Page 21 of Reckless Chance

Amy approaches as my phone dings.

Christian: I’m at the Monarch Suite now. We’ll be there in less than 15 minutes.

Me: Got it.

“They’re on their way. Does everyone know what to do?” I ask.

Amy nods. “We have a lookout watching the Grand Staircase to alert us when they arrive. We’re ready.”

“Surprise!”we shout in unison as Cassie and Evan enter the lounge.

Cassie scrunches her eyes in the dim light, looking mystified. Evan whispers in her ear. She turns quickly, wrapping her arms around him as reality dawns that the party is in her honor.

By the time she pulls away, Lowri and I are standing in front of them. I notice Evan, giving me an odd look. That’s when it hits me that my arm’s wrapped tightly around Lowri’s waist. It’s become unconscious. When we’re this close, I can’t help touching her.

Cassie gasps, throwing her arms around her best friend and pulling Lowri out of my grasp.

“Lowri, you’re here! I didn’t know if you got my invitation to join us this weekend. Wait a minute. Were you in on this?” Cassie asks.

“This was all Evan’s idea. Sean and I merely helped with the details.”

Cassie met most of the party guests on her last visit to the Grand Athena. They take turns greeting her as the servers meander through the crowd handing out drinks and appetizers. We kept the group reasonably small, but there are still forty to fifty people here between the film crew, hotel staff, cooking competition judges, and even the police detective who played a role in the events that brought Evan and Cassie together.

Between the upbeat background music and chatter among the guests, the party is a success.

We’ve all been eating, drinking, and talking for about twenty minutes when the music grows softer, and our attention shifts to the stage where a spotlight illuminates Amy. She steps up to the microphone, saying, “Everyone, thank you for being here to celebrate Cassandra Upton’s debut as guest chef of the Grand Athena’s Pinot & Pie restaurant. Let’s give her a big round of applause.”

The crowd cheers and claps loudly.

Amy continues, “Now, it’s time for tonight’s entertainment. Please take your seats. The magic show starts in five minutes.”

“You mean, there really is a magic show? It wasn’t a ruse to get me to the party?” Cassie asks.

“Of course there’s a magic show. Evan insisted on one,” I say, grabbing Lowri’s hand and guiding our foursome to the reserved table near the small, slightly elevated stage.

The Virtuoso of Magic doesn’t disappoint. He even levitates a server while she balances a tray of drinks.

When the server is safely back on the ground and the applause tapers off, the magician says, “I’m going to need a little help from the audience for my next trick. I understand that our guest of honor tonight is Chef Cassie. Where are you?”

Lowri quickly points to Cassie, calling out, “She’s here.”

“Excellent. Cassie, would you be willing to assist me with the next illusion?”

She doesn’t immediately react, so he says to the audience, “Let’s give her a little encouragement.”

Clapping and chants of “Cassie, Cassie, Cassie,” follow as Evan stands to help her up.

When she reaches the stage, the magician pulls a long-stemmed, red rose from behind his back, offering it to her. “A rose for the lovely lady.”

“Thank you,” she replies, smiling as she sniffs the petals.

“You know, this trick will be easier with a second person. Can we talk your date into helping us out? Can you point him out to me?”

“He’s over there,” she says, pointing to where Evan is sitting at our table.

“Sir, would you mind joining us on the stage?”

Evan shrugs. “Why not?” He stands and walks to the stage as the crowd claps.