Code red. Times a million. Josie shoved her hair out of her face as she sat up in bed and read the text again. Code red. Times a million. Her phone chimed for a new text.
Seriously. Code red. Times a billion. Josie jumped from her bed. Mia’s texts were not exactly the soothing morning alarm she’d expected to ease her into another Sunday—and another workday for Josie. The hour Theo and she had planned to spend at the holiday square had turned into several. She’d pushed her evening work on Adriana’s prototypes late into the night. At least she hadn’t reached for Theo’s hand, despite wanting to last evening, as if they’d been on a date and it was the natural thing to do.
You need to be at the store now. Josie tossed her phone on the bed. She tugged on her fleece-lined leggings, added a wooly sweater and one of her hand-knit scarves, not bothering to check the mirror or her color combinations.
The store was her world. All she had. What had happened? A fire? She would’ve heard the sirens.
Her hairbrush remained on the bathroom counter. Her fingers shook too much to hold it. A chill skimmed over her. She tangled her fingers in her hair and wound the strands into a bun, secured it with a long scrap of fabric lying on her couch.
Earthquake? She hadn’t felt anything. Still she scrolled through the news feed on her phone and rushed out of her third-floor apartment.
Robbery. Broken water pipe. Gas leak. The chill descended into her bones. Panic bumped against her, pushing her down the stairs. She stumbled once, gripped the handrail and hurried on.
Outside, Josie ran the four blocks, yanked open the door to the boutique and stumbled inside. “Mia. There’s no fire truck outside. No smoke. No rush of water.”
Mia shouted a greeting from the back of the store.
Movement near the checkout counter caught Josie’s eye. Her gaze landed on a familiar blond-haired man leaning against her desk. The run left her breathless. The man smiling at her made her throat close. Bending over and bracing her hands on her knees wouldn’t refill her lungs. There wasn’t enough air in the boutique. Her one word was a coarse gasp. “Mitch.”
“Josie. You look good.” Her ex-husband pushed away from the checkout counter and stepped toward her. “How long has it been?”
“Over two years, I think.” If she didn’t count the evening Mitch had dinner at the restaurant where she’d waitressed after their divorce. She’d switched tables with another server that night. Mitch still wore the same slim eyeglasses that softened his astute gaze. Still dressed as if every outing was a business occasion.
Voices drifted from the back, breaking into the awkward silence. She recognized Mia, but not the other higher-pitched voice of a woman. A burst of laughter escaped and tumbled around them. Mitch glanced toward the back. A shy smile of amazement slipped across his face.
“Sorry for the intrusion, Josie. We were out for breakfast and saw the lights on inside your shop.” He smoothed his palm over his button-down shirt.
A checked-pattern dress shirt with the top button opened. That was a radical change from the starched white shirts and reserved ties he’d always worn during their marriage. Josie tipped her head. Mitch had stepped out of his comfort zone—something she’d never convinced him to try. Josie caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror behind the counter. She looked like she’d tripped inside Christmas, courtesy of the red leggings and velvet hair tie, and landed on the other side of Easter, thanks to her pale orange scarf and lavender sweater.
“I should’ve called first.” Mitch motioned toward the back. “But Krystal insisted we should talk in person.”
She waited. Even with his wardrobe change, her ex remained as put-together as always. As in control as always. Standing near him only reminded her just how far she hadn’t come, despite her promises to herself and the universe.
She wanted to blame Mia for not warning her. But an encounter with her ex-husband was inevitable. The reality check inescapable.
“Don’t come back here, Mitch,” the woman shouted. Her high-pitched voice reached into an octave above thrilled. “I found my wedding dress.”
Josie looked to the back of the store then stared at her ex-husband.
“I’m engaged.” His smile widened, his expression reflected sheer giddiness.
The siren finally roared through Josie. He’d moved on. He hadn’t been pining for her. Not that she’d been pining for him, either. But couldn’t someone miss her? Just one time. One time in her life. Couldn’t someone find themselves torn up because Josie wasn’t around?
“To be married,” he added into the silent space between them.
“That’s great. Wonderful.” Josie grinned, knew her small smile hesitated and faltered. But she was happy for him. She didn’t blame Mitch for not missing her. She just wasn’t someone people missed. That siren faded. Her ears rang, her head hurt. She’d definitely exceeded her reality-check limit for the day. Perhaps even the month.
“Krystal and I wanted to tell you together.” He ran his hand through his hair as if he was nervous and not actually helping her realize facts about herself she hadn’t want to face.
“Why?”
“Krystal insisted that we have your blessing.” His words knocked together.
And disbelief knocked through her. Her words came slowly, like she’d pried them from deep inside her. She repeated, “My blessing.”
“This is awkward. I want her to be happy. You, too.” His hands waved around him as if he struggled to unscramble incorrect budget calculations. “I’d introduce you. She’s better at this. But I can’t go back there.”
Josie set her purse on the stool behind the counter and paused to regain her balance. She walked into the back to meet her ex-husband’s fiancée and end the bizarre morning.
