Always the Designer, Never the Bride (23 page)

10

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he just handed you a check for five thousand dollars. And . . . her father is an electrician?
Are you sure?"

"I know!" she told Carly through the cell phone as Kat tapped at the laptop on the table beside her. "Okay, Kat is back, and she wants to talk fabric. I've got to go."

"But you'll be here for dinner, right?"

"Well . . ."

"Aud. You'll be here for dinner. Right?"

"Yes."

"Good. And Kat too."

"I'll tell her you asked."

"Now get to work!"

"I'm on it."

"And Audrey?"

"What?"

"I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Caroline. See you around six."

She hadn't even pressed the button to end their call before Kat kicked into gear from where she sat at the tiny desk in the corner of the hotel room. "I scanned them, and Sherilyn let me use her computer to send them off. I've already spoken to Lisette, and she loves them and said to tell you to 'Go forth and create.' Now, there are three possibilities downtown for quick turnaround on fabric. We can go and see the options in person, maybe take the bride with us so we don't have to bother with samples? And as far as work space goes, it may end up being easier to rent the equipment and just settle in here at the hotel. Although there won't be much space unless we get a bigger room. I'm not sure if they have bigger rooms aside from the bridal suite. Do you know? We could request the bridal suite again and both of us stay there and have some work space. What do you think?"

When she finally paused to take a breath, Audrey commented, "I have something else in mind for work space," and she curled her legs underneath her on the bed as she took the sketch pad from Kat and flipped to the one Lisette had approved. "How close together are the three fabric places?"

"I'll find out."

"I want to schedule Lisette for measurements first thing tomorrow morning. Can you set that up?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to have dinner at Carly's tonight?"

"Can't."

Audrey glanced over at Kat, taking notes from the computer screen, tapping out addresses into the GPS. She marveled at how skilled Kat could be at handling multiple tasks, everything all at once.

"Plans with Russell?"

"Mm-hmm." She tossed down the pen in her hand and smacked the desktop. "They're very close together. Do you want to go now?"

"No, let's get her measurements before we commit to fabrics. I'll also need the addresses of some embellishment shops, just in case they don't have what I need at the fabric stores. Can you—"

"On it."

"And we'll have to think about finding a plus-size dress form. Do they even make them above a size eighteen?"

"I'll find out."

Audrey wondered for the hundredth time what she would ever do without Kat to handle all her details. She reminded herself that she needn't worry about that; for at least three weeks anyway.

She examined her cell phone for several minutes before asking Kat, "How do I find the number of someone who called me?"

"See where it says Call Log on the top bar?"

"Yes."

"Click there. Scroll down."

Audrey followed the directions and scrolled until she found the number she needed. "Is there an easy way to dial it back once I find it?"

"Just hit the green button while it's showing on your screen."

She did, and Weston LaMont's voice mail picked up on the third ring.

"Wes," she said, far more casually than she felt. "It's Audrey Regan. Remember how you said you wanted to make it up to me for heartlessly stealing Kim Renfroe right out from under me?" She added a chuckle for effect. "I think I know how you can do that. Can you give me a ring back, please? Thanks. Talk to you soon."

When she disconnected the call, she looked up to find Kat grinning at her.

"Brilliant," she remarked.

"Let's hope so. How about we start gathering the numbers and put together an invoice for Lisette?"

"I've already started an Excel spreadsheet," she began.

Of course you have.

"I can make Austin in two days' ride," J. R. remarked as he inspected the map on the screen of Carly's laptop. "If I leave here on Monday morning, that will get me in late Tuesday night."

"You're leaving that soon?" she asked, standing behind him. "I thought you might stick around until Devon ships out."

"I wish I could, but I've got a pretty big job possibility in Austin."

"Oh."

Carly's disappointment clouded the room like a thick vapor.

"Come on, babe," Devon reassured her from the sofa a few feet away. "I know you'd like it to, but the world can't stop just because I'm shipping out again."

"Yes, it can."

"Yours, but not everyone else's. My bro needs to work in Austin, Audrey needs to go home to New York—"

"Oh!" she cut him off. "I didn't tell you. Audrey's in town for three more weeks!"

"She is?" J. R. interjected.

"Yeah, Jackson hooked her up with the daughter of a friend who is getting married. She had a bridal gown disaster, and he connected them. It's a good time for a windfall, and Audrey's going to work with her until the wedding."

"So she'll be here with you after I leave," Devon concluded. "That is so great. I hate leaving you alone. Bro, maybe you can swing back into town and check on my doll baby at some point."

J. R. felt a little like an intruder as Carly caved in to Devon on the sofa and buried her face in his chest. It wrenched something inside his gut to think of the two of them being separated again so soon after their vow renewal.

"You could stay a little longer if you flew to Austin instead of taking your bike," Carly unexpectedly suggested. "Couldn't you?"

"That would give you more time with Audrey," Devon jabbed.

"Shut it."

"Audrey?" Carly interjected. "Are you interested in Audrey?"

"Russell caught them sucking face the other—"

"What? Why don't I know about this?"

"—night. Oh yeah, and my bro has stars in his eyes whenever she walks into a room. Haven't you noticed?"

"Couldn't you fly to Austin then? That would give you a couple more days here. For Audrey, and for your brother."

