“Thanks to Ashleigh putting her friend in her place, Paula narrowly avoided a panty gagging moment.”

“Do you have to keep reminding me?” Kelly’s voice came out harsher than she intended.

The crestfallen look on Nicole’s face made her wish she could take the words back. Since she couldn’t she poked Nicole in the side and put the comment back on herself. “So, have you sniffed out who it was yet?”

The smile returned. “Not yet, but the night’s only young.” Nicole pulled her arm free and tapped her nose. “I have a theory though.”

Ten minutes later, all six women stood around the huge oak dining room table.

It was no surprise when Paula sat at the head of the table. She motioned for Kelly to sit to her left and Ashleigh to her right. Grace fell into place beside Ashleigh and Nicole next to Kelly.

Rather than be offended by having no choice but to sit at the foot of the table, Colette sat facing her boss looking as happy as a pig in shit.

If Kelly was the jealous type, she’d take Colette aside and ask if she had a crush on Paula. The way she mooned over her boss verged on the side of creepy.

As the booze flowed so did the conversation. The atmosphere, for the most part, was light and breezy.

Kelly played her part when it came time to dish up dinner. The fact most dishes could be served cold, chicken wings, ham, and salads, meant it was far from a chore. It also gave her something to do other than drink.

While stacking the dishes into the dishwasher, Kelly kept an ear on the conversation in the dining room. Grace held everyone captive regaling them with various events from weddings she’d photographed.

“Last weekend,” Grace’s voice had an excited edge to it. “The bride’s mother asked me to take some pictures of the bridesmaids’ unwrapping the gifts. She escorted me over to the table, tapped one of the pretty bridesmaids on the shoulder, and in her most prim voice said, Darling, hold up a gift and smile for the camera. The young woman blushed, stashed something behind her back and replied, “Um, maybe later, Mrs Jones.”

“Having none of it, Mrs Jones folded her arms across her ample bosom.” Grace put on a posh voice and spoke like she had a plum in her mouth. “Nonsense, we’re paying the woman to do a job and we haven’t got all night. Now hurry up.”

When the room fell silent, Kelly stopped wiping out the sink and craned her neck.

All eyes were on Grace as she took a sip of wine, keeping her audience in suspense.

When she didn’t lower her glass fast enough, Nicole spoke, “God woman, you’re killing us, finish the story.”