"Are you sure you want eight years?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah. I want a long-term deal."
"I need to know where there's wiggle room."
He sighed. "I'd take less, if I had to."
Kevin nodded. "Okay. I'll keep you posted."
-
Katelyn had put together this baby shower in record time. She had no doubt Lovey and some of the other wives and girlfriends could have done it themselves, but Lovey seemed very appreciative of the help.
"My business is super busy right now," she explained to Katelyn as they got things set up at Marc and Lovey's condo. "It's good, but I'm a little stressed about it." She told Katelyn about the public relations firm she'd started just over a year ago and the blog she tried to keep up. "Add to that the charity work I do with the Aces Ladies and wedding plans … aaaaaah!"
Katelyn grinned and adjusted the garland of pink and white paper flowers and "It's a Girl!" signs. For some reason, she'd imagined hockey wives living a life of luxury, decorating their mansions and having mani/pedis with their friends. But Lovey had a busy career of her own and was actively involved in several charities.
"I knew you'd come up with something perfect." Lovey surveyed the table draped with a white tablecloth and now loaded with enough pink stuff to make your teeth hurt.
"Thanks." Katelyn gave a final inspection to the pink cake pops, the pink-frosted cookies, and the large pink layer cake. She tweaked some of the pink roses in the crystal vase at one end of the table. It did look nice.
"Look at those cookies!" Lovey stared at the platter of sugar cookies shaped like little onesies and decorated with pink and white icing. "They're too pretty to eat! Where did you get them?"
"Sugar Sugar. They do all kinds of custom cookies."
"You know all the best places."
"Yes, I do." Katelyn grinned. "That's my job."
"Everyone should be here soon. Let's have a glass of that pink Moscato."
Katelyn followed Lovey to the kitchen, where more food was ready to be served, including a non-alcoholic punch (pink, of course) and several bottles of pink Moscato chilled in the fridge. She would be hanging out in here making everything run smoothly so Lovey could enjoy the party.
Marc leaned against the counter, helping himself to some of the deviled eggs the caterer had delivered a while ago.
"Hey! Those are for us!" Lovey smacked at his hand, but did so laughing.
"These are good!" Marc popped another one in his mouth. "What are those?" He pointed at a plate.
"Veggie ranch tortilla roll-ups," Katelyn said.
"I'll try one." He devoured one of the small sandwiches. "Awesome."
Amber arrived then, along with Jenna and another woman named Kim, followed by several other wives and girlfriends. Lovey bustled around taking gifts and arranging them on a table, getting people seated and serving the drinks Katelyn poured. Finally the guests of honor arrived as well.
Katelyn hadn't met Sidney. Jared carried in a baby seat and set it on the floor near the couch. "Whoa, too much pink," he said with a grin, looking around. "Where's Duper? We gotta get out of here."
"I'm in the kitchen," Marc called. "C'mere, you have to see this food."
"You guys, the food is for the girls," Lovey protested again.
They ate a few more things, mostly just to yank Lovey's chain, Katelyn thought, amused. Then Marc and Jared left to go to the Sin Bin, where they were meeting some of the other guys.
"Hey, you girls get to have fun, what else are we gonna do?" Jared asked Sidney. He kissed her and the little pink bundle that Sidney had carefully lifted from the baby carrier. "Bye, girls. Enjoy yourselves."
Sidney smiled up at him, their baby cradled in her arms. "You too. See you in a while."
The other women crowded around baby Aubree, exclaiming over her cuteness, wanting a turn to hold her. Lovey took a moment to introduce Sidney to Katelyn.
"This is the wedding planner I told you about," Lovey said to Sidney. "She's amazing. You need to take one of her cards for when you and Jared get married."
Sidney smiled and tucked a strand of pale blond hair behind her ear. She was stunning, with her dark smoky eyes and red lips. "We're in no rush. And we might just do something small."