Michaela giggles along with me. “Actually, I didn’t go to college. I got a job here during my senior year of high school and never looked back. Minty’s has sort of become my home.” She sweeps the floor with her gaze. “So, hey? You’re getting married. And McKenna says you need a dress. You’re going traditional, I take it?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I’m having a beachfront wedding. We’re getting married on a bluff, then having a reception on the sand.”
“Just like McKenna.” Her mouth rounds out with a smile. “McKenna is wearing our mother’s dress. If you ask me, it’s a bit stiff for the occasion. How about I show you what I think would have worked better for her and we take it from there?”
Michaela introduces me to dozens upon dozens of dresses that span from white to nude, and I fall in love with at least half of them. But there’s one in particular that makes my heart go pitter-patter. A white dress that gathers at the bodice, cinches at the waist with a thin gold braided belt, and flows freely to the floor like a dream catches my eye. It has braided gold shoulder straps that cross in the back, and the entire ethereal feel has me holding my breath.
“Bizzy!” Michaela gasps as she steps back to observe me properly. “You are a goddess in that dress! It was made for you. I’ve never seen a dress fit so perfectly. This doesn’t need to be altered an inch.”
“I don’t know.” I chew on the inside of my cheek as I inspect myself from every angle. “At first, I thought it might look a bit costume-ish on me, but once I slipped into it, I just—I fell in love. But the sticker shock. I could buy a Ferrari with this kind of money if I had it.”
“Ha! I wish I could say you were the first to say that. But you can’t wear a Ferrari when you’re walking down the aisle.”
“Jasper might like me in the Ferrari. Especially if I was too broke to wear anything else with it.”
She chuckles at the thought. “The price tag isn’t an issue. It’s more of a formality. The people who shop here prefer to pay those prices. Believe me, if we didn’t charge that much, they’d find someplace else to spend their money. I can slash that price down as low as you want to go. Everything is negotiable.”
“No way. I’m afraid they’d fire you if you found out how much I could afford.”
She shakes her head. “Oh, Bizzy. You are too sweet. How about this, Minty’s gives away at least a handful of dresses a season to what they like to call women of worth. I definitely think you’re a woman of worth. From what I hear, you not only run the Country Cottage Inn, you help out with just about every civic-minded activity in Cider Cove.”
“That may be true, but it doesn’t warrant this dress. I’m afraid I’ll have to turn the offer down.”
A hard gasp comes from the left and we turn to see Georgie staggering over, holding her chest as if she were just mortally wounded, her eyes feasted on the heavenly dress.
“That’s the one, Bizzy,” she pants. “You can’t tell me it’s not. It fits like a dream, and it screams I just stepped off Mount Olympus.”
I can’t help but laugh as I glance back to my reflection.
“It’s nothing I would have thought about, but after putting it on, I’ll admit, it’s a little hard to take off. But—alas all good things must come to an end.” I nod to Georgie. “Tell Juni and Macy we’re wrapping it up. I should be done in five minutes.”
“We can’t leave yet,” Georgie whines with a touch of frustration. “Bad Boy and Lumpy Pants are taking another lap around this place. Bad Boy said he’d have a surprise for me when he got back. And now I’ve got to go and tell them my mother is about to yank me out of the sandbox.” She rolls her eyes as she takes off.
“She’s a fun one, too,” I say to Michaela. “And thank you for the offer on the dress. I want you to know that I really do appreciate it.” That scene I witnessed yesterday between her and Julian comes back to me. “That was a horrible tragedy last night.”
She shudders as I say it.
“Michaela? Can I ask if you knew Julian? I mean, McKenna knew him. I thought maybe you might have known him, too.”
Her eyes dart away a moment.
“Yeah, I knew him. I saw more than my fair share of his shows.”
“It must have been hard seeing him struggle like that. I’m sorry you had to witness it.”
“Yes, well,” her lips curve in a bittersweet smile, “he always did say he wanted to leave this world surrounded by friends. I guess he got what he wanted.” And I’m glad I was there to see it.
Got what he wanted? Glad she was there to see it?
I give several blinks in her direction.
She waves it off. “It sounds harsh, I know. But Julian was a bit of a character. He wasn’t into finessing people’s feelings. Once he set his mind to something, there was no changing it.” Her expression grows dark, but there doesn’t seem to be a single thought I can grasp.
“Can I ask how the two of you met?”
Her lips twist in a knot. “I used to hang out at the Magic Castle in Edison. That’s the name of the comedy shop he worked out of.” And on that note, I think I’m ready for a drink myself. I don’t
