compilation of domestic tasks. And she wouldn’t have relished having other people around the house.
“Your parents would have approved of your choice.”
“If my parents would have approved, then I know I would have hated him.”
“I hate him, too, and I never even met the guy.” He reached across and took her hand. “I’m sorry, Mags.”
“For what? For not running a bank, owning two houses and five cars? That’s not the stuff that makes people happy, although perhaps it fills a hole if someone isn’t happy.”
“You’re wise. Have I ever told you you’re wise?”
“You’re the professor.”
“You’re the professor of life.” He glanced back at the paper. “Want to hear the rest?”
“There’s more? Please tell me we’re not white-water rafting. The power shower was enough for me.”
“Tomorrow morning you’re up at dawn, joining Catherine for a spa morning. Hair, nails, massage and pampering.”
“Dawn? I’m not sure I like the sound of that. What are you doing while I’m putting my back into relaxation?”
“I can choose between a massage and a few hours at leisure. I think I’ll choose the leisure. There’s a book on the shelves I’d like to dip into.”
“I hate you.”
“After that we’re going up on a gondola to the top of the mountain for lunch.”
“A gondola? Is this Venice?”
“A gondola is a ski lift.”
“What happens after lunch? Or is that the end of our second honeymoon?” She saw Nick’s expression change. “Nick?”
“The suggestion is quiet time back in the tree house.”
“Quiet—?” Maggie gasped. “You mean sex?”
“I’m guessing that’s what she has in mind.”
“Is there a hidden camera somewhere? Is someone going to watch us? Tick it off the list?” She closed her eyes. “I am never telling a lie again. From now on it’s the truth all the way, no matter who it upsets.”
“We can talk about that later, but in the meantime we have to get ready for sledding. According to the brochure, it’s something we’re never going to forget.”
Maggie didn’t have any trouble believing that.
Spending time getting up close and personal with Nick hadn’t been on her agenda.
It wasn’t real, she reminded herself. All this was still part of the pretense.
Katie
Katie stood self-consciously while the woman fussed over the dress she was trying on.
“It’s a little loose. Your measurements have changed since you sent them to Rosie.”
Katie smoothed the fabric over her hips. “I may have lost weight. Sometimes I forget to eat when I’m working.”
Rosie shook her head in disbelief. “I hear people say that and I don’t get it. I have never forgotten to eat in my life. How does that even happen?”
“Sometimes I’m too busy, and sometimes the stuff I see puts me off my food.”
“Katie is a trauma doctor,” Catherine explained to the seamstress. “This woman is a heroine.”
“Not a heroine.” Katie wriggled, as uncomfortable about the conversation as she was about the dress. “It’s a job.”
“It’s so much more than that. Your mother told me all about how you wanted to be a doctor from the moment Rosie had her first asthma attack. She’s proud of you. Thank goodness there are people like you in the world.” Catherine leaned forward to pinch some fabric over her hip. “I think we could take it in here.”
Katie had never felt less like a heroine.
I’m a fake, she thought. A total fake.
“Honestly, the dress is fine. It looks great. Better than anything else I own, I promise you that.” It was a struggle to stand still. “There’s no time to adjust it. The wedding is in four days. Unless you feel like postponing?”
Rosie’s eyes widened. “Are you joking?”
“Ha! Of course I’m joking.” She wasn’t joking. “I’m surprised you managed to pull all this together in such a short time, that’s all. That’s put a lot of pressure on Catherine.”
“It was Catherine’s idea,” Rosie said and Katie stopped wriggling.
Was that why her sister was doing this? Why hadn’t that thought occurred to her before? Maybe she’d been pressured by Catherine. Well-meaning pressure, but still—
“I love a winter wedding,” Catherine said, “and I have never seen two people more in love than Rosie and Dan, so it seemed right.”
It didn’t seem right to Katie. Why was she the only one questioning the speed of this?
She wanted to hold up her hand and yell stop, stop!
Was this really what Rosie wanted?
Admittedly Katie hadn’t so far discovered anything about Dan that provided her with an excuse to step in and halt proceedings, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t something there.
Maybe there were incidents in his childhood that might offer