Page 88 of Tempt
“To chasing your dreams!” added Felicity.
“To all the brides who will find their wedding gowns here,” I said, lifting my glass. “I cannot wait to be part of your story.”
We clinked glasses with shining eyes.
* * *
“I have keys to my shop!” I told Zach on a video chat later that night, dangling them in front of the phone. “It’s really happening!”
He laughed, relaxing on his couch. “So now what? The renovations begin?”
“Yes. I have so much work to do.” As I talked, I made dinner, moving back and forth from the fridge to the pantry to the counter while my cats watched me like observers at a tennis match. “My family is going to help me as much as they can, but I also ended up hiring some guys to fix the plumbing issue, tear out the previous tenant’s interior, and build what I need. Then my dad can help me with the floors and the walls. And my sisters are going to help me with the furniture and decor. I have stock arriving in December, so I need to work fast!”
“What about employees? Need me to do any background checks?”
I giggled. “Not yet. I have some interviews scheduled for tomorrow, and guess what? One woman who answered my online ad is a seamstress with tons of experience! Her name is Diane Tucker. She’s worked in a bridal salon outside Nashville for fifteen years, but her husband just retired and they’re moving up here to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“I know. She’s definitely the most qualified candidate I’m interviewing. I hope I can afford her.” I sliced some lemons on a cutting board.
“What are you making for dinner?”
“Lemon chicken. Frannie’s recipe.”
“My stomach is growling.”
“Awww. Come over. I’ll feed you.”
“I wish I could. I’ll probably end up with takeout again.”
He listened to me babble on about light fixtures and fabric textures and wood floor stains and paint colors and even hanger styles, asking the occasional question but mostly just letting me talk. Sometimes I’d stop meal preparations to run over to my laptop and make a note about a call I needed to make or a task I feared I’d forget to handle or an idea I wanted to run by the contractor.
“I’m sorry, Zach, I’m totally monopolizing the conversation.” I grabbed a spatula from a drawer and flipped the chicken breast over in the pan. “How are you? How was your day?”
“I’m fine,” he said. “Nothing new or exciting here. And I like hearing you talk about your shop. I wish I could see it.”
“Me too.”
“I wish I could seeyou. Have you given any more thought to meeting me in Las Vegas next weekend?”
“Of course I have. I think about it all the time.” I glanced at my cats, as if they might hear and judge me. “I’m just nervous. Where will I say I’m going and why?”
“Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world, isn’t it? Say you’re going for research.”
I laughed. “Thereisa veil wholesaler out there. I guess I could say I’m going out there to look at stock.”
“Perfect. I’m booking your ticket. I’ll be there Thursday to Monday. What days work for you?”
“I can get away for a weekend. Friday to Sunday. And I’ll see if I can visit that wholesaler on Saturday.”
“I’ll make sure you have a car too. And a driver if you want one.”
I smiled as my stomach fluttered with excitement. “Then I guess I’ll see you next Friday.”
* * *
The ticket Zach purchased for me was first class. The hotel was five star. The bed was king-sized and made up with 600 thread count sheets that felt like satin against my skin.
