“Media? You mean the type of art? Let me see…I just had the invitation… It says here ‘come and help us celebrate the grand opening of the Hunter Art Group. Buy and appreciate the work of renowned artisan Paul Gleason. Mr. Gleason and his collection of raku fired stoneware and his fine work in porcelain will kick off…’ Christ, this sounds like something my mother would set up.”
She laughed at his tone and wondered if he had any idea about this before today. “I’m sure it sounds like fun. Isn’t there anyone else you’d rather take and bore to tears?”
“No. It’s black tie. I’m sure they don’t expect you to wear a tie…though that might be kind of fun, but I’ll pay for your dress. And before you get yourself in a twist about it, I can take it off my taxes. I’ll call is a business expense.”
She wanted to go. She’d actually heard of Paul Gleason and his work. In college he’d been a visiting artist and she’d had to work that night and missed his lecture. She was nearly ready to say yes when he spoke again.
“Daniel and Curtis will be there. I think my other brother Jesse will as well. I don’t know if they’ll have dates, but they have to come too.” She heard someone speaking. “Okay, Daniel and Curtis have no date, Jesse has two, and my mom will be there.”
His mom. She was probably still pissed at her. Well, if she did keep the baby, she would probably have to play nice with his family so she thought she should start now. She didn’t particularly want to go with Royce, but with the others there she thought she might have a fairly good time. “All right, I’ll go with you, but I’m not your date. I’m just your…escort. And not the hourly type either. I want to see Mr. Gleason’s work and that’s all.”
She heard him take a deep breath. “Great. I’ll…how will you get a dress and me pay for it? If you want me to go with you to help pick it out then—”
“I’m quite capable of purchasing a dress, Mr. Hunter. But I will let you send a car to pick me up. I have a car, but I’m sure it isn’t what the hoity-toity people you hang around with are used to.”
“All right then. I’ll have a car at your house at four-thirty. My brothers and I are meeting for dinner at Muddy Misers. That way if this thing runs late, we won’t be starving to death afterwards. The dress. I can leave my credit card with Bobbie Noel. She said you know her.”
She wasn’t sure what else to say to him so she simply hung up. Now what? She really didn’t have a clue how to buy a dress. She pulled up images of exhibits on her computer and realized she was in over her head. After waiting one hour, she called Bobbie.
“I was wondering if I could ask you a favor. I need some help buying a dress for that art thingy with Mr. Hunter and I didn’t want him to know I don’t have a clue what to do.”
“If you’ll hold for one moment I’ll get that information for you. It has been a hectic afternoon and I’m straightening out some last minute things with my boss before I leave for the day. Could I meet with you at say…six-thirty?”
“He’s there, isn’t he? Okay, you’ll meet me at my house then? Or my uncle’s? Either is fine by me.”
“Hummm, how about yours? I can see to that and anything else you may need while I’m there.”
“All right. I’ll see you then.” Kasey hung up smiling. She really liked Bobbie and was happy for her friendship. She also thought that she was sweet on her uncle and neither of them seemed inclined to do anything about it. She thought maybe she’d do a little matchmaking while she was at it.
At seven o’clock that night Kasey was looking at dresses. She decided that this was perhaps the stupidest thing she’d ever done. She hated that this thing was going to cost a fortune and they hadn’t even found a dress yet. She was just going through yet another line of dresses when she saw it.
The dress was beautiful. Not just beautiful, but sinfully so. It was a black silk sleeveless gown that she knew would fit her. She glanced at the size as she pulled it from the line of dresses and realized that it was going to be too large, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. She hung it on the hook to see the whole effect when Bobbie came up behind her.
“Oh, my dear, that’s it. Please tell me that you plan to try that one on. It’ll make Royce drool all night.”
She didn’t comment on Royce drooling. “It’s very…sexy, isn’t it? I mean, it’s not too much? Or I guess too little, is it?” Kasey turned to look at Bobbie when she laughed.