have a…potty mouth,” she winked.
Gianna smiled. “I have a dear friend Mary-Lou that exact same way. Of course in her line of work, she comes across a lot of…difficult people.”
“Really? What does she do?”
“Bartender. And on some nights, I swear she is also the bouncer. I’ve seen her in action. She goes from the sweetest person you’d ever meet, to grabbing a guy twice her size and tossing his butt out of the bar.”
Liz’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, she sounds amazing. Maybe the three of us should all get together some night.”
Bobbie had just returned and asked, “Is someone having a party? Count me in.”
Before Gianna could tell Bobbi they were just joking around, Liz added, “Yes Gianna is. And the more the merrier. This is going to be so much fun. Should we make this a girls only party or invite the guys too?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Bobbi replied.
Good. Less distraction. But lack of boyfriends wasn’t her concern. She could see Liz’s mind was going a mile a minute. She needed to put the brakes on this quickly. “Let’s not get carried away.”
Rosslyn’s door opened up and she said, “Carried away with what?”
“Gianna is having a party. Want to come?” Liz asked.
Rosslyn look at her and said, “I’d love to. Unless it’s tonight, because my little Penelope still isn’t feeling well.”
“No, it’s not tonight,” she replied. Not sure when I’m going to fit it in. Grateful for the opportunity to change the subject she said, “Sorry to hear your daughter is still sick.”
“I think she’s just teething again. Every time she cuts a new tooth, she spikes a fever the night before. The next day, she’s just cranky, but sure enough another tooth pops out. I called my pediatrician, and they say it’s a coincidence. That’s not the case if you speak to my father. He said I was the same way.”
“Well that’s good, I guess.” Gianna didn’t have any children and really never babysat either. She wasn’t worried about her lack of experience with them. Since she was single, thirty-one, and not even dating, it didn’t look like children were in her future anyway.
“It is. And Charles and I would love to come. We’ll use it as a date night. When you have a little one running around, everything becomes a date night,” she chuckled.
She was stuck. It was official. Gianna was having a party. The problem was her apartment wasn’t very big. She was one of the lucky ones that didn’t have a studio, but still, it was far from ideal for hosting a party. But there was no issue with having a few friends over. “Well I’m glad your expectations aren’t high, because it’s going to be something casual.”
“Sounds perfect. Most people don’t know this, but I’ve never been a city girl. Give me a reason to wear my jeans and t-shirt and I’m thrilled. Charles on the other hand, takes off his tie when he’s dressing down. If he only knew how darn good he looked in jeans.” Rosslyn had a dreamy grin and Gianna knew they had lost her for a second.
Liz’s laughter broke the moment. “Now that I’d like to see. Maybe you can tell him it’s a country themed party and we all have to wear jeans.” She turned to Gianna and asked, “What do you think? Make it a western theme?”
“Sure, why not?” She smiled as she lost total control. Gianna hadn’t even gotten into the office to meet with Rosslyn yet and things were blowing up.
“And you really don’t mind if I come?” Bobbi asked.
“Of course not,” Liz replied.
Maybe you should have the party at your place Liz.
“And you can even help me plan it Bobbi,” Gianna added.
Bobbi looked around and said, “I don’t know anything about planning a fancy party. I mean, I’ve never even been to one.”
Gianna noticed how nervous Bobbi appeared. It was funny, because Gianna was in the same shape. She’d been living in the city for more than a year, but still hadn’t unpacked all her boxes. The pressure was on. She was about to host a party and her biggest client was coming.
“It’s really not a party Bobbi, it’s friends getting together. Nothing fancy.” She had set the stage for what they could expect.
“You mean like last night when you gave me all those clothes?”
She smiled at Bobbi. No one needed to know that fact, but it was too late now. “Yes, just no fashion show.”
“Then I guess it’s set. We’re having