Page 105 of Party Favors

That had me glancing down at my outfit. I’d chosen a black dress. I had picked it so that I would blend in with the staff while still looking professional. The thing that was important about it was that Kat had never worn a dress similar to this one. Like my best friend had said, I didn’t need it.

I could face Max and have this conversation with him without relying on my feather to help me fly.

“Revenge dressing?” I repeated. “Is that what you use on the salad of your enemy?”

“At least you’re joking again,” she said with a note of relief in her voice. It was a fair judgment—I’d been serious and focused all week. I kept running conversations with Max in my head, trying to figure out what I would say to him. What he might say back to me.

No matter how many times I practiced it, though, I knew the first time I laid eyes on him, he was going to knock me off my feet.

“But when I said ‘revenge dressing,’ I meant you’re going to get your revenge on that man ghosting you by looking so amazing he’s going to trip over his own dropped jaw.”

“This is why we’re best friends,” I told her.

“That and the cheap rent,” she agreed. “You’re going to have a conversation with Max today, right?”

“Is that why you came? To get ringside seats to my humiliation?”

Her eyes went wide. “Does that mean you’re actually going to talk to him?”

I nodded. “It’s time to be honest with him. I can’t stay in this weird limbo state forever. It would be better for me to know if he only wants to be friends because then I can start getting over it.”

“Yes, because your crush on Lumpy was so short-lived.” Her observation was full of sarcasm.

“I did get over Adrian,” I pointed out.

“Thanks to meeting Max. You do realize that what you felt for Lumpy and what you feel for Max now are not even remotely the same, right?”

It would be like asking someone, “What’s hotter, this tiny birthday candle or the surface of the sun?” The two things were not comparable. What I had thought I felt for Adrian was nothing like what I felt for Max. One tiny flicker versus molten, blinding light.

“Yes, I realize that.”

“And when Max tells you he likes you, too, you have to spend the rest of our lives telling me how right I was and treating me like the wise sage that I am.”

“Deal.” If she was right, then I would be too happy to care that I had to pay her homage.

“Where’s the kitchen?” she asked. “I should probably go get started.”

I pointed it out to her and went back to my clipboard and the million things I still had to accomplish before the party started.

A half hour before the party was to begin, Sunny arrived. She was wearing a bright yellow dress and looked adorable. She rushed over to me. “Everly! This is beyond anything I could have imagined. Thank you so, so much.”

It was pretty perfect, if I did say so myself. She didn’t need to know about the earlier struggles we’d had—she deserved an amazing day. I didn’t want her to stress. As far as Sunny was concerned, everything would go just as we’d planned, no matter what else came up.

“How did you make it look just like a big top?” she asked, turning in a circle to get the full effect.

“Lots of planning,” I told her with a smile. I had wanted an upscale circus feel and that was exactly what I had. The main room was breezy and airy, the pastel pink and blue linens draping up toward the center with lines of tiny pastel triangle flags hanging down like tent poles.Jugglers, balloon artists, a magician, stuffed animals in fancy birdcages that would be perfect to donate after this was over. There were multiple booths set up with carnival games, along with more donatable prizes. A huge box near the door had a sign hung on it with the name of Max’s charity and a note that all presents and donations could be left there.

Sunny’s eyes welled up with tears, and she started fanning her hands in front of her face as she looked up to the ceiling. “Pregnancy is making me so hormonal, but I love it all. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

“I’m so happy that you like it! Beside the carnival games we’ve got some fun stations set up,” I told her. “Over there we want to have people write a message on a diaper with a permanent marker for you and your husband, but you can’t see them until the shower is finished. I’ve hidden pacifiers all over this room and there’s going to be a prize for whoever finds the most. We’ve got a station for decorating onesies and bibs and a Polaroid station where people take a picture of themselves and write down what day they think the baby will be born. We’ll hang their photos up on this line with tiny clothespins,” I said. “There should be something to keep everyone entertained and having a great time.”

Sunny started to cry more earnestly now. “This is so wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

A man appeared, carrying a large bag. He was familiar and it took me a second to place him. He was Sunny’s husband.

Which he confirmed when he offered me his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Todd Belmont. Thank you so much for pulling this together for us at the last minute.” He smiled. “ And my wife doesn’t usually cry, so take it as a huge compliment.”

I smiled back as I shook his hand. “And I’m Everly Aprile. It’s good to meet you and thank you.”

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