Page 57 of Party Favors

“And I order fairy food that doesn’t exist for dietary restrictions that may or may not be real!” she called back. I glanced around me to make sure no one had overheard. I didn’t want her to get fired. I really liked having her here.

I gathered up the menus, putting the best options on top, and walked out to the reception area to hand them to Vella.

“Do you think I have anger issues?” she asked me. “I took an online quiz earlier during that meeting that said I do.”

“I wouldn’t call it an issue because an issue is something you can fix,” I told her with a wink. “And online quizzes at work?”

“It’s either that or reading motivational posts from people that I personally know are toxic and horrible in real life.”

I supposed there wasn’t a lot for her to do otherwise. She was only here temporarily. “That cousin of Max’s should be coming in close to lunchtime. The one having the baby shower.”

“Baby showers are weird,” she said. “You basically get presents for having sex, and all your relatives are there.”

“Maybe don’t say that to Sunny,” I suggested.

“I will let you know when she arrives,” Vella said with a salute. “And I’ll get the inside information about Max.”

“Do not do that,” I told her, feeling panicky. Why hadn’t this scenario occurred to me? Vella trying to interfere now that she had access to someone in Max’s life?

“I won’t,” she said in a way that suggested it was exactly what she was going to do. The phone rang and she answered. “Elevated. No, we don’t service elevators.”

I had two options. I could stand here and keep an eye on her or I could go back to my desk and get actual work done. There was no choice but to do the second; I had too much to do. I just had to hope that whatever she said to Sunny would be manageable.

I returned to my desk and worked on finalizing my board for Hyacinth’s birthday party. I was completely caught up in what I was doing when my phone buzzed. It was Vella. I pushed the intercom button. “Yes?”

“There’s someone here to see you. Sunny Belmont.”

“I’ll be right there!” I felt a nervous but excited anticipation in meeting her. I sort of felt like I already knew her after hearing Max talk about her and seeing her online life.

She had bright blonde hair that went down to her waist and the same blue eyes as Max. She was shorter than I’d expected and very, very pregnant.

“Sunny! So nice to meet you!” I held out my hand, but she brushed it aside and pulled me into a hug.

“Everly! I feel like I already know you!” Sunny said. “You’re so tall. Max didn’t mention that.”

My stomach fluttered at the thought that Max was telling his beloved cousin things about me. “Follow me and I’ll show you what I’ve come up with.”

I decided to take her into Adrian’s office because the conference room was booked for the rest of the day and I wanted to be somewhere that I could shut the door.

Claudia wanted me to focus on the Albrecht party, and I didn’t think she’d be happy about me picking up some side work. My free time was my own, and I was taking my lunch break now, so I figured it would be fine.

“Thank you so much for meeting with me,” Sunny said as she took a seat. I sat across from her in Adrian’s chair.

“I’m happy to do it. Any cousin of Max’s is someone I will make room in my schedule for.”

She grinned at that, and her smile was so much like Max’s that it momentarily threw me. But her expression fell quickly as she said, “My mother-in-law has very high expectations for this party. I need for it to be successful and up to her standards.”

“I hear that, I do. And Max sent me links to your socials and I saw your wedding reception. It didn’t seem like the kind of thing you’d like, but more of what your in-laws preferred.”

Sunny nodded, her eyes bright with what looked like unshed tears.

“And this is your baby shower. Not anyone else’s. It should be something that makes you happy.”

“I would love to have something that’s more me while still making the Belmonts happy.”

Hopefully what I’d come up with would satisfy both of those requirements. “Max told me that after his parents divorced, he used to spend his summers with you in California.”

I’d meant for that to be the lead-in to my pitch, but I noticed the way Sunny went rigid. “Max ... talked to you about his parents’ divorce?”

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