Chapter 1
Olivia Foster walked arm in arm with her cousin into the lobby of The Cabot Hotel. She looked around in amazement at the grandeur.“Oh, Heather. Look at this. It’s…wonderful.”
“It is.”Heather’s awestruck voice floated through the air.
“Aunt Evelyn, everything looks so perfect.”Olivia turned to her aunt.“You did a great job getting the hotel ready for the gala. It looks like we stepped onto the set of a 1920s movie.”
“I just hope everything goes smoothly.”Her aunt swept her gaze around the room, taking in every little detail.
“I’m sure it will. You’re the best organizer in the world, Mom.”Heather hugged her mother.“Be sure and ask us if you need any help.”
“I will.”Evelyn hurried off to check on one of a million little things, Olivia was sure. Her aunt had organizing events down to a science.
Heather tugged on her arm.“Look at that.”She tilted her head over to the edge of the lobby.“Aunt Donna is already deep in conversation with Barry. See? Looks like he’s pointing out some of the things he did with the remodel. Do you think something is going on between those two?”
She glanced over at the flushed look and shy smile on her mother’s face.“I think so? Maybe. She hasn’t said anything to me, though. Nothing since that one date with him.”
“I definitely think something is going on.”Heather glanced over at the couple again.
“I hope so.”Olivia started to say more but stopped as her daughter came rushing up to them, taking one swirl in front of them before stopping.
“Isn’t this great? And my dress. I can’t stop twirling in it.”Emily grinned and spun around once more.“And the history alcove I helped set up? It looks great. I just checked it out. I’m going to mostly circulate in there. Mr. Hamilton—Delbert—said I should answer any questions the guests have when they go in there. He said I know more about the hotel than anyone now.”
“I think you do after all that research you did.”Olivia nodded, pleased to see her daughter so animated and happy.
“I’ll catch up with you later, then.”Her emerald green dress shimmered as she sped away.
“She’s really turned into a stunning young lady.”Heather nodded toward Emily.
Olivia sighed.“When did she get so grown up? Wasn’t she just running around with skinned knees and braids?”
“Seems like it.”Heather laughed.“Though, if it makes you feel any better, sometimes I feel likewewere just running around with skinned knees and braids, too.”
“Okay, now you’re making me feel old.”Olivia grinned back at her cousin. Though she didn’t feel old tonight. She felt like she’d stepped into some mystical other-world.
“Enough of this, let’s go check out the grand ballroom. I can’t wait to see what Mom’s done with it.”Heather took her arm as they walked across the lobby and entered through one of the many open doors to the ballroom.
“Wow.”Heather stopped beside her.
Wow was right. White twinkle lights lined the edges of the ballroom and huge chandeliers glistened from the ceiling. A small band played at the far end with a dance floor spread out before it. Servers wandered around with champagne glasses on shiny silver platters. Most of the guests had come in costumes right out of the roaring twenties.
“I feel like I’ve stepped back in time,”Heather whispered as she reached up to touch the stylish hairband that circled her forehead with a small pearl flower attached to it. She’d twisted her hair into a knot on the side.
“I feel like I’m inside some movie,”Olivia whispered.
“I know. It’s just…magical.”
“Livy, Heather.”
She spun around at the sound of their names.
“Hey, Jesse. Wow, look at you,”she took in his dashing vintage attire.“You dress up pretty great.”
“This is Austin Woods.”Jesse gestured to the man beside him.“Friend of mine. Here on vacation.”
“Nice to meet you, Austin.”She smiled at the tall man standing beside Jesse.
“Nice to meet you two.”
