“Would you stop saying that,” Carolyn groaned. “We’re not rich, but we’ve all got jobs.”
Sally stepped toward Carolyn. Max, the Irish Wolfhound she’d been trying to re-home, pricked his ears to attention. “Down, Max,” Sally said.
Max flopped back into relaxed mode, but kept his big brown eyes focused on Sally as she moved further away.
Sally pointed to the sixty-four dresses on the rails around the room. “We’ve got more bridesmaids’ dresses than we know what to do with. We’d be happy to help.”
“It doesn’t matter how much money you have,” Annie said. “We try and help anyone who asks.”
Stacey frowned at Carolyn. “See…I told you it was okay.”
Carolyn’s gaze left her sister and returned to Tess. “If you’re sure it’s all right, then I’ll say thank you.”
“It’s more than all right,” Tess said. She picked up her laptop and took it across to Carolyn. “Show me what style you like the best. It’s easier working from the laptop, rather than pulling all of the dresses off the rack.”
Carolyn and her three bridesmaids huddled around Tess’ laptop, looking at the dresses Molly had loaded onto their catalog. Last week they’d decided to change the way the dresses were organized on the website. Instead of simply scrolling through each available dress, Molly had grouped the dresses by style.
They now had a Cinderella Collection with big puffy skirts and sleeves, a Grace Kelly Collection of simple, elegant gowns, and an Exotic Collection for anything bright, colorful and different. If any of their bridesmaids wanted a winter dress, they had a special Winter Romance Collection. It made it easier for everyone to find the dresses, but it didn’t reduce the number of dresses they had.
“Another box arrived yesterday,” Sally said from beside Annie. “Thankfully it only had two dresses in it.”
Annie watched Tess haul a dress out of the rack and show Stacey. “We need more bridesmaids.”
Sally nodded. “Another bride’s coming to see Molly on Wednesday night. She needs four dresses. Connie returned the dresses she used for her wedding.”
Stacey held the dress in front of her and looked in the full-length mirror on the wall. Annie liked the style. It would have come from their Grace Kelly Collection. With short capped sleeves, pencil slim skirt and tailored bodice, it was probably one of the less fussy dresses they had.
Annie watched another bridesmaid hold a dress in front of her. “The number of dresses is growing faster than we can give them away.”
Sally sat on a sofa. “Fewer boxes are arriving than there were a month ago. Hopefully everyone will forget about us soon.”
“Don’t count on it. I met two people last week who knew about The Bridesmaids Club because we’d helped someone they knew. As long as we’re giving away dresses we’ll have more arriving. I’ll see if Tess needs a hand.”
“Wait for me.” Sally pulled herself off the sofa and followed Annie.
They helped Carolyn and her three bridesmaids find the dresses they’d shortlisted. Some of them were put back on the racks quickly, others took longer to consider.
Stacey held a dress in front of Carolyn’s friend, Trish, the third bridesmaid in the group. “This will look beautiful on you. Let’s go and try these dresses on.”
Tess walked them through to the bedroom they’d converted into the changing area, then reappeared a few seconds later. “What do you think of those dresses?”
Sally put two of the rejected dresses away. “Stacey is definitely going to choose the hot pink gown, the buttercup yellow and orange dresses both suit Trish, and Kimberley will look great in the deep blue silk.”
“You should have been a fashion designer,” Annie said as she pulled a pale lemon colored dress off the rack. “This is new.”
“Arrived yesterday,” Tess said. “I wasn’t sure whether to put it in the Cinderella Collection or with the Grace Kelly dresses.”
Annie hung the dress on a separate rail on the side of the room. She stood back to admire the pretty chiffon skirt and pleated bodice. “I think it belongs with the Cinderella Collection. Anyone who wears that dress will feel like they’re going to a royal ball.”
“Do I detect a note of wistfulness in your voice?” Tess asked.
“Maybe a little,” Annie admitted. “I’ve always wanted to go to a ball. The real kind, with a band and lots of chandeliers over the dance floor.”
