Setting Me On Fire

2

A Night at Rose Bar

I place my coffee cup on my desk and look around at everyone. Everyone held their own set of notepads and folders as we speak about the events for tonight.

"Alright, tonight is precisely the night we've been planning for all week." I step behind my desk. My finger is in mid-air and looking for Kevin, my party planner associate. He declared himself that title, so I took him up on the offer.

When I find him in the gathered colleagues, I extend my arm so that now my finger is further into the space between us. "Kevin," I start. "What do you have for me?" I put my arm down.

He steps forward and flips through his folders. I pick up my coffee and take a sip as I wait. He looks up anxiously every few seconds. I sigh, set my coffee back down, and walk around my desk so now I'm standing before him.

"Kevin," I place my hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me. "Take a deep breath, and release." I gesture for him, and he follows along.

"Alright, now find what you have for me. Laury, do you have the seating chart ready?" Laury nods as she makes her way through the others. I grab the seating chart and analyze it. I nod and look back up at her.

"Okay, this is good, I like who you've seated together." I nod again and hand her the chart back. "Just do one thing, or four, leave four empty spaces for our special guests."

I glance over at Kevin, he's looking at me now. "You got what I need?" He nods and extends his arm. I take the folder and open it to see the names of the caters, servers, photographer, menu, dress code, etc. I nod and look up at him now. "And they agreed to come right? This isn't just a list of possible companies you jotted down?"

He nods, "Yes, I interviewed them all as you asked, and they said yes briskly."

I nod, close the folder, and give it back to him. "Appreciated, now do we have Tory Burch, Rosie Assoulin, Shane Gabier, and Christopher Peters in our confirmations?"

"Yes, I called Shane and Rosie," Amber calls out. I nod and wait to hear the two other names. I put a hand on my hip and hold the chair beside me with the other.

"Oh, I got Tory," Sofia says.

"I called Christopher, still waiting for a response," Diana says.

I nod. "Alright, well I'm going to need him there, so go to his building, do whatever you have to do, email him." I nod. "You can all go now."

Everyone leaves my office, and I go back to my chair. My phone rings, and I pick up.

"Ciao Sorella, so I heard about your party, can I come and bring a friend?" My brother, Marco says. I lean back on my chair and turn to face the wall behind me that was filled with all the party plans for tonight. I recalled seeing something of importance on the wall, relating to Christopher.

"How did you even hear about that?" I stand up and step closer to the wall. Inspecting every paper, until I come across his name, rip it off the wall, and read through it.

"I went by your place the other night, but I hear you were on a date with some Liam guy. Your boyfriend?" I roll my eyes and sit down turning it back to my desk and setting the paper down.

"Yes, and he's going to be there, so don't do anything idiotic. And be on your best behavior, now I have to go, bye." I hang up and pick up my office phone to dial my assistant, Sara.

"Come here." I hang up and pick up the piece of paper that had Christopher's private number.

"Yes?" Sara walks up to my desk, and I hand over the paper to her.