Chris Page 4

  There was to be a sit-down dinner with three courses. Alcohol was not included, and that would be another source of revenue for the night.

  But the main source, at least they hoped, would be from the auctions that were to be held throughout the evening.

  Lizzie was giving away five dinner-for-two vouchers, the local boutique gave two one-hundred-dollar vouchers to spend at their store, plus several notable donations from other local businesses, including The Bar and Grill where Chase’s sister-in-law Missy used to work – before she’d had her baby, his precious niece.

  Chris tipped his hat as Charlotte glanced across at him. Their eyes met, and he couldn’t pull himself away from her. She had some sort of pull on him, and Chris desperately tried to free himself.

  It didn’t work.

  It wasn’t until Lizzie touched Charlotte on the arm, needing her help, that the trance she’d put him in ended.

  He shook himself. This was crazy. He didn’t react to women like this.

  He wasn’t interested in women. Any women. After what happened to his brother, he’d sworn off them years ago.

  But Charlotte was different. He had feelings for her – she was a wonderful person, and someone he’d like to spend more time with. He couldn’t deny it.

  “Hello Chris.” It was Mrs Simpson, who he’d known most of his life. She was a lovely lady and could always be relied on for support.

  He moved into hug the woman who had been a constant in his life. Even through the tragedy. “Hello Mrs Simpson. Good to see you,” he said as he moved out of her embrace. He checked the table list and directed her accordingly. “We’ll catch up later,” he said, and meant it.

  Soft music began to play, which was a cue for people to take their places at the tables.

  Chase had agreed to be the MC for the night, and stood on the stage, holding a microphone.

  “Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” he said, looking around. He waited a few moments while people finished taking their seats. “Thank you all for coming. Despite the tragedy that has brought us together, the death of a local officer, we hope you enjoy your evening.”

  He referred to papers he held in his hands. “Your meal tonight has been provided by Aunt Lizzie’s Kitchen. Prepared by Lizzie’s niece, Charlotte Jones.” He took a breath. “I know she doesn’t want the accolades, but the entire meal tonight has been donated by Aunt Lizzie’s Kitchen.”

  The audience applauded and whistled. “First course will be delivered to you shortly,” he added. Then walked off the stage.

  The music continued as people talked amongst themselves.

  Everyone had now arrived, and Chris moved toward the committee table, acknowledging people as he made his way there.

  Each place setting also had a list of the night’s auctions. Chris hoped it would bring in a huge amount of cash for Officer John Birch’s widow. It was the very least they could do for a colleague.

  “How much do you think you’ll bring in, Chris?” The question came out of the blue. “No idea Mrs Simpson. We’ll have several lines of revenue, so it’s hard to say.”

  She grinned. “No. I mean how much do you think you will bring in!”

  Chris frowned, not understanding the question. “Christian, Christian,” Lizzie called across the room. “I need your help please.”

  He made his way across to the agitated woman, as the music got a little louder. “I need help to move this table in place,” she said. “We’ll hold the auctions between each course.”

  They’d just finished putting everything in place when Chase took to the stage again.

  “Entrée will be served shortly,” he said. “Please take your place at the tables.”

  Charlotte had already prepared the entrée dishes, which would be served to the guests shortly. With help from Lizzie, she had already begun work on the main course.

  This was not a night off for either of them.

  “Aunty,” Chris heard Charlotte say. “Why don’t you sit down and have entrée? I will be fine.”

  Lizzie looked at her quizzically. “You’re cooking for a lot of people,” she said, sounding exasperated.

  “I do have some kitchen hands,” Charlotte said, equally exasperated. “You should take a break. I promise I’ll let you know if I need you.”

  Chris led Lizzie to the committee table and made sure she rested. He poured her a glass of wine, and sat down next to her, relieved to be finally sitting down himself.

  The entrées came out a few minutes later. Alternate honey mustard chicken wings and vegie-stuffed mushrooms.

  The food was amazing, but Chris felt guilty, knowing Charlotte was in the kitchen slaving away to produce such a magnificent spread.

  “And now for a little entertainment.” Chase’s voice rang out over the loud speaker system. “Our very own Missy Callahan has agreed to perform for us tonight.”

  He waited patiently while the crowd whistled and applauded. “Just give us a few minutes to get her set up, and then we’ll get to hear the voice of an angel.”

  Missy stood at her table, passing baby Chloe over to her father, Rory, then scampered out the back to get into her costume.

  It hadn’t been that long since little Chloe was born, so Chris had been surprised when Missy had offered to perform. She was such a trooper in his book.

  Chris helped with the setting up. The musicians from The Bar and Grill, where she performed before giving birth, had volunteered their time, so were there to back her up. Such a giving community.

  Once the electric keyboard was ready to go, Missy stepped out onto the stage to a huge applause.

  She bowed to the crowd, then indicated for the music to start.

  She began singing I Want to be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart, her most requested song. And from what Chris could gather, a personal favourite. She looked across at Rory and winked.

  Rory held the baby up so Missy could see her and whispered in the baby’s ear. No doubt it was something like “That’s your mommy singing.”

  The fact she’d become a cowboy’s sweetheart was quite ironic.

