Chapter Twenty

In the morning Kit headed over to Rosie’s Bridals for her fitting appointments with two brides-to-be, one of whom being her blasted cousin. But today even Co-Co didn’t rattle her. She had bigger things to digest.

She was grateful Shane had already left when she’d gone into the kitchen after getting ready for work. The memory of last night punctuated every second she’d spent in her morning routine. Stepping down the hallway, she held her breath until she knew he had left for work already.

She was unsettled, off kilter. Despite the too-hot shower this morning, last night was alive in her mind and on her skin. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his eyes and the hunger in them as he looked at her. She was a dichotomy of wanting to remember every nuance of their lovemaking and wishing she had an ice pick to stab into her frontal lobe. Instead, she ate a doughnut from the wax paper bag Shane had left on the kitchen counter. She saw the note and stopped midchew.

Good Morning

Had a feeling you’d be second-guessing last night. I hope you aren’t. I’m not.

They didn’t have any jellies left, so I got you a glazed.

Enjoy!

She stared at the message he’d written on a sticky note from the pad she kept by the landline. His printing was spiky and appeared hurried. She reread the words. She had to like a guy who knew she preferred a jelly doughnut over a glazed. Despite the admonishments that threatened her thoughts and sought to devour logic in gulps, her mouth curved into a smile. She bit into the doughnut and savored the sweetness.

As soon as she came into the workroom at Rosie’s Bridals, she knew Rylee’s antenna was up. Kit had never been able to hide much from her best friend. Besides, she was pretty sure she was beaming like a certified idiot.

“Good morning. You look funny. Everything okay?”

“Sure.” Kit swallowed. The word had come out too quickly and too loud. Although she’d become an aficionado in the art of lying, she just couldn’t fib her way around the fact that she was slightly nuts about a guy she’d only known for a blip of time. Nuts was indeed the operative word.

Rylee put down the paperwork she had in her hand and came over to where Kit stood at the rack of dresses that were awaiting alterations. “Okay, you want to fill me in? Something’s up.”

A million excuses pelted her brain, but she knew eventually she’d confide in her friend. Maybe Rylee would have some advice on how not to be a screwball over what happened last night.

“My first bride is due in about a half hour. Then I expect Co-Co around noon.”

Rylee nodded as if she understood, but she didn’t. This was not about Co-Co.

“Ry, I may have made the biggest mistake of my life last night.”

“You didn’t actually go over to your cousin’s and chop off her bangs while she slept, did you?”

It was Rylee’s attempt to lighten the mood. And yes, she had said she’d like to hack up Co-Co’s perfect bob, but they both knew she’d never do such a thing. Last night, though, was up there on her list of shockers.

“I had sex with the fireman.”

Rylee just stared at her. She blinked and blinked again.

“Yup. You heard me. I did him. On my couch. Twice.”

“Oh boy. Um. Okay, then.” Rylee put a finger to her lips. “And how are you feeling about that?”

“Hell if I know.” She sat on one of the stools. “I was perfectly fine staying away from him despite his cuteness. You have to admit the guy’s pretty cute.”

Rylee’s head moved in a slow, tentative nod.

“Despite his appeal, staying away from him was pretty easy considering he had the girlfriend over in Milan. Right? You know me better than anyone. I’m not a cheat. I don’t cheat. But then he and the girlfriend called it quits.”

“They did?”

“Yup. Done.”

“How long ago?”

“Oh, like maybe five minutes.” She put her hands in her hair and gave the strands a good shake. “At least that’s what it seems like in retrospect. What’s wrong with me?”

Rylee plunked herself on the stool next to Kit and touched her knee. “Look at me, Kit.”

She lifted her gaze. “I’m insane.”

“You like the guy, my friend. Even I’ve known that for a while. So I don’t think you’re insane. Preemptive, maybe.”

Kit groaned.

Rylee rose from the stool and marched over to the minifridge. She withdrew a bottle of vitamin water and handed it to Kit. “Here.”

“I need more than this if I’m going to drown myself.” She unscrewed the top of the bottle and took a swig. “This should be vodka.”

“How do you think he’s feeling this morning?”

“He bought me a doughnut.” She met Rylee’s gaze. “Don’t look at me all googly eyed. It could have been glaze-dipped repentance on his part. I mean, he just broke it off with the girlfriend. Who knows? Maybe they’re already back together by now. And once again I’ve picked Mr. Wrong.”

“I don’t think he’s Mr. Wrong at all, Kit.”

“You don’t?”

“I do not. Not the way he looks at you and the way he comes by the shop to bring you a coffee in the middle of the day, the way you light up when you talk about him. I think you two were destined for this to happen.”

“Oh, Rylee, please don’t go there with me. I might start to believe it. And I can’t set myself up for more heartache. I can’t be thinking this fireman is my Mr. Right.”

“Okay, so give yourself a break then, Kit. Think of him as Mr. Maybe. How about that? Shane Dugan is Mr. Maybe.”

She mulled the words. “Mr. Maybe.”

Could he be? Could this really be the start of something real and good? She dared to allow one word to rest in her heart. Maybe.