And she called that a win!
*****
The banquet hall at the Keebler Hills Country Club was beautifully decorated with banners and streamers. A huge arch with colored balloons was positioned over in the far corner. She was impressed that so much effort had gone into coordinating the event.
As people continued to file into the reception area, Blayze wondered if there were enough places for everyone to sit. Servers handed out celebratory champagne and trays of hors d’oeuvres were set up at various stations throughout the room.
She walked around, noting the name cards at each of the tables. Some names she recognized; others she’d never heard of before. Of course, she’d been away for quite a few years, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Keebler Hills had grown quite a bit since she last lived there.
A bigger table directly in front of the stage was set up for her family and a few notable guests. Her smile immediately left her face when she saw Mayor Brent Burn’s name directly across from her father’s with a spot for his wife on his immediate right. But that wasn’t all. Councilman Colton Burns was expected to sit on the opposite side, directly across from her.
She nearly dropped the champagne flute she was holding. So the rumors she’d heard about Colton being on the City Council were apparently true.
The fact that he hadn’t bothered to mention it last night didn’t surprise her in the least. Or that he was planning to attend her father’s ceremony today. Because that’s just the kind of person he was.
Unless he’d wanted to surprise her…
But that didn’t make sense either since their meeting last night had been completely unexpected.
The more she tried to mix and mingle, the more out of place she felt. Stares that she thought were directed at her, were, in fact, meant for her father. Because it was his moment to shine, not hers.
An emcee took to the stage and asked that everyone head to their seats. Colton’s seat, though, remained empty.
As the ceremony got underway, it was interesting to hear the mayor and several of the staff members at the fire department brag about her father. Everyone seemed to be in agreeance—her father was truly a great individual. They all laughed and there were even a couple tears shed. The emotional part came when photos of her father, from early on his career until recent, were shown on a screen behind the podium. Covered in smut and ashes, dressed in his official uniform, and candid shots taken in and around the station, her father had quite a reputation. No doubt, the city would have their hands full trying to find a replacement.
During the small break before their meal was served, Blayze excused herself from the table to go to the restroom. She was sure her face was a mess, so she needed to try and repair her make-up as best she could for the photos that were being taken at the end of the ceremony.
As soon as she walked out of the restroom, Colton wandered up beside her. “Hey there, gorgeous. Are you okay?”
She smiled warmly despite the way she felt earlier. With so many people around, she didn’t want to cause a scene. “Yeah, I just got a little emotional in there.”
“That’s understandable. I got a little choked up myself,” he replied.
It was the first time she’d ever heard him sound so sincere. “Oh, I thought you were just now getting here.”
“No, I’ve been standing in the back. I…I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me sitting at the same table with you and your family.”
She looked up and smiled. “That was nice of you to consider my feelings. I’m just a little surprised you didn’t mention anything about coming last night. But you’re more than welcome to sit at the table with us.”
As they walked back inside, Colton placed his hand against her lower back and guided her through the crowd. He even went so far as to pull her chair out before taking his seat across from her. Her skin tingled from his touch and a rosy glow made its way to her cheeks.
Mayor Burns took the stage again and a hush fell over the room. He spoke briefly then called her father up to the stage, presenting him with an engraved plaque and several medals. Wayne Jenson fought back tears of pride and joy. Everyone stood and clapped for what seemed like forever.
“I’ve got one final thing to ask you, Chief.” Mayor Burns turned to address her father.
Not knowing what he was about to ask, her father dabbed at his eyes then smiled. “Is this a trick question?”
The room erupted in laughter then fell silent while they waited for Mayor Burns to ask his question.
“Chief Jenson, who in the world can we get to replace you?” He glanced down at Wayne’s loafers before looking him squarely in the eyes. “Because those are some mighty big shoes to fill.”
Everyone in the room, including her father, turned to look at Blayze. All the coloring drained from her face as her lower jaw dropped.Wait, what?
She definitely hadn’t seen that coming!
Chapter Six
Crawling under the table wasn’t an option, so she forced a smile instead. Being put on the spot wasn’t something she enjoyed. At all!
