Emma helped her zip up the back and then put the dress clips in all the right places. Laurie couldn’t believe her reflection in the mirror—of all the dresses she’d tried on since she started working here, this was by far her favorite. It could be modern, it could be vintage—it just all depended on how the bride chose to play it. She could see this one selling a lot.
“Come out, Laurie!” Lisa called, and Laurie grinned. She stepped out of the dressing room and everyone cheered, including one customer who had wandered in without an appointment just to look around. She asked for the name of the dress Laurie wore so she could try it on when she came back.
Laurie stepped up on the pedestal and turned to face herself in the big mirror. Being able to see herself from so many different angles was amazing. The dress fit her beautifully, and she couldn’t decide whether she felt more like a model, a princess, or an actual bride.
The chime on the door rang, but she didn’t pay it any attention. Holly was back up front now, and one of the other consultants could deal with whatever came in. She just wanted another minute to enjoy what she looked like in this gown.
“Whoa.”
The deep voice startled her, and she spun around. What she didn’t realize was that spinning in a long dress with a train while standing on a pedestal would throw her off balance, and she fell right over. But Logan was there to catch her this time, and as his arms tightened around her waist, she looked up into his eyes.
“You look . . . I don’t even have words to describe it,” he said softly, helping her back to her feet.
“Whenever the new line comes in, we play dress-up,” she explained, feeling a little bit embarrassed. Did he think she was trying on wedding dresses because she was so sure he was going to propose? That would be really pushy of her, and she didn’t want him to think of her that way. Especially now that he knew her history with Chad. “It’s kind of silly,” she said, but he touched her finger with his lips.
“Don’t ever apologize for looking so incredibly beautiful,” he said. “Ever.”
“Okay,” she whispered against his finger. She had no idea what kind of magic he was using, but she was totally, completely under his spell.
“So, tell me,” he said, leading her over to the bench near the window and sitting down. “How much do you like having me around?”
“I like it. At first, I wanted you to go far, far away and never come back, but then I got used to you, and now I like it.”
“Would you mind if I moved here?”
“Would I mind?” She realized her voice had just gone into the upper registers and tried to pull it down to normal. “Would I mind? That’s what I’ve been praying for all day.”
“Well, you’re looking at the newest lawyer in town. I had a great talk with Melvin—I was there for about two hours, and he told me about his clientele and what he’d need me to do. I started to give him my references and work history, but he told me that if you recommended me, that was all he needed to know.”
“Aw, he said that? He’s such a sweetheart.”
“Yeah, well, that sweetheart then proceeded to warn me that if I hurt you, he’d come after me to the full extent of the law.”
“Aw, he really is a sweetheart.”
Logan slid an arm around her waist. “I can’t explain what happened to me the first time I saw you, Laurie, and you’re probably going to think I’m completely insane. But I’m in love with you, and I’m moving here to Aspen Ridge so I can be near you. I want . . .” He swallowed. “I want to make you my wife.”
Laurie blinked. “What?”
“My wife. As in, ring on the finger, walking down the aisle, grocery shopping together . . .”
“I know what it means. But we just met. How can you possibly know you want to marry me?” And why was her heart jumping up and down with pompoms at the thought?
“Is there some law that we can only do what’s possible?” He stroked her jaw, his touch sending ripples down her spine. “I love you, Laurie. Sure, this is fast, but I’m not going to be any more sure of my feelings in a month or a year or a decade. You are the woman I want at my side, helping me fight my battles and celebrating when we win. What do you say?”
Laurie couldn’t form words for a moment. This was so fast, so out of nowhere, so . . . crazy and wonderful. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes. But we do need to spend some time getting to know each other. Like, what’s your middle name?”
“Howard,” he answered immediately. “That was my father’s name.”
“Howard,” she repeated. “I like that.”
He stroked her jawline gently, like a cloud, and then tipped her chin up. He pulled her against him and kissed her, and everyone else in the shop—and the shop itself—disappeared. It was just the two of them, two total opposites who realized they belonged on the same coin, and Laurie felt her heart reach out and wrap around his to tie a knot she would never be able to loosen.
When he finally pulled back, Logan smiled down at her. “And when you change back into your work clothes,” he whispered, “don’t bury this dress too far in the storeroom, okay? It would be nice if you knew right where to find it again.”
“Okay,” she whispered just before he pulled her in for another kiss. This really was crazy. But she had a feeling it was going to be the most wonderful kind of crazy in the world.
THE END
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And Something Blue (Main Street Merchants Book 1) Page 13
