table settings looked perfect—mums and asters. Bidding paddles for the auction were put out at every table. At last, I was ready to mingle and greet guests.
I'd purchased several tables for key volunteers and staff from Flash, and one for my party—Riggins and a date, Harry and a date, Lazer and his plus-one (to squelch any lingering rumors about us), Britt, who came solo, Dex, also solo, a place for Jus, and me. Our table was right up front in front of the stage and MC podium. The head table, next to a table of hospital dignitaries.
After a decent interval for mingling and networking, and waiting for Jus, I gave the order for dinner to be served. Justin's place remained empty. I kept my chin up. Though that vacant seat was like the proverbial elephant in the room, no one, either at our table or elsewhere, mentioned it. The waiters served our salad. No Jus. They cleared his uneaten salad and served our entrees while the regular auction began. No Jus.
Riggins bid on, and won, a vacation to the Bahamas he didn't need and would probably never take. Britt won a fabulous handbag. Dex didn't see anything to his taste to bid on but promised to make a donation at the end. Lazer outbid a very zealous older lady to win a bracelet for his date, whose name was Amy and seemed very nice.
Dex, who was skinny but had the appetite of five guys twice his size, eyed Justin's steak. So I passed it over without comment. Dex wolfed it down during a ferocious cross-room bidding war on a set of pearl earrings and seven days in Hawaii.
We had a champagne toast without Jus. I got up to help with the fashion show and change into my ensemble. Backstage, I ran into Sophia and Vicki, who were dressed in their matching Mommy and Me clothes. They looked adorable.
I hugged Sophie. "I bet you two get a fabulous bid for your outfits! Who could resist you?"
"Is Justin here?" Sophia's voice was pitched high with childish delight and enthusiasm.
I kneeled to look her in the eye. "Not yet, sweetie. He wasn't sure he'd be able to make it," I lied. "Let's keep our fingers crossed he will."
Sophia pouted. "He has to be here! He promised! He's going to bid on my outfit. And win it so I can have it!"
"He did?" I looked at Vicki for confirmation.
"He stopped by a few days ago." She hesitated. "I'm not sure what he promised, or if he promised anything."
"He did, Mom!" Sophia got a determined look on her face. "He did! I'm not making it up. He promised."
Vicki gave me a sympathetic look. "See what you're in for? It never stops."
The diners were having fun with the fashion show. Bidding had been wild and enthusiastic. Britt was one of the fashion announcers helping the MC with fashion commentary.
"Next we have Sophia and Vicki modeling a matching mother and daughter ensemble in pink. Sophia is a frequent patient at the hospital and a nurses' favorite. She's wearing…"
Britt continued talking. But I'd stopped listening. The door to the dining room opened and Jus stepped in. My breath caught. His hair was stylishly cut. He was wearing the Italian suit I'd commissioned for him. It fit him like any cliché you can think of and better. He looked hot. And…his face was bare naked. Smooth as a baby's butt, as they say. The beard was gone.
My mouth fell open. From the wings of the stage, I gaped at him. He looked like the old, young Jus, only a hundred times better. A dozen different unnamable emotions swirled through me. This was the man I loved. And yet he reminded me even more of the old, geeky, sweet, college Jus, all grown up and filled out. He certainly filled out his seat in an eye-pleasing way.
My emotions were complex and hard to describe. I only really knew that I wanted him back. And there was a good chance the time for that had passed. He hadn't even wanted to have dinner with his friends and me. Not if I was there.
He winked at Sophia, pulled the pair of colorblind correction glasses I'd given him for his birthday from his pocket, put them on,
I'd purchased several tables for key volunteers and staff from Flash, and one for my party—Riggins and a date, Harry and a date, Lazer and his plus-one (to squelch any lingering rumors about us), Britt, who came solo, Dex, also solo, a place for Jus, and me. Our table was right up front in front of the stage and MC podium. The head table, next to a table of hospital dignitaries.
After a decent interval for mingling and networking, and waiting for Jus, I gave the order for dinner to be served. Justin's place remained empty. I kept my chin up. Though that vacant seat was like the proverbial elephant in the room, no one, either at our table or elsewhere, mentioned it. The waiters served our salad. No Jus. They cleared his uneaten salad and served our entrees while the regular auction began. No Jus.
Riggins bid on, and won, a vacation to the Bahamas he didn't need and would probably never take. Britt won a fabulous handbag. Dex didn't see anything to his taste to bid on but promised to make a donation at the end. Lazer outbid a very zealous older lady to win a bracelet for his date, whose name was Amy and seemed very nice.
Dex, who was skinny but had the appetite of five guys twice his size, eyed Justin's steak. So I passed it over without comment. Dex wolfed it down during a ferocious cross-room bidding war on a set of pearl earrings and seven days in Hawaii.
We had a champagne toast without Jus. I got up to help with the fashion show and change into my ensemble. Backstage, I ran into Sophia and Vicki, who were dressed in their matching Mommy and Me clothes. They looked adorable.
I hugged Sophie. "I bet you two get a fabulous bid for your outfits! Who could resist you?"
"Is Justin here?" Sophia's voice was pitched high with childish delight and enthusiasm.
I kneeled to look her in the eye. "Not yet, sweetie. He wasn't sure he'd be able to make it," I lied. "Let's keep our fingers crossed he will."
Sophia pouted. "He has to be here! He promised! He's going to bid on my outfit. And win it so I can have it!"
"He did?" I looked at Vicki for confirmation.
"He stopped by a few days ago." She hesitated. "I'm not sure what he promised, or if he promised anything."
"He did, Mom!" Sophia got a determined look on her face. "He did! I'm not making it up. He promised."
Vicki gave me a sympathetic look. "See what you're in for? It never stops."
The diners were having fun with the fashion show. Bidding had been wild and enthusiastic. Britt was one of the fashion announcers helping the MC with fashion commentary.
"Next we have Sophia and Vicki modeling a matching mother and daughter ensemble in pink. Sophia is a frequent patient at the hospital and a nurses' favorite. She's wearing…"
Britt continued talking. But I'd stopped listening. The door to the dining room opened and Jus stepped in. My breath caught. His hair was stylishly cut. He was wearing the Italian suit I'd commissioned for him. It fit him like any cliché you can think of and better. He looked hot. And…his face was bare naked. Smooth as a baby's butt, as they say. The beard was gone.
My mouth fell open. From the wings of the stage, I gaped at him. He looked like the old, young Jus, only a hundred times better. A dozen different unnamable emotions swirled through me. This was the man I loved. And yet he reminded me even more of the old, geeky, sweet, college Jus, all grown up and filled out. He certainly filled out his seat in an eye-pleasing way.
My emotions were complex and hard to describe. I only really knew that I wanted him back. And there was a good chance the time for that had passed. He hadn't even wanted to have dinner with his friends and me. Not if I was there.
He winked at Sophia, pulled the pair of colorblind correction glasses I'd given him for his birthday from his pocket, put them on,
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