Auf'd (The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Book Two)

Chapter 6

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Belinda waited by the bar of The Blue Room, close to the entrance. So named, she figured, because of the blue light glowing around her in the darkness. A jazz band played, making it tough to hear even the bartender right next to her.

She'd been standing there for about ten minutes and hadn't seen Sawyer yet, and was seriously considering slinking back out, when a hand grabbed hers, leading her around the tables and out on the dance floor. At first, she thought some random guy had picked her as his date for the night, until she focused and made out the back of a blonde head and a dark blazer. Sawyer. He spun her around to meet him, pulling her in a little closer than necessary.

He was back in his red zone charm level. Belinda wondered if he just put his off-moods in a drawer, or if his confrontation with Mrs. Sykes was really settled. 

"I don't know what you heard this afternoon, Belinda." Sawyer leaned in closer, a mix of mint and alcohol wafting her direction. It was the opposite of how Bennett always smelled—spicy and warm like a sunset. Maybe that sounded weird, but it was how she felt. "But I want you to know that it's nothing to be concerned about. Mrs. Sykes is going through a lot right now, and I'm trying to help her. That's all."

Belinda tilted her head. This was an interesting turn in the evening's events. She had convinced herself that Sawyer would act like that never happened. And certainly wouldn't bring up the private conversation he was having with Mrs. Sykes. "Are you in the habit of helping females in distress?" 

Sawyer smiled, his eyes skimming below her chin.

"It's gutted," she blurted and started stammering. "My house...it's under renovation. So I thought you might have suggestions for an alternate location for the party. Because I'd use my house...but it's–"

"Gutted?" Sawyer arched his brows, a twinkle of amusement on his face. "Are you living out of a suitcase currently?"

She cursed her inability to keep it together. One little thing and she unwound like a ball of yarn. "Sort of." Belinda shrugged. "My brother and I are sharing the guest house."

"Sounds crowded." He leaned even closer. "You can come escape with me if you need some air."

Belinda flushed. She doubted that would be any less crowded. "So you have ideas for how I can put together a cocktail party this short notice?" Belinda tried to discreetly put a gap between them, resisting the urge to just push away. She needed Sawyer's help and that might end it. "Thanks to my mother, I have a caterer who will squeeze me in, but that's as far as I've gotten."

He respected the space she put between them, but Belinda knew she'd need to keep an eye on him—and his hands. "I would think untraditional for the location," Sawyer said. "This crowd will love that."

So far, not so helpful. But they'd just gotten talking. "What constitutes untraditional to you? A VFW?"

Sawyer grinned. "I was thinking a shop or something. You've got plenty of small places around here that would probably be willing to earn some extra money to lend you the space for a party."

That got Belinda's head turning. Maybe not a shop, but with her family's connections, she could think of another possible venue. "How about an art gallery?" She knew most, if not all, the gallery owners in Portside. Several were close family friends.

Sawyer looked impressed. "Fashion designers plus art equals perfect cocktail party in my book."

Check. She mentally listed, in order, the people to call tomorrow. "Food then. I was going to let the caterer give us what she thought best based on the circumstances—and what they can handle so short notice." Sawyer nodded approval while they circled around. "Well, besides food, drinks of course, and a location, am I missing anything?"