ring onto her finger and they went down the steps to the marquee, kissing by the light of the luminarias before they stepped into the chandelier-bright tent. A live band played songs Hannah had picked out and they danced, sipping champagne with raspberries in each flute. Annelise accepted congratulations on the party and leaned against Des, watching happily from the sidelines as the guests danced and drank and laughed.
Hannah came over again to thank Annelise and spotted the ring on her finger. Clutching the woman’s hand, she grinned.
“I’ll plan your engagement party for you. It’s only fair,” Hannah offered.
“Thanks, but we’re eloping ,” Annelise blurted out. “I don’t want all this—lavish ceremony.”
“You’re getting better.” Hannah smiled. “You thought ‘bullshit’ , but you didn’t say it aloud. Congratulations, honey. I’m so happy for you.” Hannah went and whispered to Shannon, who rushed over to see the ring.
“I cannot believe this! Engaged! And you didn’t even want to accept the lunch he sent over!” Shannon enthused, admiring the distinctive jewelry and the attractive fiancé equally.
“I’m glad she did,” Desmond put in. “You must be Shannon.”
“Yes. Sorry. I’m Shannon. I work with Annelise. I’m the pregnant chick,” she said, indicating her belly. He shook her hand and greeted her kindly. “I give her a hard time because I love her,” Shannon said.
“So do I,” Desmond replied. “In fact, I’ve loved her since she insulted my food business.”
Annelise smiled up at him. “I’ve loved you since you took me dancing,” she whispered. Turning back to her friend, she found that Shannon was gone, had made her way up to the bandstand. Soon salsa music blared through the speakers and Annelise laughed.
“You said you wanted to take me dancing. Here we are ,” she said, pulling Des onto the floor where he whispered seven counts against her hair and led her around the floor, spinning her fast.
“You haven’t had any margaritas , so let’s keep the humping to a minimum. I hear this is an upscale affair,” he warned. She laughed merrily.
“You ain’t kidding about upscale. Damned caterer charged us twenty-eight thousand dollars.”
“Of course he did. He had a ring to pay for ,” Des shot back, kissing her. “I hear you can’t win anyone’s hand in marriage for less than that.”
“You got some competition. My boss owes me a fifty thousand dollar bonus for bringing this party off without a hitch.”
“Your boss has to pay cash because it’s a business transaction. He can’t offer you jewelry and sexual favors like your husband can.”
“Husband?” she said speculatively as he led her off the dance floor.
“You don’t like ‘husband’?”
“I just think of you as my man.”
“I can handle that. Any chance you’d like to give up administrative work and run a catering business?”
“I’ll consider it. I like my independence, Des.”
“So you’ll own half of it. You can say I work for you. You own the shop and I’m just the cook.” He smiled. “Think about it. I called the agency you told me about. They said they didn’t have another Annelise Hollingford available, so I’ll just have to poach you from your current employer. I hear he’s insane, so it shouldn’t be difficult,” Desmond whispered in her ear.
“Shhh!” Annelise giggled. “Someone will hear you.”
“I don’t care. I don’t hang out with these people. I have a food business,” Desmond said solemnly. “I haven’t taken a vacation one time in five years. I think I’m due for a holiday. What do you say we get married on a beach?”
“I think I’d say I’m free next week if you are,” she answered without hesitation.
“Now will you sublet that stupid apartment that’s too close to Chlamydia
Hannah came over again to thank Annelise and spotted the ring on her finger. Clutching the woman’s hand, she grinned.
“I’ll plan your engagement party for you. It’s only fair,” Hannah offered.
“Thanks, but we’re eloping ,” Annelise blurted out. “I don’t want all this—lavish ceremony.”
“You’re getting better.” Hannah smiled. “You thought ‘bullshit’ , but you didn’t say it aloud. Congratulations, honey. I’m so happy for you.” Hannah went and whispered to Shannon, who rushed over to see the ring.
“I cannot believe this! Engaged! And you didn’t even want to accept the lunch he sent over!” Shannon enthused, admiring the distinctive jewelry and the attractive fiancé equally.
“I’m glad she did,” Desmond put in. “You must be Shannon.”
“Yes. Sorry. I’m Shannon. I work with Annelise. I’m the pregnant chick,” she said, indicating her belly. He shook her hand and greeted her kindly. “I give her a hard time because I love her,” Shannon said.
“So do I,” Desmond replied. “In fact, I’ve loved her since she insulted my food business.”
Annelise smiled up at him. “I’ve loved you since you took me dancing,” she whispered. Turning back to her friend, she found that Shannon was gone, had made her way up to the bandstand. Soon salsa music blared through the speakers and Annelise laughed.
“You said you wanted to take me dancing. Here we are ,” she said, pulling Des onto the floor where he whispered seven counts against her hair and led her around the floor, spinning her fast.
“You haven’t had any margaritas , so let’s keep the humping to a minimum. I hear this is an upscale affair,” he warned. She laughed merrily.
“You ain’t kidding about upscale. Damned caterer charged us twenty-eight thousand dollars.”
“Of course he did. He had a ring to pay for ,” Des shot back, kissing her. “I hear you can’t win anyone’s hand in marriage for less than that.”
“You got some competition. My boss owes me a fifty thousand dollar bonus for bringing this party off without a hitch.”
“Your boss has to pay cash because it’s a business transaction. He can’t offer you jewelry and sexual favors like your husband can.”
“Husband?” she said speculatively as he led her off the dance floor.
“You don’t like ‘husband’?”
“I just think of you as my man.”
“I can handle that. Any chance you’d like to give up administrative work and run a catering business?”
“I’ll consider it. I like my independence, Des.”
“So you’ll own half of it. You can say I work for you. You own the shop and I’m just the cook.” He smiled. “Think about it. I called the agency you told me about. They said they didn’t have another Annelise Hollingford available, so I’ll just have to poach you from your current employer. I hear he’s insane, so it shouldn’t be difficult,” Desmond whispered in her ear.
“Shhh!” Annelise giggled. “Someone will hear you.”
“I don’t care. I don’t hang out with these people. I have a food business,” Desmond said solemnly. “I haven’t taken a vacation one time in five years. I think I’m due for a holiday. What do you say we get married on a beach?”
“I think I’d say I’m free next week if you are,” she answered without hesitation.
“Now will you sublet that stupid apartment that’s too close to Chlamydia
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