“I’m confident she’s thinking about marrying me, too, but I’d like to catch her off-guard. So, I’ll have to get her here under the pretense of another event. I thought perhaps this could be a fundraiser for the local library. Jill spent hours there as a child and still visits regularly to check out books. Her best friend is a librarian.”
“Oh, that sounds fun. And you could gather your family and friends at that type of event because a library fundraiser is an event your circle would support normally. How many are you planning to invite?”
“What’s the maximum the ballroom could handle?” Mark asked.
Essie controlled her excitement at the prospect of another large event. Ferguson’s Folly would definitely be profitable if she could continue to schedule gatherings like this. “The ballroom will hold one hundred and fifty. Are you thinking of a party that large?”
“Let’s plan for one hundred. Could I still use the ballroom?” he asked.
“Definitely. That’s a great number in that beautiful room. That will give us space to set up refreshments and maybe a champagne fountain, if that’s something you’re interested in?” Essie suggested.
“You’re reading my mind. Can we check for dates?”
“Let’s look at the calendar. When were you planning to ask her?”
“The ring will be ready in two weeks. Maybe three weeks from now, just in case the jeweler can’t size the ring quickly?” Mark said.
“That’s totally doable. I have Saturday night open in three weeks. Does that work for you?” Essie said.
“That’s exactly the day I wanted. This will be perfect. Can you figure out decorations that would have both a love and a book theme?”
“Romance is the most popular genre of books. You could definitely feature the night celebrating literary love. Then we can use a romantic theme for the refreshments and the décor.”
“You are good at this,” Mark complimented.
“Thank you. This job is absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had,” Essie said, enjoying the praise. With each success, she gainedconfidence. A waft of cool air drew her attention. She had to focus on Mark’s face to avoid following Edmund’s path through the library. His visits were infrequent but always signaled her to pay attention. Something vital was happening. Was Mark’s gathering important?
Pulling her thoughts together, Essie walked her client through the process of scheduling the event. To her delight, Mark knew exactly what he wanted. He didn’t debate any choices. She checked boxes off on her planning form as he selected the food, beverages, lighting, and music with ease.
She shared the rough estimate of the cost and assured him, “I can give you the final prices by the end of the week if that works for you.”
“That is fine. I would like to have a cake after the proposal for everyone to enjoy.”
“I’ll add that to our list. What is your fiancée-to-be’s favorite cake flavor?” Essie asked, jotting notes.
“She loves everything. Let’s stick with the romance theme. How about red velvet with cream cheese icing?” Mark asked.
Essie’s mouth watered. She loved that choice. “A red velvet cake is a fabulous selection. I’ll have the baker decorate the top with hearts.”
Mark paid a hefty deposit with his credit card before she walked him to the door. As soon as she was alone, Essie danced a happy jig. She couldn’t wait to throw herself into this event. Every success helped her maintain Ferguson’s Folly and expand her offerings in the future.
She immediately started making calls. In an hour, she had the caterer and the cake decorator booked. Those were the most essential partners she would need. Then, turning her attention to others, Essie also reached out to the library and spoke to the director personally. Mark planned to ask for donations to support the library and had asked her to check with the staff to figure out how to get the funds to them.
“So, if I understand you, this individual plans to host a receptionto benefit the library with the bonus of a proposal?” Phineas Green, the library’s director, asked.
Essie loved his deep voice. Phineas didn’t sound like who she pictured as a library director. He sounded young and hot. “Yes, sir. The event host wishes to collect monies for the library’s use. The theme is romance. That seemed fitting for an engagement.”
“I agree. The prospect of a wedding is romantic. This is generous of the host. I do have to ask, who will collect the money? If the fundraiser is in the library’s name, I would need to know the donations are protected from any hint of wrongdoing or fraud.”
“Exactly! I hoped you could accept checks and cash donations on that evening.” Essie shared the date and time, holding her breath that he would be available.
“I would be honored to come play the role of the library representative,” Phineas said.
“I hope the party will be a lucrative evening. I have a feeling people will be pleased to share their funds at such a joyful event,” Essie said.
“To be honest, I’m intrigued by Ferguson’s Folly. That building’s such an icon of the community. I’ve never visited, so this will be fun for me as well.”
“I’ll give you a tour. The mansion is lovely.”
