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Authors: Victoria Ashe
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and held on to it with far more strength than was necessary.
“What happened to the charm?” she whispered.
“You’re my wife,” he growled. “Should I ask permission to hold your hand in public?” Despite his tone, there was the sound of a smile in his words.
“There now. That’s the fictitious husband I know.” Hayely gave Gary’s hand a quick squeeze and walked into the shop with him in tow.
As a little bell on top of the door rang, the salesclerk immediately recognized Gary and rushed toward the door. Her short black hair was so dark that it might look almost blue in the right lighting. Spiked with a hard styling gel, it shook with the impact of her heels on the floor as she nearly tripped over herself to reach Gary first.
“Mr. Tarleton, welcome. What can we help you find today?”
“Evening gowns,” came his clipped answer.
“Evening gowns we’ve got,” the clerk said as she clasped her red-tipped fingers together and visibly fought to calm her nerves. “We had a whole new line come in just this morning. Is the dress for your … sister?” She looked meaningfully toward Hayely and waited.
Gary smiled stiffly at Hayely , his teeth held a bit too tightly together. “Would you mind handling this alone, honey ? I’m out of my element amongst women’s clothing, and I need to pick up a few things.”
Hayely frowned. Would he leave this woman with the impression that he was her brother? What was she supposed to say to her if he did?
“I can do it,” was all she responded.
“Good.” He leaned down and planted a sweet kiss directly on her mouth. Then he turned toward the awestruck clerk as he placed his credit card into Hayely’s hand. “We’re a really close family.”
Hayely suppressed a shocked smile as Gary walked back out the door. Her hand flew to the place his lips had just touched. Already she could hear the other clerks whispering frantically from behind the counter. At first they thought Hayely was a girlfriend, but one of them had spotted the matching platinum wedding bands.
“Can you help me find a dress?” she finally asked.
The clerk came to her senses as Hayely held up the plastic card with a credit limit she could only imagine in her hand. “I think we can find something suitable. Is it for the Chamber banquet?”
Hayely nodded and said quietly, “I’ve never been to one before. I really could use your advice on what to wear.”
The clerk took a look at Hayely and desperately wanted to dislike her. After all, she’d come in on the arm of the man she and her friends had fantasized about for years. But in spite of herself, one look at Hayely’s sincerely warm expression and a new train of thought crossed her mind.
“Mrs. Tarleton, I presume? By the time we get through with you, every snobbish, highbrow socialite is going to turn green with envy. Just you watch.”
“Thank you,” Hayely whispered. “You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”
The clerk held out her hand, “I’m Carla.”
Hayely shook her hand. “ Hayely .”
“First things first. You’re going to be surrounded by a lot of bleached blonde testaments to plastic surgery. They’ll all be wearing black, red, or if this year is anything like last year—pink. The sequins and spaghetti straps will all start to look the same. You’ll want something different. Something classy.”
“Sounds fine with me. I don’t go well with glitz.”
Carla escorted Hayely into an enormous, posh dressing room. “You wait right here and I’ll bring the dresses to you. I’ve already got a few ideas.”
Hayely unbuttoned her clothes and took the first gown over the curtain from Carla. There was lavender followed by something scarlet. Black, silver, and green all fell by the wayside. Velvet, satin, and a filmy material like gauze were all cast aside in no time. Some of the outfits were too revealing, others not revealing enough, and still more hung all wrong around her curves.
“We don’t have time
“What happened to the charm?” she whispered.
“You’re my wife,” he growled. “Should I ask permission to hold your hand in public?” Despite his tone, there was the sound of a smile in his words.
“There now. That’s the fictitious husband I know.” Hayely gave Gary’s hand a quick squeeze and walked into the shop with him in tow.
As a little bell on top of the door rang, the salesclerk immediately recognized Gary and rushed toward the door. Her short black hair was so dark that it might look almost blue in the right lighting. Spiked with a hard styling gel, it shook with the impact of her heels on the floor as she nearly tripped over herself to reach Gary first.
“Mr. Tarleton, welcome. What can we help you find today?”
“Evening gowns,” came his clipped answer.
“Evening gowns we’ve got,” the clerk said as she clasped her red-tipped fingers together and visibly fought to calm her nerves. “We had a whole new line come in just this morning. Is the dress for your … sister?” She looked meaningfully toward Hayely and waited.
Gary smiled stiffly at Hayely , his teeth held a bit too tightly together. “Would you mind handling this alone, honey ? I’m out of my element amongst women’s clothing, and I need to pick up a few things.”
Hayely frowned. Would he leave this woman with the impression that he was her brother? What was she supposed to say to her if he did?
“I can do it,” was all she responded.
“Good.” He leaned down and planted a sweet kiss directly on her mouth. Then he turned toward the awestruck clerk as he placed his credit card into Hayely’s hand. “We’re a really close family.”
Hayely suppressed a shocked smile as Gary walked back out the door. Her hand flew to the place his lips had just touched. Already she could hear the other clerks whispering frantically from behind the counter. At first they thought Hayely was a girlfriend, but one of them had spotted the matching platinum wedding bands.
“Can you help me find a dress?” she finally asked.
The clerk came to her senses as Hayely held up the plastic card with a credit limit she could only imagine in her hand. “I think we can find something suitable. Is it for the Chamber banquet?”
Hayely nodded and said quietly, “I’ve never been to one before. I really could use your advice on what to wear.”
The clerk took a look at Hayely and desperately wanted to dislike her. After all, she’d come in on the arm of the man she and her friends had fantasized about for years. But in spite of herself, one look at Hayely’s sincerely warm expression and a new train of thought crossed her mind.
“Mrs. Tarleton, I presume? By the time we get through with you, every snobbish, highbrow socialite is going to turn green with envy. Just you watch.”
“Thank you,” Hayely whispered. “You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”
The clerk held out her hand, “I’m Carla.”
Hayely shook her hand. “ Hayely .”
“First things first. You’re going to be surrounded by a lot of bleached blonde testaments to plastic surgery. They’ll all be wearing black, red, or if this year is anything like last year—pink. The sequins and spaghetti straps will all start to look the same. You’ll want something different. Something classy.”
“Sounds fine with me. I don’t go well with glitz.”
Carla escorted Hayely into an enormous, posh dressing room. “You wait right here and I’ll bring the dresses to you. I’ve already got a few ideas.”
Hayely unbuttoned her clothes and took the first gown over the curtain from Carla. There was lavender followed by something scarlet. Black, silver, and green all fell by the wayside. Velvet, satin, and a filmy material like gauze were all cast aside in no time. Some of the outfits were too revealing, others not revealing enough, and still more hung all wrong around her curves.
“We don’t have time
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