“And Prince Charming waiting to sweep you off your feet?” Tess was smiling.
Annie shook her head. “Been there, done that. Never doing it again.”
Sally sat on a sofa. “I wouldn’t mind meeting my Prince Charming. He wouldn’t even need to be a prince.”
“At least you’ve got a realistic goal,” Annie smiled as she sat beside Sally. “Charming can’t be too hard to find in a State full of cowboys.”
“You wouldn’t think so.” Sally sighed. “Sometimes I think the animals at the shelter could teach the men I know a thing or two about being charming.”
Tess handed Sally and Annie a cup of coffee. “Drown your sorrows in caffeine. It works wonders for the soul.”
Carolyn, their blushing bride to be, smiled shyly from the doorway leading into the changing area. “We have three clear winners. Are you ready to be impressed?”
Tess nodded. “Let’s see what you’ve chosen.”
Carolyn looked over her shoulder and said something to her bridesmaids. One by one they walked into the main living area in The Bridesmaids Club headquarters, beaming from ear to ear.
“Wow,” Annie said. “You all look so lovely.”
Sally’s guess about which dress each bridesmaid would choose had been exactly right. Stacey had chosen the hot pink gown, Trish was wearing the buttercup yellow dress, and Kimberley wore the deep blue silk. Most of the gowns didn’t need too much in the way of alterations, which was even better for the bridesmaids.
“What do we do now?” Carolyn asked.
“You take them home and have a wonderful wedding,” Sally said.
“Really? Just like that?” Carolyn looked totally confused. “Would you like me to bring them back once we’ve finished with them?”
Annie, Sally and Tess all said the same word at the same time. “No.”
When Carolyn frowned at them, Tess explained why they were so sure they didn’t want them back. “We’ve got a lot of dresses to give away and each day more arrive. If you want to find someone to give them to, that would be great.”
Annie put her coffee mug down on a small table beside her. “Bozeman High School has a prom dress swap each year. You could always donate the dresses to the school if you want to make a difference in someone else’s life?”
Carolyn looked slightly relieved. “That sounds like a good way of paying back your generosity. I guess it’s time to get changed and leave you to enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Thank you so much.”
Tess smiled as Stacey twirled in front of the mirror. “It’s our pleasure.”
Within fifteen minutes, Carolyn and her three bridesmaids had left the loft. Annie sighed. The peace and quiet in the room was as blissful as dipping her feet in a cool stream on a hot day.
“That was a good fitting,” Tess said. “Three more dresses gone to a very happy bridal party.”
“Does anyone want another coffee?” Sally asked.
“Not me. I’ve had my caffeine quota for the day.” Annie took her mug across to the kitchen and rinsed it out. “Thanks for your help last week, Sally. I still don’t know what to do about Bella.”
Bella was Annie’s mystery girl. A few weeks ago, she’d sent a letter to The Bridesmaids Club asking them to find a bride for her daddy. With no return address, no last name and no clues about how to find her, it had been hard knowing where to start the search. Sally had checked the school records at Bozeman Elementary where she worked. There were no girls called Bella currently enrolled that didn’t have a mom.
“What about seeing Dan Carter at the police de
partment? He might know where to start looking?”
“I’ve already talked to him. There’s not a lot we can do.” Annie’s cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at the screen.
“What’s wrong?” Sally asked.
“It’s a text from Dylan. He’s arrived in New York. Weather’s hot and humid. Smog everywhere. He misses Montana already.”
Sally smiled. “Could he be missing one person in particular?”
Annie couldn’t think who he’d be missing. “Who?”
“You.” Sally leaned over Annie’s shoulder and read the text. “A man doesn’t send a woman a text to tell her he’s arrived safely unless he likes her. And if that woman was worried about him, then that’s a good reason for her to admit she likes him, too.”
