the pad for delivery arrangement for the next day.

“Melissa, hopefully it won’t be too much trouble, but I hoped you’d add a place for yourself to the table. After all of this, you should get to enjoy seeing what you put together,” Jasper said making her smile further.

“I’ve scheduled the settings for enough for thirty just in case of accidents and such,” Melissa said making him sigh in relief. “I don’t have to attend.”

“I want you to, so please, if there’s anything you need, let me know,” he stated, and she agreed before ending the call.

“Looks like that’s one more stop to add then,” Jenny said making her brow lift. “You’ll need a dress, Missy.”

“There is no need to make Keith suffer through that wait,” Melissa said with a laugh before guiding him to the wine shop she’d searched for earlier to arrange delivery of it for the party.

“Good afternoon,” an elderly man said as they moved into the space. “Is there something I can help you with today?”

“Yes, you wouldn’t happen to have red ’82 Chalet Fraye in stock?” she asked moving over to him while Jenny pursued their cooking selection.

“I do,” the man replied, his brow lifted in slight surprise it seemed. “How much might you need?”

“A case of it, and if you have white ’97 that would be a wonderful addition as well,” she said making him smile fully.

“A case of it for your party as well?” he said, and she nodded. “It will be quite an event I’m certain, can’t go wrong with either of them. They’ll make the night for certain.”

“Ah, making the night would be the red ’85 Fraye,” she countered with a grin, “but that’s far too rare now for a party like this.”

“That it is. Not too many ask for this particular brand any longer, there are far newer ones that they think are more prominent.”

“Sometimes older is better though, the Redfall’s newest process has taken the smooth yet slightly tart afterbite away and replaced it with a honey like consistency. It tastes like drinking cough syrup rather than a decadent wine.”

The man stopped his order page looking up at her in complete surprise.

“Arthur Branson,” he said holding out his weathered hand, “this is my store and you, young lady, are quite right. I refuse to stock their new things; I am not charging my customers two hundred dollars a bottle to drink that swill.”

“Melissa Hannover.” She shook his hand with a grin in return when his other cupped and patted it. “Would it be possible to pick up the cases tomorrow?”

“For you, I’ll throw in delivery my dear. I just need the address,” he said keying in the order to run the card after checking her id. She filled it in, signing the pad for the order before they headed out to finish the last few things.

They settled the items they were taking with them into the back of the car, and she turned to Keith with a smile. “Thank you for your help today but that’s it, if you can drop those off at Mr. Thomas’ I’ll handle the set-up tomorrow.”

“I’m under strict orders to stay with you until you get home, Miss Melissa. So, with that, where to now?” he said looking between them.

“Dress shopping,” Jenny stated looking her up and down, with a smile. “You can so pull off just about anything, but your normal stuff isn’t going to cut it for tomorrow night Missy. So, let’s go with, Donovan’s on Eighth? They sell Fifth Avenue knockoffs that no one will begin to realize are knockoffs.”

“Jasper would kill me if I let that happen,” Keith stated ushering them into the car before heading straight to Saks and inside to the gowns where he left them in Addison’s hands.

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