for, and if they don’t have anything like it, this won’t take long.”
“Take your time,” Duke said. “I’m just gonna sit here and contemplate the wedding night.”
She blinked, and then burst into laughter.
He grinned.
She was still smiling as she went inside.
* * *
Two hours, one pit stop, and three bridal shops later, they pulled up and parked at Le Trousseau on Broughton Street.
“Here’s hoping,” Cathy said.
She was thinking of her mother as she walked in.
Oh, Mama…you were with me when I shopped for my wedding to Blaine. I wish you were here now. You didn’t like Blaine, and now I know why. But you would love, love, love Duke Talbot. I just know it. Is this the one, Mama? Is my dress here? You know what I want, and you know why.
A consultant approached her, smiling.
“Welcome to Le Trousseau. I’m William.”
She eyed the middle-aged man in his dapper pin-striped suit and liked him on sight.
“Hello, William. I’m Cathy Terry. I know what I want, so let me describe it, and if you don’t have anything remotely like it, we’ll save both of us time and trouble.”
William’s eyebrows arched, and then he nodded.
“This is a breath of fresh air. Talk to me,” he said, and so she did, and the more she talked, the wider his smile became. “Follow me, Miss Terry. Let me show you something.” And then he eyed her more closely. “What size are you…about an eight?”
“Good eye,” Cathy said, and followed William back to the dressing room.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back,” he said.
Cathy sat, looked up, and saw herself reflected back in the three-way mirror. She looked happy because she was. She leaned back, waiting…and when William came back a few minutes later with three white dresses over his arm, she stood.
“Oh my gosh! You did it!”
“Now let’s try these on. There are subtle differences in all three, but I see where you’re going here. You are going to look amazing.”
Two young clerks appeared to help her into the dresses as William stepped out. It wasn’t until she tried on the last one and walked out onto the showroom floor to look at herself in the big mirrors that she knew.
This is it, Mama. This is it.
“It fits you like a glove,” William said. “Unless you’re unhappy with the length, I wouldn’t touch any part of the bodice.”
“It needs to be hemmed up a bit,” Cathy said.
“I agree. Let me get the seamstress in here,” he said, and left, coming back minutes later with an all-business woman in boho chic with a tape measure around her neck and a pincushion in her hand.
She measured, she fussed about, and then she waved her hand.
“All done. Take it off. I’ll fix it.”
Back to the dressing room they went, and when Cathy came out again, she was beaming.
“When is the wedding?” William asked.
“New Year’s Eve.”
“This New Year’s Eve?” he said.
She nodded.
He flew back into the sewing room, and then returned nodding his head.
“Yes, Sunny likes you. She likes your red curls. She will put a rush on it just for you.”
“When can I pick it up?” Cathy asked.
“She said the day after Christmas.”
“Perfect,” Cathy said, then paid the deposit, picked up her paperwork, and hugged him. “Thank you. Thank you for being so wonderful about this.”
William beamed. “There’s nothing that makes me happier than a happy bride,” he said. “We’ll see you the day after Christmas.”
Cathy bounced out of the store with a smile on her face, and Duke could tell she’d found the dress. Before he could get out to help her into the truck, she was already climbing up.
“I found it,” she said. “They’re altering the length. I’ll pick it up the day after Christmas. This is the best day ever. Thank you for putting up with me.”
Duke leaned across the seat and kissed her. “I’ll collect later. Right now I’m going to take you to eat at the best shrimp shack in the city.”
Her lips were still tingling from his kiss as she buckled herself in.
“I am suddenly starving and shrimp sounds perfect.”
* * *
It was midafternoon when they got back to Blessings, and after a heartfelt goodbye, Duke left her safe and sound inside her little house.
“It won’t be long now before this business of going our separate ways at the end of a day is over,” he said. “I’ll call you tonight. Love you.”
“Love you, more,” Cathy said, and then stood at the window and watched him drive away.