A New Hope - Robyn Carr Page 0,40

there were tears on her cheeks. The Lacoumettes were so wonderful, all of them. Matt was such a lovely, strong man and what she felt for him was growing in her heart. She wondered what it might have been like to begin her romantic life with someone like him. If her baby was destined to die, how would her life have been different if she’d had a loving husband to hold her through the pain and tears?

She might be falling in love with him a little. She was very afraid to love again. She was afraid she wasn’t very good at it. And when she screwed it up and made mistakes, the next pain would be even worse.

Eight

On Monday morning, Ginger made it to the shop early. Of course Grace was already there. Who knew how early she had arrived? She was standing in the back room wearing a wedding dress. A sheet was spread out on the floor beneath her to keep the hem of the dress and its train clean. Iris and her mother-in-law, Gwen, were looking at the dress.

“Good morning,” Ginger said uncertainly.

“It’s going to be madness this week,” Grace said. “Utter madness.”

“Um, beautiful dress,” Ginger said.

“Not quite yet, it’s not. It’s my mother’s dress. It’s not really to my taste and it’s certainly not right for a wedding on the beach, but it would make her happy if I wear it. She has no problem with me altering it, but...”

“I don’t know that I can,” Gwen said. “It’s a little complicated.”

“What do you want to do to it?” Ginger asked.

“I like the basic lines, but these puffy sleeves are atrocious. These gathers in the back over the butt, ack. And we can’t have a train—this thing is long and heavy and I’m not dragging it through the sand. The deep cowl neckline and bodice—nice. I think I want about four yards of satin removed from this thing.”

“Little cap sleeves, gathers smoothed and no train but maybe three inches longer in the back than in the front and maybe some lace appliqué right under the bust,” Ginger suggested. “But not an empire waist—that’s too sixteenth century. Fitted, sliding right down your hips. Some seed pearls around this stunning décolletage would be nice. You’re not showing yet so it should be sleek. Simple, clean, brilliant white satin, smooth lines. A couple of small flowers in your hair.”

Everyone just stared at her.

“What?” she said. “Just an idea...”

“Perfect.” Grace looked at Gwen. “Can you do that?”

“I don’t know,” the older woman said. “It terrifies me. This is a designer gown!”

“I can do it,” Ginger said. “I sew. But I don’t have a machine with me or any supplies. I didn’t even bring a pair of scissors—and this fabric would need especially sharp scissors. I’m just not set up for it...”

“I’ll fix you up,” Gwen said. “I’m a quilter, I have everything and what I don’t have we can buy. We can do it at my house and I’ll help with the handwork. Oh, my God, it will be beautiful! But I’m not cutting it, not me! I think that dress must have cost a million dollars!”

“For all I know...” Grace muttered. “Ginger, please be sure the front door to the store is locked.”

“It’s locked,” she said.

Iris and Gwen helped Grace out of the dress. “Are you sure? Are you willing to alter it?”

“I’m sure I can do it,” Ginger said. “Are you sure you trust me with it?”

“You may have saved my life—again.”

“But your mother may not recognize it with all those changes,” Ginger pointed out. “She’ll recognize that beautiful cowl neckline but nothing else.”

“That’s not the most important thing,” Grace said. “If I can swear to her it’s her dress, that’s all that matters.”

“Good then,” Ginger said. “We’ll save and preserve the removed pieces so your daughter can use them someday. And we’ll need an industrial-strength steamer—no iron is getting near that fabric.”

“Anything you need.” Grace got into her jeans and shirt. “I have to get out to the house. A nurse is meeting me there at nine—she’s going to take care of mother during the day. Peyton and Scott recommended her. Another woman is coming at three—she could be an evening and weekend nurse if we need her. We don’t need round-the-clock coverage yet but Peyton says there’s an excellent agency with lots of good part-timers when we do have a need.

“Troy’s parents will be here on Wednesday and his brother, sister and her family arrive on Thursday.”