“I wish you didn’t have to go,” he murmured.
“Me too. Believe me, I’d much rather do anything than what I have ahead of me tonight, picking out thousands of tiny threads.”
Dallas laughed and then leaned closer, his face inches from mine. “Thanks for giving me a chance, Adri. I really like you. I get nervous around girls as pretty as you, but I want to get this right.”
“You’re doing fine so far.”
He smiled, and I noticed his teeth were small and even. His flawless skin was a reminder of his Asian heritage. I admired his startlingly green eyes, and Dallas chose that moment to close the distance between us and brush a feather-light kiss across my lips. Before I could react, the kiss was over, and he pulled me into an embrace. I relaxed into his chest, enjoying the closeness of the moment and wishing he would kiss me again. Then I stepped back.
“When can I see you again?” Dallas asked.
“Maybe Monday? As long as I’m caught up on everything.” I pushed back the loose tendrils of hair tickling the sides of my face. “Thanks for tonight.”
Dallas rubbed his stomach. “Definitely my pleasure.”
As I drove home, I relived the nanosecond-long first kiss and felt a keen disappointment. There weren’t any fireworks yet, but maybe next time there would be time to light the fuse. If Dallas hadn’t been so nervous, I might’ve even invited him over for a movie while I worked on Natalie’s bridal shower details. I frowned. Oh, well. At least this way there would be nothing to distract me from getting the job done.
Lorea texted me as I was changing my clothes.
So? How was date #3?
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Dallas, so I didn’t want to give her too much info. My hesitant nature in the dating arena had me overanalyzing everything, and that kiss hadn’t quite swept me off my feet.
Short. Sweet. One peck. Now back to work.
Hmm, he def. likes you, sounds like you still don’t know. Okay, I won’t bug you. Get that hem done!
Lorea had me figured out. I pulled on a pair of green-and-white cotton pajama pants. They had been a gift from my grandma, and I felt so relaxed I wished I could just fall into bed. But first I needed to make sure that all the windows and doors were securely locked, and then I felt for the bulge in the quilt. The diamonds were still safe. With careful steps, I walked into my spare bedroom to check on Natalie’s gown. I tried to laugh at myself for sneaking around my own house, but I was too worried for laughter.
The dress was just as I had left it. I reexamined the hem and spent some time trimming and pulling out the remnants of thread that had held the hem together. When the task was finally complete I tucked the gown away. I walked through my house again, double-checking the locks. Satisfied that my home was secure, I crawled into bed thinking about my plans for the next morning.
Chapter 11
Conversation Starters
Print quotations on paper silverware wrappers or along the bottom of place cards for fun conversation starters. Example: “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one.” —Chinese proverb
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com.
My dreams were haunted by wedding gowns that were all too heavy to lift because they were weighted down with smuggled diamonds. The morning sunshine was a welcome change from the nightmares. I changed into a pair of old jeans and a long-sleeved, quick-dry shirt that felt soft against my skin. On my way out of the house, I grabbed a banana and a granola bar. There was always a box of water bottles in my trunk; growing up in the Idaho desert near the boonies had taught me well. I retrieved a bottle and guzzled half of it before sliding into the cool interior of my vehicle. The Mountaineer had a great stereo system, and I selected one of my favorite running mixes for the ride over to the shop. What I was about to do would not be pleasant.
The music heightened my spirits, and I was able to shed a little worry as I drove. Eight minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot behind Pyper’s Dream Weddings. A quick walk-through of the building calmed my frazzled nerves—everything was as I’d left it the day before.
Rolling my shoulders back, I headed outside. I eyed the garbage cans lined up behind the shops and cringed. Garbage day was Monday, so they were full and foul smelling this clear Saturday morning. The police had performed a perimeter search of the area after the break-in, including a search of these trash cans and dumpsters, but they were looking for wedding gowns. I needed to search for any remnants of material that a male police officer, who had no idea about fabric, might have missed. Hoping for a clue to the whereabouts of Sylvia’s gown, specifically, I stared at the dumpster and swallowed. The pair of blue latex gloves I’d pulled on didn’t seem like enough of a barrier for searching through trash, so I put an old pair of work gloves over them.
With a shudder, I checked the trash from my shop. Not surprised that I didn’t find anything of significance, I moved toward the next building. It was one of many realty agencies in Ketchum, and I figured it was a good place to continue my search. I lifted the lid of the big black garbage can and began sifting through the trash. Most of the bags were white or clear plastic, so it was easier work