"Don't make something out of nothing with Audrey," he replied, tilting back in the chair. "And flying would mean a huge extra expense, and renting a car too. I can't sink that much into the trip before it's a done deal."

"J. R.," she said, her eyes pleading with him.

"I never realized how rough it is, working for yourself," Devon piped up. "J. R. and Audrey both have to be so cautious while building their businesses, sweetie. That's one thing about the Corps. They pay us, whether we ask for it or not."

"Yeah," Carly mumbled. "We get those peanuts each and every month like clockwork. But still, J. R.—"

"Carly. C'mon."

That look from Devon flipped off her switch at last.

"Fine. I have to run to the market to pick up a few things for dinner."

"Just tell me what you need," J. R. offered. "I'll go."

"Really? Well, thank you. The list is on the refrigerator."

J. R. crossed to the kitchen and pulled down the list. A perfect excuse to get out of there.

"Take the truck, bro."

He nodded, grabbed Devon's keys from the counter and headed straight out.

J. R. drew in a lungful of fresh air and groaned as he released it. Like so many visits in their past, once again J. R. walked out that front door feeling like such a massive disappointment. Not so much to Devon, but definitely to Carly. She just never did understand. And Carly obviously knew nothing about whatever it was going on between him and Audrey. And now that she did know, she was sure to grill Audrey about it at first opportunity.

Ah man, she's gonna hate that.

He climbed into Devon's truck, turned over the key, pushing buttons on the radio until he landed on a rock tune. He'd had more than enough of Devon's country songs to last him. But by the time he reached the intersection, the lyrics started to poke at him, and he changed the station again.

Neil Diamond. That should be safe, right?

"Why didn't you tell me you kissed J. R.?"

Audrey just stood there, stunned, her mouth hanging open slightly as she scratched her head.

"Are you going to let me in?"

Carly stepped back, and Audrey waltzed past her into the house.

"Okay, you're in. Now I want details."

"There's nothing to tell," she replied, and she walked into the living room. "Hi, Devon. How are you feeling?"

"Hey! A little bett—"

"Oh, no you don't. You're not going to make unimportant small talk with my husband. Come into the kitchen with me."

"Unimportant?" Devon said with a chuckle. "Sweetie, she asked how I'm feeling."

"You know what I mean. He's fine. Doing better. Had a bowel movement. Now follow me!"

Audrey and Devon pulled faces at one another as Audrey obeyed Carly's command.

"Sit down and talk while I chop."

"Can I—"

"Do something to help? Yes. You can spill your guts."

Audrey sighed. "What would you like to know? It was a couple of kisses, Caroline."

"More than one?"

"Yes. Maybe . . . I don't know. Three?"

"Three kisses?" she exclaimed, and Audrey shushed her. "Three kisses, and you never thought to tell me about it?"

"Nope."

"Aud."

"Carly."

Carly stomped her foot lightly and smacked the chopping knife down on the counter. "Come on."

"It was nothing. It didn't mean anything. It's not leading anywhere. It was just a couple of isolated kisses between two people."

Carly picked up the knife again and began dicing an onion with surprising strength and speed. "You and I both know," she muttered, "there's no such thing as an isolated kiss. But if you want to carry on with that charade, and you want me to play along like—"

Audrey knew Carly could go on like that for hours. As a preemptive strike, she stepped forward and put an arm around Carly's shoulder. "It was a momentary lapse, Caroline. I was worried about what was happening with Kim and my business, and J. R. was really nice to me. That's it."

"That's it?"

"Nothing more."

"So you're not going to be my sister-in-law?"

One hard laugh popped out of Audrey. "No. I am not."

"Fine."

She began chopping again, and Audrey placed her hand over Carly's until she stopped. "What's going on?"

She looked up, and for a moment Audrey blamed the onions for the liquid standing in Carly's eyes.

"J. R. is so selfish."

"Oh," she replied, taking the knife away and leading Carly toward the table. "Sit down with me for a minute." Once they settled, she said, "Tell me."

"He's got that thing their father had."

"Which is . . . ?"

"That roaming thing, Aud. He can't light in one place. It's like he's afraid if he stops moving, the world will swallow him up or something. Just once, I'd like him to think about what it does to Devon every time he packs up his bike and heads out again. Oh, I just resent him so much right now. His brother needs him, and—"

She fell silent, mid-word. Audrey turned around to see what Carly had already seen, Devon standing in the kitchen doorway.

"I'm sorry," she offered, and the tears standing in her eyes spilled down her cheek. "I know you don't like to hear me say those things."

Devon crossed the kitchen, touching Audrey's shoulder as he approached his wife. "Is this really about me?"

Carly's confusion caught in her throat. "I don't know what you mean."

"Sweetie, I'd love it if J. R. stuck around. But it's not what he's made of. He's got a life on the road. I understand that. But I don't think you do."

She caught Audrey's eye for a quick second before looking down at the tabletop.

"Maybe having J. R. around feels a little like you have part of me staying here with you?" he suggested.

After a long moment, she answered. "A little." Devon stroked her hair as she told him, "But that's really not all of it, Dev. I worry about him. He's thirty-one years old, and he lives like some sort of nomad." Looking to Audrey, she added, "You should see where he lives in New Mexico. It's more of a bike stop than a home."