CHAPTER 63 Champagne


    Cristos


    Night had fallen over the quiet town of New Salem.


    It was the calm before the storm.


    The contestants were in the dressing room doing their hair and make-up while I sent Joy and Xavier


    home to get ready for tonight. Sebastian went to Bismarck to supervise our three teams to ensure


    operations go smoothly during the heist.


    As for me, there were still things I needed to do in the pub, but I decided to go home and get dressed


    first. It was worth the twenty minute drive since I didn’t have a change of clothing in my office.


    Although I wanted to wear a suit, I thought it would be too much, so I opted for a simple crisp white long


    sleeved buttoned down shirt and navy blue cks, all paired with brown shoes. After putting on my


    gold Rolex and making sure my hair was styled in ce, I drove back to the pub to prepare the table


    Xavier had requested and ensure the pageant proceeds without any other dy.


    When I arrived, I wasn’t surprised to find the pub filling up with people. The pageant wasn’t supposed


    to start in an hour and a half, so to entice my patrons toe early, I extended happy hour as an extra


    perk for the asion. I also included a discount ondies’ drinks to get the women toe in, knowing


    it would be mostly men inside the pub and I didn’t want it packed with so much beef.


    After


    r grabbing the things I needed from my office, I began setting up the table for Cynthia McDowell. Over


    the simple white table cloth I used to cover the wooden table Xavier specifically requested at a dark


    corner of the pub, I ced a sheer maroon table runner to create an illusion of romance. I lit up a long


    tapered white candle on a vintage brass. candlestick andid a beautiful bouquet of red and white long


    stemmed roses on top of the table. Beside the table, a champagne ice bucket on a stand was already


    filled with ice and. three bottles of Laurent- Perrier Champagne. Xavier requested Dom Perignon, but I


    told him champagne as expensive as Dom was for celebration not extermination. He smirked at my


    comment, agreeing with me.


    “Who’s that for?” Lisa’s familiar voice asked from behind me. I turned around and greeted her


    with a warm smile.


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    I was stunned to see her wearing a little ck dress which seemed to have finally made its way out of


    the end of her closet. On her feet were pointed toe high-heeled sling backs while her hair was up in a


    neat bun disying her long neck.


    I actually felt sorry for Lisa. Here was a beautiful brte who had wasted so many of her years with


    an animal named Cris.


    Anyway, it won’t be long and Cris will be six feet below the ground. I just hoped Lisa would move on


    quickly and fall in love with someone who would make her truly happy.


    I ced my cheek against hers and kissed her cheek to cheek. “Lisa, it’s so nice to see you.” I, then,


    pointed to the table. “Well, Bo called this morning requesting I reserve a table for ady friend for


    tonight,” I exined, then ced a finger against her lips to quiet her. I- already knew what her next


    question would be. It’s for Cynthia McDowell.” I abruptly turned around to walk back to the bar. As I


    walked away, Iplimented her. “By the way, nice


    dress.”


    “Uh, thanks. So, Chip, does Bo have a date with Cynthia McDowell? Or did Bo just reserve at table for


    her?” Lisa asked, following closely behind as I walked to the bar. I could understand why she wanted to


    rify things.


    I gestured for her to sit at the bar while I went behind it. After cing a martini in front of her to


    compliment her sophisticated outfit, I leaned towards her and whispered, “Bo wanted the table to be


    special and even sent that beautiful bouquet for her. So, maybe he did ask her


    out on a date.”


    Lisa moved her head away from mine, her brown eyes as wide as saucers. “Bo is into older women?” I


    thought-”


    “You thought what?” This I wanted to hear.


    “I thought he might have a thing for Virtue,” Lisa said. Iughed at the absurdity and ced my hands


    on my hips.


    “Why in the world would you think of such a thing?”


    She shook her head and ced her hand over her eyes, realizing she had made a mistake. “I


    don’t know why I listen to Cris. He said he saw Virtue at Bo’s and noticed how his eyes


    followed Virtue out of the store. Phew! I thought Cris might have seen something more


    incriminating.


    I decided I should change the subject and turn the tables on her.


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    “And where is this hushand of yours? I raised an eyebrow as I asked. She shrugged her shoulders.


    “Your husband has left you all alone while you sport the forever elegant little


    ck dress?”


    Chip, I actually have no idea where he is. I called him a while ago and his phone was out of service. He


    left for Bismarckst night to have a meeting with a ‘private sponsor. That’s all I know.” It was weird, but


    she actually sounded relieved.


