“Hey.”
Amy glanced over her shoulder as she reached to grab the plastic cups and paper plates on the kids’ table and droppedthem in the garbage bag. She straightened and turned toward him, a smile on her face. “Hey.”
“Are you happy with how it turned out?” he asked.
“That’s the question I should be asking you,” she replied.
He reached out and touched her cheek. “I’m beyond happy. You did a wonderful thing here for my little girl. I don’t think I could ever thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. I was happy to do it for her. And for you.”
Will stepped closer to her and took her face into his hands. “Still. Thank you.” He lowered his head and pressed a lingering kiss on her lips. “You look very beautiful today, too. And definitely much better in those tights than I would have looked.”
She laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Well, thank you. It was fun dressing up like the girls.”
Aware that his sisters would be returning soon, Will ran his thumb along her cheek before releasing her. “They’re never going to forget this party. And you’ve probably just made life very difficult for the mothers of those girls who are going to be wanting a party like this one.”
Amy picked up the garbage bag and dropped more things into it. “Well, it’s a bit time-consuming, but they could do it if they put their minds to it.”
“Or they could hire you to do it.”
She gave him a small smile. “Maybe.”
Before he could say anything more, he heard the sound of the women returning. He bent to help Amy clean off the table. By the time the clearing was empty of decorations, Matt and Josh had returned, and they came to help load the tables and chairs for the church into the back of Will’s truck.
It was after five by the time they returnedto the manor. Laurel and Violet had food out for everyone since what had been at the party, while filling for little girls, hadn’t beenexactly hardy fare for the adults. Will still hoped to take Amy out for dinner, but when he looked around the kitchen, she wasn’t there. Hoping she was upstairs changing, he bided his time. When fifteen minutes had passed with no sign of her, he turned to Rose, who was standing next to him at the island, to ask if she’d seen her.
“I think she went upstairs. Want me to go check on her?” Rose offered.
“If you don’t mind.”
Rose flashed him a smile before heading out of the kitchen, still wearing her fairy attire.
“You going to eat?” Josh asked him as he approached the counter where the food had been spread out.
Taking the risk of telling him the truth, Will shook his head. “I had planned to take Amy out for dinner. To thank her for all her hard work on Isabella’s party.”
Josh lifted an eyebrow. “I hear it was quite the success.”
That hadn’t been what Will had expected to come out of Josh’s mouth, but he was happy to have avoided any sort of lecture. “It was wonderful. She did a fantastic job.”
“She loves children, so I’m sure it was a pleasure for her to do this for Isabella.”
“Will?”
Hearing Rose’s voice, he turned from Josh to where his niece stood. “Is she okay?”
“Um...she’s sound asleep.”
“What?”
“I found her on her bed, still dressed as a fairy, sound asleep,” Rose said.
“I’m not surprised,” Lance commented. “She was up before seven this morning and worked hard all day. She’s probably exhausted.”
While Will felt a shaft of disappointment, he knew that ifshe needed the rest, it was best to just let her be. They could have their dinner another night.
“Well, guess I’m eating supper here after all,” he said as he grabbed a plate.
