Read Online Jessica Beck - Donut Shop 17 - Old Fashioned Crooks by Jessica Beck - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jessica Beck
Ads: Link
not getting any
younger, you know.”
I could usually
handle Gabby’s impertinence, but for some reason, it struck me as being even
ruder than normal. “As a matter of
fact, neither are you.”
I heard a gasp a
few tables beyond her, but I chose to ignore it. It could go either way now. Either Gabby would unleash her fury on
me for my boldness, or she’d let it slide and pretend that I hadn’t said
anything.
To my surprise, she
chose a third option. After letting
out a startling laugh that got everyone’s attention, she smiled as she said,
“Too true. The reason I ask is that
I just got a wedding gown in that will fit you perfectly, if you’re
interested.”
“Is it white?” I
asked her, still startled by her amiable response. Maybe she was one of those folks who
just loved weddings, though I never would have predicted it based on her past
behavior.
“Of course it
is.”
“Well, that might
be a problem, then. After all, I’m
not exactly a blushing innocent,” I said. “I’ve been married before, remember? How appropriate would it be for me to
wear white again?”
“You’re kidding,
right? I had a customer who bought
a new gown from me every three years for twelve years running, each one whiter
than the one before.”
“Well, I imagine
that I’ll wear a nice pantsuit, or maybe even a dress, instead of a formal gown,”
I said.
“I have those,
too, you know. I’ll keep my eye out
for something you’ll like.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Happy to do it.” A little wistfully, she added, “I just love
a good wedding.”
So, that
particular theory had just been confirmed, much to my surprise. “I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as
I’m ready to shop for something.”
“Fine.”
Our food came as
Gabby left, and as Trish placed our orders in front of us, she asked, “What was
that all about?”
“Gabby wanted me
to look at a wedding dress that she just got into the shop,” I said with a
smile.
“Are you
seriously thinking about wearing a formal white bridal gown, Suzanne?” Trish
asked.
“Not a
chance. If I did wear one, it would
be more for the irony of it, and there’s not going to be a single thing to mock
when I marry Jake.” I studied the
food. “This looks perfect.”
“It better be,”
Trish said.
“Grace, our
food’s here,” I said as I picked up a fry and ate it.
“One second,” she
said, and then she turned back to her screen.
“No hurry. I’ll be happy to wait,” I said as I
picked up my burger and took a rather large and unladylike bite from it.
“There’s no need
to do that for me,” she said, and then she looked at me with a grin, spotting
the bite that I’d just taken. “Why
am I not surprised?”
“Hey, I said that
I was hungry, too. Did you have any
luck?”
Grace started to
say something when she looked around and saw several folks still watching and
listening to every word we were saying, and yet trying their best not to be
noticed doing it. “After.”
“Then let’s eat,”
I said, agreeing with the sentiment.
As we dined on
that glorious meal, I couldn’t help but think about what Gabby had
suggested. On the face of it,
wearing white was ridiculous, even if I was starting my life over with Jake by
my side. I’d loved to play pretend
as a girl as much as any other girl I knew had, but this was not fantasy. Marrying the man of my dreams, as corny
as that might have sounded if I’d said it out loud, was the reality, and it was
so much better than any scenario I might have dreamed up as a child.
After we ate and
paid for our meals, Grace and I lingered at the register for a second. I’d tried to get Trish’s attention,
since she’d asked me to touch base with her at some point, but she was busy
dealing with a group of other customers. I caught her eye and held up my thumb and pinkie, imitating a telephone,
as I mouthed the words, call me.
She nodded,
younger, you know.”
I could usually
handle Gabby’s impertinence, but for some reason, it struck me as being even
ruder than normal. “As a matter of
fact, neither are you.”
I heard a gasp a
few tables beyond her, but I chose to ignore it. It could go either way now. Either Gabby would unleash her fury on
me for my boldness, or she’d let it slide and pretend that I hadn’t said
anything.
To my surprise, she
chose a third option. After letting
out a startling laugh that got everyone’s attention, she smiled as she said,
“Too true. The reason I ask is that
I just got a wedding gown in that will fit you perfectly, if you’re
interested.”
“Is it white?” I
asked her, still startled by her amiable response. Maybe she was one of those folks who
just loved weddings, though I never would have predicted it based on her past
behavior.
“Of course it
is.”
“Well, that might
be a problem, then. After all, I’m
not exactly a blushing innocent,” I said. “I’ve been married before, remember? How appropriate would it be for me to
wear white again?”
“You’re kidding,
right? I had a customer who bought
a new gown from me every three years for twelve years running, each one whiter
than the one before.”
“Well, I imagine
that I’ll wear a nice pantsuit, or maybe even a dress, instead of a formal gown,”
I said.
“I have those,
too, you know. I’ll keep my eye out
for something you’ll like.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Happy to do it.” A little wistfully, she added, “I just love
a good wedding.”
So, that
particular theory had just been confirmed, much to my surprise. “I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as
I’m ready to shop for something.”
“Fine.”
Our food came as
Gabby left, and as Trish placed our orders in front of us, she asked, “What was
that all about?”
“Gabby wanted me
to look at a wedding dress that she just got into the shop,” I said with a
smile.
“Are you
seriously thinking about wearing a formal white bridal gown, Suzanne?” Trish
asked.
“Not a
chance. If I did wear one, it would
be more for the irony of it, and there’s not going to be a single thing to mock
when I marry Jake.” I studied the
food. “This looks perfect.”
“It better be,”
Trish said.
“Grace, our
food’s here,” I said as I picked up a fry and ate it.
“One second,” she
said, and then she turned back to her screen.
“No hurry. I’ll be happy to wait,” I said as I
picked up my burger and took a rather large and unladylike bite from it.
“There’s no need
to do that for me,” she said, and then she looked at me with a grin, spotting
the bite that I’d just taken. “Why
am I not surprised?”
“Hey, I said that
I was hungry, too. Did you have any
luck?”
Grace started to
say something when she looked around and saw several folks still watching and
listening to every word we were saying, and yet trying their best not to be
noticed doing it. “After.”
“Then let’s eat,”
I said, agreeing with the sentiment.
As we dined on
that glorious meal, I couldn’t help but think about what Gabby had
suggested. On the face of it,
wearing white was ridiculous, even if I was starting my life over with Jake by
my side. I’d loved to play pretend
as a girl as much as any other girl I knew had, but this was not fantasy. Marrying the man of my dreams, as corny
as that might have sounded if I’d said it out loud, was the reality, and it was
so much better than any scenario I might have dreamed up as a child.
After we ate and
paid for our meals, Grace and I lingered at the register for a second. I’d tried to get Trish’s attention,
since she’d asked me to touch base with her at some point, but she was busy
dealing with a group of other customers. I caught her eye and held up my thumb and pinkie, imitating a telephone,
as I mouthed the words, call me.
She nodded,
Similar Books
