I laughed. “I don’t think I’ll do anything dainty. But if you want sloppy and dirty”—I made a kissy face at him—“I’m your girl!”
“You are my girl.” He wrapped a hand around my waist, and we slowly strolled around, people watching. Archer was dancing with Barbara.
“My brother is obnoxious, but he is great to have at parties,” Parker said.
Meg was dancing with Remy, which made Parker wince. “If it was any of the rest of us, Hunter would have burned this place down.” He jerked his chin to Hunter, who was glaring out over the scene.
“You can’t get those two together?”
“Garrett had a plan,” Parker said. “I thought he had it under control, but something must have gone sideways.”
“We should keep trying. I love a fairy-tale ending!”
“Good luck!” Parker snorted. “It’s about as productive as trying to bail all the water out of the ocean.”
We spent the rest of the evening making sure we talked to everyone and thanked them for coming. As my grandmother used to say, you’re hosting the party—you can enjoy it only after you’ve made sure everyone feels welcome. Since this was the big kickoff event for prospective donors, I wanted to make sure people felt the personal touch.
Parker was looking at me oddly after we talked to one couple. “You’re really good at this.”
“It’s my job, plus it’s fun. I’m just being a good hostess.”
“You’re above and beyond a good hostess. You seem to remember everyone, and people you have only met over email are acting like you’re best friends.”
“It’s just some Southern hospitality!”
* * *
The party endedtwo hours later than I’d planned. Archer had remained, since it was his conference center, but most everyone else had left. Meghan stayed, so Hunter stayed. Parker’s other brothers had taken Billy and Ellis home. The band had packed up, and the vendors had left. However, Barbara, Ida, and their gaggle of senior citizens seemed like they were going to be there until the early hours of the morning. Ida was passing around a flask and playing music from her phone.
“Just tell them to leave,” Meghan said, exasperated.
“I can’t do that!” I was aghast. “That’s rude!”
“Sometimes you just need to be direct,” Meg insisted.
I clasped a hand to my bosom. “I feel faint. Where are my smelling salts?”
“Good lord,” Meg said. She handed her drink to Hunter and ordered, “Go turn on all the lights.” Then she marched over to the group of senior citizens. “Ladies, thank you so much for coming to the gala. However, we have to pack up. We’re a humble small town, and we are not active twenty-four seven like Manhattan.”
The lights all came on. I winced.
“Guess that’s our cue. These youngsters can’t hang,” Ida said. “After-party at my sister Edna’s house!” Ida said gleefully, and they all trooped out.
“See? Sometimes you just have to be brusque,” Meg said, coming back over to us. Hunter silently handed Meg her drink.
“I still feel weird,” I complained.
“The issue is,” Parker said, “in a nice genteel society, they wouldn’t stay past eleven. But Ida has no manners. She would move in if you let her.”
“That is true.”
“Hunter, maybe you could take the deputy mayor back home.”
“I don’t need him to take me anywhere,” she snapped.
Hunter and Parker exchanged alook. There was some silent alpha male communication.
“Please let me take you home,” Hunter said to Meg. “It’s late.” He held out her coat. The tension was visible in his jaw.
