Personal Chef

Chapter 74

Shawn and I stood in the center of the dining room of Chelsea's Bistro and surveyed the decor for the party. The tables, which lined the room, were all covered with white tablecloths that I'd inherited from my parents' catering business. Each table had a silver and gold metallic glass votive with a candle inside. Silver strings of fairy lights were hung around all the windows, and large gold balls with lights inside hung from the ceiling. We'd argued about whether we wanted silver or gold, and the compromise was to have both.

"It looks beautiful," Shawn said. "Is it how you envisioned it?"

"I think it's even prettier than I thought it would be. When it's dark outside, the lights will reflect off the windows and then the room will really sparkle," I said.

"The guests are arriving at 6:00, so we should go get ready, yeah?"

I smiled up at him. "I suppose we should. I think this is going to be a very fun party."

"It's a celebration of our love, so I know we're going to enjoy it," he said as we walked towards the door.

I popped into the kitchen one last time to make sure my cooks had the food under control. Roslyn was in charge of everything tonight. There would be hot and cold appetizers and cocktails the first hour. A bit later, a sit down meal was being served. The dinner started with a soup course. There was a choice between French onion covered in cheese or a squash bisque topped with a dollop of pesto. Next came a fennel, apple, and walnut salad. The guests then had a choice of three different entrees. One was a winter roasted vegetable medley served with a warm Parmesan pearl couscous side. The second choice was garlic rosemary chicken served with wilted spinach and au gratin potatoes. The final option was beef tenderloin topped with mushrooms cooked in port and served with garlic mashed red potatoes.

Cake would be served for dessert.

Of course.

We said goodbye to the bartender who was busy stocking the bar. He was the same guy who'd made us drinks before our disastrous rendezvous after Ben and Karyn's wedding. That memory no longer held any sadness for me. I knew that we had to go through that pain to get to where we were now. It was worth it.

Back at the condo, we showered together, though we refrained from having sex. Shawn went to the other bathroom to get ready so that I could have the master bath to myself. I put my hair up in a twisted bun and then curled some tendrils to frame my face. I didn't overdo my make-up. I wanted a natural, but glowing, look. Lots of shimmer. I highlighted my collarbones, too.

I took my dress out of the black garment bag. It was a 1960's gown. The skirt was a creamy white but the bodice and neckline had exquisite beaded and sequined details. The dress had straps that sat to the edge of the shoulder and a low back. I wore beaded slides with a low heel that I'd found online. On top of the dress I wore a rose colored velvet duster. It was winter, and the sleeveless dress needed an extra layer. The duster matched a floral detail in the bodice.

When I was dressed, I walked  out to the living room and found Shawn standing by the window, admiring the skyline. He turned when he heard my heels click on the hardwood floor.

"My god, Chels! You're breathtaking!"

He looked damn good himself. He was wearing a very slim cut black suit. Instead of wearing a white button-down, he'd opted for a pewter color. The fabric shimmered and complemented my dress perfectly, which was a happy coincidence. I'd suggested he not wear a tie because I loved to see a bit of his chest hair when he wore a dress shirt. Of course he obliged.

"If we weren't already running five minutes late..." he said as he gave me a kiss on the cheek, thoughtfully avoiding my glossy lips.

"Nope. No sex! But I'm already looking forward to the party ending," I said as I blushed at the thought.