    “If it’s any constion, you can report him missing if he doesn’t show up for the pageant,” I joked. I


    paused to survey the crowd and nced at my watch. Almost nine. Everyone should being in at


    any minute.


    And I was right. Noah walked in with Jack Emery. After seeing me with Lisa, they both waved and


    walked towards the bar. Jack was still in uniform.


    “Lisa, Where’s Cris?” Jack asked gesturing at me for two beers. I nodded my prepared their drinks for


    them.


    head and


    “Somewhere,” Lisa answered dismissively, then quickly changed the topic. “Where’s Dan? Isn’t he


    coming here?”


    “Uhm, not sure if he’ll being to watch the pageant, but he’s with the Sheriff. They’re keeping gan


    eye on theke,” Jack said, leaning back on his barstool, “while I’m going to keep


    the troublemakers here inside the pub. I’m going to make sure no one disrupts this


    an eye


    neve on


    pageant.”


    I stooped down pretending to get sses from the under bar, hoping Sebastian had overheard Jack.


    Luckily, he did.


    “Copy that. Sheriff is at theke. Tanks are filled and the men are suited up. I just need you to shut


    down all the CCTVs from here to Timbuktu. Do it during the swimsuit portion… while everyone’s


    attention is focused on the pageant and not on you.”


    “Copy,” I murmured while I rummaged for a white wine ss.


    Before I stood back up, I heard Lisa gasp and wondered why. I thought maybe something happened to


    Cris on his way back from Bismarck. I quickly stood up, sses in hand about to ask what just


    happened when I noticed everyone’s attention was focused on the woman who just walked in.


    Many appreciative low whistles came from every direction of the pub as the tall blonde wearing a lemon


    spaghetti strap fitted mermaid c ocktail bandage dress strutted across the


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    CHAPTER 63 Champagne


    pub to the bar in matching yellow colored high heels. The mounds of her breasts peeked through the


    top of her dress while her curvaceous body was outlined by the fitted dress for


    all to see.


    There was no way any man could resist this se xy vixen. Her hair cascaded freely y over her shoulders


    and on her back, styled in huge luscious curls which bounced as she walked. Her body hugging dress


    left nothing to the imagination.


    She was a picture of perfection… enticing every man.


    Jack quickly took charge and rushed towards her to protect her from the men’s catcalls. A fleeting


    surge of jealousy erupted within me as I watched Jack take Joy’s hand, but I stood back like the g ay


    man I pretended to be and smiled appreciatively as my supposed bestfriend walked an imagined


    catwalk.


    I apuded and yelled, “Strut it, girlfriend!”


    “Chip!” Xavier’s voice interrupted my apuse. I pretended to jump and squeal.


    “When did you get here?” I asked.


    “I walked in with Virtue,” Xavier said, chuckling at the reaction of the people at the pub as Joy waltzed


    in. But I knew deep inside Xavier was pis sed. It was in his eyes. “I guess everyone”


    else is invisible.”


    I poured a ss of white wine into a thin wine ss and ced it on the bar top just as Joy arrived at


    the bar, her arm wrapped around Jacks. After Jack took hold of her arm, the whistling stopped and the


    men in the pub averted their heads in embarrassment.


    “Nice dress and nice entrance,” I said. “I wasn’t expecting you to arrive so early.”


    “It isn’t early,” she said. “It’s already a quarter past nine. The pageant will be starting in forty-five


    minutes and I wanted to have a couple of drinks before we began.” She took the ss of white wine


    and downed it. Then, she turned her attention to Xavier. “Hey Bo! So nice to see you outside your usual


    territory. Look at you… so nicely dressed.”


    Xavier was wearing a casual dark gray suit without a tie. His white shirt was unbuttoned


    showing some of his chest. I smirked. Cynthia McDowell was known to insert her hand inside.


    a man’s shirt.


    “I have a date,” Xavier said, his face towards the entrance of the pub. “And here she is now…”


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    As I prepared more drinks, I watched discreetly as Cynthia McDowell wearing a fitted red dress flittered


    like an excited butterfly towards Xavier.


    I smiled.


    Tll have the dj y ‘Lady in Red’ter, I told Xavier while handing him two champagne sses.


    “Sure,” Xavier said. “And keep those bottlesing. I want her so drunk, I’ll have to drive her home.”


    Chapter Comments


    Morgan


    I hope this girl is saved before they kill her


    Luna-Mom


    so he’s gonna be abducted……


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