Page 92 of One Night Only
“What else are they going to do?” Antonio mutters.
Declan doesn’t even blink. “You keep that attitude up and I’m putting you in a T-shirt.”
Antonio plugs in the final wire and the ancient sound system comes to life.
“Just in time!” Declan says.
I turn to the doors to see the first few people arrive. But at the sight of them, I can’t help but wonder if they’ve arrived at the wrong place.
“Declan?” I ask as he fiddles with the volume control. “What’s the demographic for this brunch?”
“Sixty-five plus,” he says cheerfully. “Though most are well over seventy.”
I watch as Claire hurries over to prop open the doors for a man in a motorized wheelchair. “I see.”
“Hot mic,” Antonio says, passing the microphone to him.
Declan taps it twice. “Is this thing on?”
“You want me to get some feedback sound effects like last time?” Antonio asks, voice dripping in sarcasm.
Declan ignores him. “Miss Nora Madigan,” he calls into the microphone. “Don’t try to hide, you know I can see you.” He points at a laughing woman who just came in. “Looks like the first bus just arrived,” he says to us.
“It’s a seniors’ singles brunch,” I say.
“They drive them in from all over the city,” Antonio explains, tucking some loose cable behind the speaker. “You’re all set up. I’ll be in the back.”
“Thank you for your enthusiasm as always,” Declan calls and turns to me. “You ready?”
“For what?”
He tosses some loose change into a large blue bucket and hands it to me. “To make some money.”
* * *
There must be fifty people in total. There are bingo and board games and short snappy quizzes that keep things moving. For the next hour, I barely get a second to breathe as I rush back and forth between the kitchens and the floor, guide people to their seats and empty bucket after bucket into the cash bags in the storeroom.
Declan is in his element. Teasing, flirting, moving things along while he makes the crowd laugh. Sometime before lunch things finally begin to quieten down as buffet plates are set out and he motions me over to him.
“You wrecked?” he asks while Claire reads out the next round of bingo numbers.
“Let’s just say I know why you have trouble getting volunteers for this.” I rest against the bar beside him. “Question.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Your mom said you were uncomfortable in front of crowds and that’s why you didn’t make a best man’s speech at the wedding.”
“Did she now?”
“You seem just fine here.”
“It’s only certain crowds I don’t like.”
“Your close family and friends?”
“You’re making me feel a little uncomfortable with these personal questions, Sarah. Not very professional of you.”
“Fine. Keep your secrets.”