A tall, thin woman stood on the riser, her back to Josie. The platinum blonde standing on the riser didn’t cause Josie’s breath to disappear. That the woman wore the Jin-inspired dress created for Adriana—that stole Josie’s gasp.
“It needs to be taken in here.” The woman pinched the fabric under her arm, tightening the bodice. “Maybe extra beading near the waistline. And it definitely needs more feathers.”
Josie moved to the riser, lifted her gaze to the woman’s face and stumbled. That spark—the one she’d wanted from Adriana—glowed from this stranger. This stranger wearing the wrong dress.
Josie picked up a mantle veil from the other body form and stepped up onto the platform. She clipped the veil around the woman’s neck. “If you wear this veil, you wouldn’t need more feathers on the gown.”
That glow sparked into a flame.
Mia clasped her hands under chin. “I’m going to cry. Seriously start weeping.”
The woman pressed her palms against her cheeks, catching her tears. “You’re Josie. I’m Krystal Keller. And I imposed. I put on this stunning dress without permission.”
Mia dabbed a tissue to her eyes.
“It’s my big feet.” The woman’s face held her mortification. “I’m always overstepping.”
Josie scooped up the box of tissues from the small table and handed them to Mitch’s fiancée. Despite her swollen eyes and the chagrin in her tone, Krystal’s glow was genuine. So was her smile each time she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Josie finally understood Mimi’s advice about thinking beyond the pattern. Finally, she’d created magic.
Josie stepped in front of Krystal. “Where would you put that extra beading?”
“Here.” Krystal described the changes.
Josie nodded, accepted her design book from Mia and made notes on a blank page.
“I’ve cursed my height all my life.” Krystal turned and looked over her shoulder, studying the back of the dress in the mirror. “And my mother, too. But this dress.”
“It was constructed specifically for a woman with your height.” Josie eyed the gown, added more notes.
“How much is it?” Krystal asked.
“It’s—” Josie began.
Mia blurted, “It’s four thousand dollars.”
The tip of Josie’s pencil snapped off, along with her voice.
Mia added, “Without the veil.”
“Let me talk to Josie,” Mitch called. “Krystal, you need to change. We have to meet the wedding coordinator in thirty minutes at the hotel.”
Mia released the mantle veil and handed it to Josie. “I’ll help you change, Miss Kellar.”
Krystal glanced at herself one last time, wiped at her eyes and stepped off the platform. Mia gave Josie a double thumbs-up.
Josie secured the veil on the body form and walked back to the checkout counter.
“How does this work?” Mitch pulled out his wallet. “Do I put down a deposit or pay in full?”
“It’s not…”
Her ex-husband stepped forward, held up his hand. “We didn’t work, Josie. You always lost yourself in the creativity. And my mind belonged to my business. I can’t take back the hurt, but I can support your store.” He picked up a pen, wrote on a notepad and handed it to Josie. “That’s my offer for the wedding dress and the veil.”
Josie stared at the number. He’d more than doubled Mia’s price. She’d preached only yesterday about exclusive designs and unwritten rules in the fashion industry. She tried to follow the rules. “You and Krystal have my blessing and a wedding dress.”
Krystal rushed forward and embraced Josie, rambling her thanks. Josie waited, her arms stiff against her sides, while her ex-husband peeled away his new fiancée. Josie had never quite gotten used to spontaneous embraces. She kept her personal space well-protected. Krystal harbored no such qualms. And Josie knew then that Krystal was responsible for the changes in her ex-husband. Love suited the pair. She picked up a business card and told Krystal to call to schedule another private fitting.
Josie headed to the dressing room. Mia had already draped the gown back over the body form.
“That was awkward, surprising and terrifying.” Mia dropped onto the couch. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop Krystal once she saw that dress. That was an original from your closet, wasn’t it?”
“I just made rent for the next few months.” Josie sank onto the cushion next to her friend. Krystal’s hug still clung to her like static, although she was oddly calm.
“Congratulations.” Mia tipped her head toward Josie. “You just sold a Josie Beck original.”
“I just sold Adriana Taylor’s exclusive gown.” To the highest bidder.
Mia covered her mouth. Her shock and horror evident. “What can I do? This is my fault.”
“I sold out for money.” Josie dropped her head back. “This is all on me.”
“Call Mitch. Tell him that he can’t have it,” Mia said. “Make up something about not being able to do the alterations in time.”
Josie shook her head. “I already ran his credit card.”
And trimmed Adriana’s choices down to two: her grandmother’s and the other exclusive—the one that neither Taylor sibling liked.
“What now?” Mia asked.
Josie stood up. “I get to work.”
Most specifically on her persuasion skills. First, she had to convince Adriana to cancel her afternoon fitting. Josie needed to stall until later in the week and a promise to talk to Theo about their grandmother’s wedding dress should be enough for Adriana to agree. That part was easy.
The real problem: she had no idea how she was going to convince Theo to embrace his past.