“He’s helping a friend and it could be dangerous.” Annie knew she’d worry about anyone in the same situation. The fact that she’d been thinking about Dylan for lots of other reasons didn’t have anything to do with receiving the text.
“Are you going to text him back?” Tess asked.
“What would I say? Weather’s great here. Three bridesmaids’ dresses have gone to good homes?”
“Why not?” Tess turned off her laptop.
“It’s mundane and normal,” Annie muttered.
“You don’t need to be witty and chatty in a text. All he wanted to do was let you know he’s okay.”
Annie hesitated before typing her mundane and normal reply. “He’s going to think I’m boring.”
“At least he’s thinking of you,” Sally said. “If I found a man who was charming and thoughtful I’d snap him up before someone else pounced.”
The thought of anyone pouncing on Dylan wasn’t altogether pleasant. And it had absolutely nothing to do with his touching issue and everything to do with Annie. She liked him more than she’d ever liked anyone, and that was a scary place to be.
Chapter Seven
Annie opened her front door and looked at Dylan. “What happened?”
He touched the bruise on his left cheek and grimaced. “Would you believe that I ran into a doorframe?”
“Only if it had a fist attached to it.” Annie opened the door wider. “Go into the living room and sit down. You don’t look too good.”
Even though Dylan often worked out of State, she’d been worried about his unplanned trip to New York. From the look of his face, it hadn’t gone as well as it could have.
He’d texted her twice while he was away. Each time she’d wondered why he was keeping in contact with her. She hoped it was because he liked her. If he was being polite, she’d be disappointed.
“Have you had an x-ray to make sure nothing’s broken?”
Dylan nodded and sat carefully down in a chair.
“You’ve hurt yourself somewhere else?”
“I’ve got a couple of bruised ribs.”
“But your Ironman competition is in ten days’ time. Are you going to be all right for that?”
“I’ll have to be. How has your week been so far?”
Annie wasn’t impressed with Dylan’s attempt to change the subject. “From the look of it, not as exciting as yours. What happened?”
He stared down at the floor, weighing up whatever was running through his head. “Todd and I had an unexpected encounter with a gang. They ended up being arrested.”
Annie’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “What was Todd doing with a gang? And why were you helping him and not leaving it to the police?”
“He had an issue he needed to sort out. Sometimes the police are the last people you want to call.”
Annie’s only major involvement with the police had been on the day two officers came to her house to tell her Ruby had died. They’d been kind and sympathetic, the type of people who’d gone out of their way to connect her with people who could help her.
Dylan sniffed the air. “Something smells good.”
“You’re changing the subject again.”
“Trying to.”
Annie didn’t trust the gleam in his eyes. “It’s a venison roast. I made it in the slow cooker.”
“I haven’t had a roast meal in a long time. Can I do anything to help?”
“You can set the table while I get the vegetables out of the oven.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Annie walked across to the kitchen and opened a drawer. She chose a blue and white checkered tablecloth and handed it to Dylan. “You know I want to ask you more questions about what happened in New York, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Annie looked closely at Dylan to see if he was making fun of her. “And you know that just because I’m going to stop myself from asking questions, it doesn’t mean I don’t care?”
“Yeah. I know that, too.”
Annie heard the softness in Dylan’s voice, the acceptance of something that had grown between them. She cleared her throat. “Well, then. I’m glad we’ve got that sorted.”
Dylan gazed at her with an unreadable expression on his face. “We have?”
Annie nodded and blindly reached for the cutlery drawer. “I’ll leave the knives and forks on the counter for you. There’s extra salt and pepper in the pantry.”
Dylan set the table in silence. Annie was bursting at the seams with questions she wanted to ask, but she wouldn’t delve into a part of his life he didn’t want to share. She pulled the vegetables out of the oven and put them on a big white plate. “The roast meat and gravy are nearly ready.”
“Do you want me to take the vegetables across to the table?”
“Yes, please.” Annie added the venison to another plate. She sliced some of the meat and put it on the table. “Would you like a glass of wine or orange juice?”
