Page 30 of Summer Affair

Julie’s eyebrows raised in curiosity. “What’s up?”

“Well.” Andrea began shifting her weight. “My sister is trying to organize this charity event, and she’s adamant about having it in the main dining hall at the camp. The problem is, the main hall is booked solid, I checked the schedule. Anyway, she’s not taking no for an answer. What can be done, if anything, to help out?”

Julie frowned slightly, thinking. “We’ve been fully booked for months. But let me see what I can do.” She started clicking through her calendar on the computer.

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” Andrea said, her voice a bit strained. “And I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. My mother’s really pressuring me on this.”

Julie looked up, meeting Andrea’s eyes with a sympathetic gaze. “Family can be tough. We’ve all been there. Let’s see…We might be able to move some things around, but it’s going to be tight. What’s the date she’s looking at?”

Andrea quickly relayed the details, watching as Julie’s fingers flew over the keyboard. She admired how efficient and competent Julie was, always managing to find solutions.

After a few minutes, Julie sighed and looked up. “Okay, I think we can make it work, but it’s going to require a lot of juggling. I’ll need to talk to a few people and see if we can get some guests to agree to slight changes in their schedules. We can do the main hall, and if the weather holds that weekend, she can have the entire outside patio area as well, which will allow for more guests.”

“Thank you. Seriously, I owe you big time for this,” Andrea said, relief washing over her while at the same time a knot formed in her stomach. If she pulled this off, that meant she’d have to deal with her sister and everyone in her circle for the evening.

Julie waved her off. “Don’t worry about it. We’re a team here, and we help each other out. Plus, it’s for a good cause, right?”

Andrea nodded, feeling a bit sick. “Absolutely. And again, thank you. I know my sister can be…demanding.”

Julie chuckled. “I’ve heard stories from Damion. But hey, if you need any help dealing with her, you know where to find me.”

Andrea smiled. “I appreciate that. And congrats on the new house, by the way. It must be nice to be back and settling in.”

“It is,” Julie replied, her eyes lighting up. “Malia’s loving it too. We’re just taking things one day at a time.”

Andrea nodded. “Sounds perfect. Well, I’ll leave you to it. Thanks again, Julie.”

“No problem. I’ll let you know as soon as I have an update.”

As Andrea walked away, she realized just how wonderful it was to have such supportive colleagues. She hoped that this favor would smooth things over with her family, at least for a little while. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being caught between her sister’s demands and her own life, but knowing she had friends like Julie made it a bit easier to manage.

Chapter Nine

Dean adjusted his bowtie for the third time that night, trying to settle into his role for the evening.

In the past week, it seemed as if Andrea was ignoring him. Then again, they had both been too busy at work to say anything more than hello in passing. At least they’d talked to one another on the phone late at night, when he’d gotten off work.

Thankfully, it was the weekend and they both had the next two days off. They had plans to head to the beach the following day for a picnic lunch and some downtime together. His hope was that they’d spend the next two days and nights with one another.

Since their official date had been cancelled due to Sophia’s health scare, he was planning on making things up to Andrea.

That night’s event, a swanky charity soiree, was in full swing. The grand hall of River Camps had been transformed into a sparkling wonderland of lights and decorations.

He moved through the crowd, a tray of champagne flutes balanced expertly in his hand, weaving his way around the well-dressed guests. It was obvious that they were all trying to vie for attention and status amongst the elite that filled the room. He’d never seen so many pretentious people at the camp before, and he knew they were all from the local area.

It wasn’t long before he spotted Andrea. She was dressed elegantly in a long silver dress that hugged her body perfectly and showcased the bright tattoos that snaked around her arms. Her long blond hair was tied up in a sexy twist at the nape of her neck, and she wore a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

He admired her poise as she moved easily between the people, especially given the circumstances. He spotted both her mother, Alicia, and her sister, Amy, in the crowd.

He knew from past experience that Amy could be a handful, and tonight seemed no different.

As he made his way through the room, he overheard snippets of several conversations. He paused near a small cluster of people and heard Amy’s unmistakable voice as she said clearly, “Andrea, since you work here, why don’t you be a dear and run and grab us some more drinks?” Amy’s tone had been sickly sweet but laced with a ton of condescension.

Dean watched as Andrea’s smile tightened. “Of course,” she replied, her voice steady.

He continued to observe as Andrea gracefully moved to the bar and retrieved a glass of wine for her sister. Meanwhile, Amy continued her conversation with her friends, Heather and Tiffany, who looked just as vapid and self-absorbed as he remembered they had been back in school.

“I can’t believe that she still works here. How quaint. I mean, it’s a weekend hobby at best,” Tiffany said, her voice dripping with faux sympathy.