  When she finished, the audience exploded. Missy bowed to them, then indicated to the musicians to begin another song. It was accepted equally as well.

  When she finished, Missy bowed again, then indicated for the crowd to acknowledge her musicians, as she always did.

  “That’s is for now, Y’all,” she said. “Don’t go away, I’ll be back later.” Meeting her at the stage steps with baby Chloe, Rory kissed his wife and hugged her, with the baby in his arms.

  Chris watched every movement, and his throat became tight.

  What would it be like to have a family of his own? The tragedy that his brother endured was unthinkable. Chris had long decided he couldn’t put himself through something like that.

  Chase’s voice came over the loud speaker again. “Isn’t she magnificent? We are so blessed to have such a talented lady in our midst. Please thank the amazing Missy Callahan!” He stood and waited until the applause died down, then made another announcement. “Main course will be served shortly. Don’t go away.”

  He began to leave the stage, then doubled back. “I almost forgot,” he said. “The first group of auctions will begin in just a few minutes. Then we’ll eat, and there will be more auctions after main course.”

  He turned off the microphone and placed it on a table, then walked over to Aunt Lizzie and whispered in her ear.

  Chris watched the exchange carefully. What the heck were they up to?

  Lizzie grabbed some cards from the table Chris had helped set up, then went on stage. “The first auction of the night is for a dinner for two at Aunt Lizzie’s Kitchen,” she said. “I have five vouchers available and will auction them off separately.”

  “All auctions tonight will be run as silent auctions, so I will tell you the items available, then you go over to the table,” she pointed in the general direction, “and write down your bid.”

  No one moved. “You have twenty minu
tes,” she said, looking around the room. “So get your skates on!”

  People stood, chairs were scraped backwards, and couples talked between themselves. Suddenly the table was a frenzy of activity, and Lizzie smiled.

  She took her place at the table again and whispered to Chris. “It’s looking good. Lots of bids equals lots of money for Officer Birch’s family.”

  They chatted between themselves for the next twenty minutes, then Lizzie took to the stage again. “Thanks everyone. Time is up. Winners will be announced later this evening.”

  Chase went on to the stage and took the microphone from Lizzie. “Main course is about to be served. Please take your place at the tables.”

  Waitresses began to pour out of the kitchen to serve the guests who were eagerly awaiting their meals.

  Main course was put in front of Chris and was smoked salmon with a side salad. The alternative was roast chicken with gravy and roasted vegetables. They both looked delicious. Charlotte had certainly outdone herself tonight.

  There was low chatter amongst the guests, and soft music played in the background. The food was beyond all expectations, and everyone certainly seemed to be enjoying it. Chris definitely was.

  He felt bad that Charlotte was stuck in the kitchen while he was out here enjoying the food she’d slaved over. But, he reminded himself, they each had a job to do, a task they’d volunteered for, and this was what she chose.

  He was mighty glad she did.

  Charlotte was a fantastic cook, and a fabulous person. He’d enjoyed getting to know her over the past months. He liked her. A lot.

  He welcomed the interruption to his wayward thoughts when Lizzie took to the microphone. He hadn’t noticed her leave.

  “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all again for coming along tonight,” she said, glancing around the room. “As much as we don’t want to think about it, this is about supporting Officer John Birch’s family.” She took a deep breath before speaking again.

  “We will continue with the silent auctions while the tables are cleared.” She rifled through some papers. “Next will be auctioning the one-hundred-dollar vouchers to the River Valley Boutique. This is a great prize, ladies,” she added. She went on to list several other prizes, which would run concurrently. “Again, go to the table and bid for the prize you would like. You have twenty minutes, and then I will announce another auction item.”

  He couldn’t fathom why, but Lizzie winked at him. Chris tried to remember what all the donated prizes had been. Nothing untoward as far as he could recall. He shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of the iced water sitting in front of him.

  Mrs Simpson walked over on her way to the auction table and tapped him on the shoulder. “This is so exciting,” she said, then leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “I’ve heard there’s a secret prize on auction. Do you know what it is?” she asked, a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her lips.

  He frowned. A secret prize? Not that he’d heard of, but with Lizzie you never could tell.

  The soft music started again, Mrs Simpson wandered away to talk to a few other guests. Chris got up from the table and started to mingle.

  “You look very nice,” he heard one elderly lady say, right before she ran her hand up his muscled arms. He smiled and walked away. What was it with women and uniforms?

  After doing his mingling duty, Chris made his way back to his seat as he noticed Lizzie heading toward the stage.

  Chase was already there. “Once all the auctions are finished up, dessert will be served,” he said, then handed the microphone to Lizzie.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention,” she said, then waited for the chatter to die down. “We have a last-minute auction prize.” She smiled at Chris then nodded her head. “For those who are not aware, there will be an opportunity for dancing later in the evening. This prize is one you won’t see often. You could say it’s unique, as it will probably never happen again.” People began to chatter, speculating what it could be.

  This was obviously what Mrs Simpson was talking about. But he was still none the wiser.

  Lizzie turned toward him, and his heart began to pound. “Deputy. Christian Dolan, would you please stand,” she said, determination on her face.

