The spiteful words over the phone once the late invitation had been received were painfully recalled…… 'A surprise party, how wonderful. You should have told me child.' Magnolia purred raising the hackles of the listener. 'You'll need a hostess but at such short notice. My dear Annie-'
'Hayley!'
'-whatever. I suppose you had hopes in that direction but how could you? After all you're hardly sophisticated enough to take on the duty. You don't even know who you are let alone the people attending or the social demands of such an occasion. You don't want Ethan to be…embarrassed do you? ...No?…I'll have to do it. There's no one else. Quite appropriate really when you consider how close Ethan and I are. Maybe we could combine his party with an official announcement…. Yes that would be splendid.' Magnolia couldn't even comprehend that Hayley might not agree, so on a final 'See you on Saturday evening so you can be relieved of your duties early, my dear, to toddle off to your quarters.' Magnolia hung up oblivious to the equal measures of seething anger and deep despair that assailed the younger woman.
Ethan's abrupt 'No way.' snapped Lauren out of her memories.
'You've earned the right. I'll let Magnolia know that you will be my hostess for the night.'
Lauren was disappointed about Ethan's assertion that she had earned the right to be hostess as opposed to him actually preferring her over Magnolia. She felt that she had been reduced to a favoured employee whose hard work had earned her a promotion. And for only one night.
'No Ethan. I have no intention of being your hostess tomorrow night.' Or of even attending, she thought grimly. 'I don't think I could stand the raised eyebrows and questioning looks regarding who I am and my place in the scheme of things, especially if they recall my face from the news reports. Anyway Darlene will need too much help behind the scenes with the caterers and wait staff.'
'I take it that Darlene knows that she has you as a helper.'
Surprised that Ethan could guess that she had been reluctant to broach her role in the party's behind the scenes with the housekeeper Lauren struggled silently to find the words to dismiss Ethan's claim.
'I take that as a no then.'
'Well no but…'
'No buts. You are going to be by my side at my party. And do you know why, sweetheart?'
Lauren could only shake her head at his second, or was that third, use of the endearment, the heated look in Ethan's eyes holding her spell bound.