After the Party by Jackie Braun Read Free Book Online Page B

and forgetfulness,” she finished diplomatically.
    “It certainly won’t help.”
    “From what I read, your uncle has a reputation for being eccentric. People have come to expect that.”
    “But an Irish wake...” He sipped more wine. God, the stuff really was nasty.
    “Are you asking me not to take him on as a client?”
    As much as he wanted to tell her yes, Chase shook his head. “No. That decision is my uncle’s.”
    “I’m glad you see it that way. Besides, he seems adamant about going ahead with it. If I don’t plan his wake, someone else will.”
    Since she’d presented Chase with the opening, he took it. “About that. Can I ask you a question?”
    “Sure.”
    “After speaking to my uncle the other day, you must know this is a large undertaking.”
    She blew out a breath. “Huge.”
    “Yes. And since his guests will include business rivals and members of the media, well, it’s imperative this go off as smoothly as possible.”
    “I agree.”
    “Then you will understand that I must ask, what are your credentials?”
    “My credentials.”
    “In the elevator the other day, you mentioned something about your business being a new endeavor. You aren’t the only one to do an internet search. After the meeting in my uncle’s office, I did one of event planning services in the city. I couldn’t find anything on yours.”
    Uh-oh.
    Ella swallowed and it was all she could do to keep a smile plastered on her face.
    “I’m relatively new at this,” she admitted.
    “Yes, so I gathered. Can you tell me a little bit about your background?”
    “Well, I have a bachelor’s degree from New York University,” she began. She should have stopped there. He appeared suitably impressed until she added, “In fashion merchandising.”
    “Fashion?”
    “Merchandising,” she added. “It’s the business side of fashion.”
    “And now you plan parties for a living.”
    He scratched his cheek, looking as if he were having a hard time connecting the dots. She thought it best not to mention the role Madame Maroushka had played in this particular career move.
    “How many parties have you planned?”
    “The actual number?”
    Chase nodded.
    “Hmm. Let’s see...” She tapped a finger to her lips, wondering if she should include the surprise party she’d helped throw for her friend Sandra when they were seventeen. That would make...one. Where Ella had attended scores of major galas, balls and bashes over the years, she’d never been in on the actual planning.
    “Feel free to ballpark it,” he told her when the silence stretched.
    She decided to come clean. It was easier to do since they’d already established that keeping her on the job was his uncle’s call.
    “Here’s the thing. I haven’t actually planned any big parties. Yet.”
    Chase had been lounging against her wall, and looking pretty damned good there, too. Even better than the collection of designer scarves that hung just to his left. Upon hearing her answer, he levered away from the chipped plaster so abruptly that wine sloshed over the rim of his glass and splattered on the white area rug under his feet.
    He muttered an oath, whether because of the stain or her lack of party-planning experience she couldn’t be sure.
    “Sorry,” he said.
    Now Ella wasn’t sure if he was apologizing for the mess he’d made or the curse.
    “That’s all right.” She figured the response covered all of the bases.
    She set her own glass aside and went to get a dishcloth from the sink. When she returned, Chase surprised her by taking it from her hand and crouching down to scrub the stain himself. She crouched next to him, balancing on the balls of her bare feet.
    “It’s better to blot it,” she told him.
    Intending to show him what she meant, Ella reached for the dishcloth. But when her hand touched his and their gazes connected, his expression changed and she swore the air grew charged. She knew that look. She’d seen a couple versions of it on his