  “Deputy Dolan has kindly offered to be dance partner for not one, but two lucky ladies tonight.” The crowd began to applaud and whistle, and Chris looked around, confused.

  “Wha....” He didn’t offer this. What the hell was going on? Then he realized. That crafty Lizzie. She was always up to something. It was too late to back out. He’d look like a fool if he did that, so he’d go along with it.

  “Bid sheets are on the table, ladies.” She began to walk away. “Or gentlemen,” she laughed, then backed off.

  Chris made his way toward the stage. “You cheeky thing,” he whispered in her ear when he got close. “I didn’t offer that.” He was only slightly annoyed. It was for a good cause, after all.

  Lizzie patted him on the back. “Now, now,” she said. “Don’t fret. You might end up with a stunning young lady.” She grinned then scurried away.

  “Once again, we have the amazing Missy Callahan,” Chase announced, then handed the microphone to Missy.

  The music began, and she started singing Crazy. A song made famous by Patsy Cline. The audience applauded loudly, and the noise was almost overwhelming.

  Chris was amazed to see baby Chloe was sound asleep in her father’s arms. Rory rocked the baby while his wife sang her heart out.

  She bowed as she finished singing, and once again acknowledged the musicians. “I’ll be back shortly,” she said. “I believe there will be another announcement first.” She grinned, then handed the microphone to Chase, her brother-in-law.

  “If we could have a little bit of hush,” he said, “I will announce the winners of the silent auctions.” He shuffled through the papers and found what he was looking for. “For the dinner for two at Aunt Lizzie’s Kitchen - there are five winners, and they are...”

  He read out five sets of names. “See me at the end of the night to make payment and get your vouchers. Chase went on to read out all the remaining winners. “Thank you all very much for your generosity,” he said.

  “Now for the one you’ve all been waiting for. A dance with Deputy Chris Dolan.” He grinned at his deputy, who was feeling quite queasy at this point.

  “First winner is – Mrs Santini. Congratulations!” he said, nodding to the 76-year-old. Chris breathed a sign of relief. So far Lizzie’s plan was not working. “Second winner is – Aunt Lizzie!” He grinned. “Congratulations Lizzie.”

  “And for those who want to know, that prize yielded almost one thousand dollars,” he said. “Our deputy is apparently very popular with the ladies.”

  Chris felt the heat rise from his neck, all the way up his face. He slunk down in his chair in embarrassment. Both prize winners were way out of his age range. On reflection, he decided it was probably a good thing.

  Missy took to the stage again, and the music began. As she sang Blue Moon of Kentucky, Chris went over and invited Mrs Santini to dance, and they walked out onto the dance floor.

  People began to clap.

  He wasn’t the best dancer in town, but he also wasn’t the worst. He held the older lady away from himself, but she pushed forward, until she was so close, there was no way for Chris to distance himself.

  Ah well, it was only for a few minutes and he’d be done.

  When the music ended, he accompanied the older lady back to her chair. “Thank you, Mrs Santini,” he said, and started to walk away.

  “No so fast, young man,” she said, grabbing his arm. “I paid a lot of money to dance with you. I think I should at least get a kiss.”

  Chris balked, but she leaned forward and gave him a friendly peck on the cheek, then hugged him. “Now I have my money’s worth,” she said, laughing.

  Chris sighed in relief. What did he think? That she would kiss him on the lips? He couldn’t ba
re to think about it.

  “Dessert is about to be served.” Chase’s voice came over the loud speaker, and people began to return to their tables.

  Lizzie hustled out to the kitchen, meaning Chris didn’t get the opportunity to talk to her about ‘his offer’. She really could be sneaky at times, but since it was for a good cause, he’d let her off this time.

  The waitresses began to pour out of the kitchen again, this time carrying desserts.

  At least Charlotte didn’t have to slave over a hot oven for the desserts. Chris knew they’d been prepared at the café.

  Traditional Black Forest Cake with cream on the side, and Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafer Crumble for the alternative. Yummy!

  Chris patted his belly. He had over indulged tonight, but he didn’t care. He didn’t do it often, and Charlotte was an amazing chef.

  And... it was for a great cause.

  Just like the dance he had to have. He sighed.

  At least it was Lizzie and not some bachelorette trying to tie him down. That’s what usually happened at these things.

  He thought back to the last dinner dance he’d attended and felt ill. The young lady in question virtually forced herself on him. Luckily, they were in a public place with lots of people around. He wasn’t sure what would have happened if they’d been alone.

  Dessert was over, and coffee was being served. Little Chloe was letting her presence known now that she was awake and hungry. Missy took her bottle out to the kitchen to warm up, while Rory pacified the little one by walking around with her on his shoulder.

  For a tiny moment, Chris wished for his own little family. All the Callahan Brothers had now settled down, making him somewhat envious.

  He shook himself. What was he thinking? Those kinds of thoughts could only lead to disaster.

  The crying stopped when Rory put the teat of the bottle in the baby’s mouth. She’d been good all night, and he couldn’t deny she was a beautifully behaved little girl.

  He took a sip of his coffee, watching Rory with his little treasure. He seemed so happy. Happier than he’d ever been.