“I’d better stick with the juice.” He glanced at the table. “I could get used to your cooking.”
Annie took the compliment as it was intended. “I like baking. It makes me happy and makes other people happy.”
The smile disappeared from Dylan’s eyes. “I wish it was that simple for everyone.”
Annie poured them both a drink and returned to the dining area. “Is Todd okay?”
Dylan pulled Annie’s chair out from the table and waved her forward. “He’s had better weeks. I’m hoping this is the last time he goes to New York.”
“Does he go there often?”
Dylan waited for Annie to start eating before he picked up his knife and fork. “Do you know anything about Todd?”
Annie shook her head. “Not a lot. He keeps to himself. The only times I’ve seen him are when Tess and I deliver meals to Pastor Steven’s church. Sometimes he’s there helping with the programs the church runs.”
“Todd used to be a pilot. After his wife and son died, he came back to Montana to recover. It’s been hard for him to adjust to his new life.”
Annie could understand some of what Todd was going through. Her heart had been split in two when Ruby died. She didn’t know how she would have managed if two people she’d loved had died at the same time. “Is there anything I can do?”
Dylan started to shake his head, then changed his mind. “You could use the kitchen in my warehouse to make meals for Todd? I’d deliver them. It’s a surefire way to make him happy.”
“Sneaky…real sneaky Dylan Bayliss. You think you can make me change my mind by helping Todd.”
“Why won’t you reconsider leasing the kitchen from me?”
Annie narrowed her eyes at the innocent expression on his face.
Dylan’s lips twitched. “Okay, so I know you’ve got a thing about my money. But there isn’t that much left, and I was never incredibly rich anyway.”
“You’ve bought a huge home and don’t have a mortgage. You own a warehouse with two top of the range combi ovens. What more could you want?”
“Enough money to renovate the inside of the warehouse. It’s going to take a lot of time and money to create what we need.”
An
nie pushed some meat onto her fork and frowned at Dylan. “You won’t be making much money from the kitchen if I lease it. I can’t afford to pay the rent that it’s worth.”
“Have you asked how much I’d charge you?”
Annie hadn’t even considered asking. Starting a business was one thing. Starting it in a purpose-built commercial kitchen was a completely different scenario. There would be stiff competition from other caterers wanting to use Dylan’s warehouse, even without the ovens.
Instead of answering him, she started eating.
“You can’t ignore an obvious solution to two of my problems.” Dylan’s patient voice grated on Annie’s nerves.
“I’m not ignoring your problems. I’m eating my dinner.”
Dylan chewed a mouthful of roast meat. He watched her face. She kept her expression neutral, determined not to let him know how interested she was in his kitchen.
He waited.
Annie kept eating. The clock on the kitchen wall ticked and she wished she’d put some music on before they’d sat down to eat. She could still do it. It would fill the gaps in their conversation, make it less obvious that she was trying hard not to care about a solution to his problems.
After another couple of minutes, she gave up trying to be quiet. “What two problems would I be fixing?”
“My first problem is Todd. The second one is finding a reliable person to lease my kitchen. Do you want to know how much the rent would be?”
She frowned at Dylan.
“Four hundred dollars per month, with free dinners for two desperate bachelors each day. And in case you’re wondering…the two desperate bachelors are Todd and I.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Annie spluttered. “Four hundred dollars would barely pay the utility bill. You’d be losing money.”
Dylan frowned. “Anyone else would jump at the chance. Why aren’t you?”
Annie sipped her juice and tried to work out why she was so annoyed with Dylan’s offer. He was right. Most people would sign the lease before he changed his mind. “Maybe I’m scared,” she said quietly.
“What of?”
Annie pushed a piece of roast potato around her plate. “Failure. I’ve dreamed of owning a catering business for so long that I’m scared it won’t work. There’s only me. I don’t have someone else’s income to help with expenses when I’m building my customer base.”
Loving You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 2) Page 12
