Always the Designer, Never the Bride (33 page)

Top Four Types of Bridal Gown Trains

1.
Sweeping Train

Also known by the term "brush train" because it

barely brushes the floor,

this is a good choice when the goal is an elegant but

simple statement gown.

2.
Chapel Train

Usually about four feet from the waistline, this choice can be

used for either formal or informal gowns, dependent upon

the silhouette of the dress.

3.
Cathedral Train

Nearly twice as long as the chapel train, this option is

most often used for a formal affair, or for that fairy-tale

wedding with the big impact.

The cathedral train is often detachable for freedom on the

dance floor.

4.
Royal Train

Think Kate Middleton.

The royal train falls eight feet or more from the waistline,

and it usually enters the church a minute or more after the

bride's entrance.

14

Y
ou brought Russell?"

"I thought we might need some extra muscle."

"And . . . you brought
Russell?"

J. R. laughed. "Not that kind of muscle, Agent 99. Muscle for lifting boxes."

"But he's . . ." Audrey raised an eyebrow as she whispered, "a loose cannon."

The four of them managed to get the boxes out of the office, down the stairs, and into the back of Devon's truck without much notice. But as they emerged with the real treasure, every eye in the building seemed to be focused on them.

Audrey had removed Mac's stick leg and metal stand, and she balanced them clumsily as she led the way down the corridor toward the stairs. J. R. and Russell followed, one of them on each end of the headless, gowned torso sealed inside the vinyl bag.

"What on earth!" Monique exclaimed from where she stood in front of Billie's desk. "Are you leaving?"

"Well, Mac is," Audrey replied, and she stepped aside on the stairway for J. R. and Russell to continue with the getaway.

"Was that . . .
Russell Walker?"

Audrey's antennae perked, and she stopped at the top of the stairs and smiled. "Yes. Yes, it is. Would you like to meet him, Monique?"

"Could I?"

"Of course. We'll be right back," she said, waving her hand over her head and descending the stairs at a speedy clip.

With the truck parked in the loading zone just outside the front door, and Kat already standing in the back of the truck to guide the precious cargo to a safe landing, Audrey whispered, "Make sure she's secure. If anything happens to this dress, I'm done."

Kat grinned at her. "There's a
tarp!"

"Excellent. Can you and J. R. manage? I need to steal Russell for a moment."

"I knew it," Russell cackled. "The ladies can never resist an Aussie."

"Oh, stow your ego for thirty seconds, will you? I need to distract someone, and you're just the eye candy to do it."

"Did you hear that?" he asked J. R. "I'm eye candy."

Audrey snagged his wrist and tugged Russell back into the building. At the bottom of the marble stairway, she turned and stared him down.

"No nonsense," she warned in a raspy whisper. "There's a woman at the top of these stairs named Monique. I need you to charm her and do everything you can to get her to follow you back into the office we just cleaned out. Do you understand?"

"I do," he said, mock-serious. "My mission, should I choose to accept it—"

"Russell, please. This is so important."

"Calm down. I've got it."

Halfway up the stairs, Audrey stopped and grabbed Russell's arm. "The other woman. Billie. Do
not
engage her. She's doing me a favor once you get Monique out of the way."

"Rightie-oh."

"So it's Monique only."

" 'Kay!"

Russell started up the stairs again, but Audrey snagged his arm one more time.

"Down the hall and out of the way."

"Yes, Audrey. Now shouldn't we get on with this?"

She sighed. "Sorry."

Just as she suspected, Monique stood waiting at the very top of the stairs. Audrey glanced at Billie over the woman's tailored shoulder, and Billie nodded.

"Monique, this is Russell Walker. Russell, this is Weston LaMont's right arm. The place would be a dysfunctional machine without Monique."

"Oh, Audrey, really."

Monique grinned at Russell like a hungry cheetah. Thankfully, Russell lunged before she did.

"Monique," he repeated, and he grabbed her hand, slowly walking her down the hall. "What a beautiful French name. And it's perfect for you because it stems from the Latin word
monere,
which means to advise. You were deemed a leader from the time you were born."

Billie jumped up from her chair and rounded the desk. "Oh, he's good," she whispered to Audrey. "I'll just need three minutes."

Audrey touched Billie's arm as she rushed past her. "Thank you so much."

Through the glass, she watched Russell charm the woman, realizing Monique had no idea what had hit her. She found herself worrying for a moment that perhaps Russell's keen abilities with women might end up breaking Kat's heart in the long run. What was to prevent him from—

"Billie tells me you're leaving us."

Audrey reeled around to find LaMont standing behind her. "Y-yes. And I want to thank you for everything, Wes. I don't even have words to tell you . . . what it was like to get to know you."

She didn't want to, but Audrey shook his hand enthusiastically.

"Really. Thank you so much. For the work space and the lunches. And the tip about the eggplant sandwiches at Caruso's."

Okay. Now you're babbling.

"Anyway, thank you."

"I wish you the best of luck, Audrey."

"And you too. I mean with the Rubenesque line. I hope it . . . soars to the heights that you deserve."

"That's very gracious."

"Oh. Well." Audrey glanced down the hall over LaMont's shoulder for the hundredth time. Where was she? "Gracious. I don't know. What is gracious, really? But—"

At last, Billie raced into view and gave her the A-OK.

"Where is that Russell?" Waving her arms at him through the glass, she exclaimed, "Time to go! Let's go now."

She watched as Russell kissed Monique's hand. She couldn't hear her moan as she swooned, but she certainly could see it. The woman melted like a wax candle on a sunny window sill.

"LaMont, isn't it?" Russell said as he moved toward them. "How are you, mate?"

Russell extended his hand, but Audrey snagged it from the air between the two men. "J. R. is waiting downstairs, Russell. We've got to go."

"Oh. All rightie then."

"Thanks again for everything," Audrey said as she pulled him toward the stairs. She turned back and shot Billie a covert smile. "Really. Thank you."

And with that, they headed down the stairs.

Near the bottom, Audrey told Russell, "If you're using that false charm of yours on Kat, and you're not genuine with her, I'm going to hang you by your ponytail from the second floor balcony. When you fall out of The Tanglewood sky this time, you'll do it without your hair."

Russell winced as they burst through the front door. "Thanks for that visual, love. Very effective."

"Why?" Carly asked. "Why did he have photographs of Audrey's gown?"

"We can't be sure," J. R. replied. "But since he was in the paper today announcing his big plus-size clothing line, I have my guesses."

"What a slime!"

"Kat made friends with the receptionist while they were there. A young girl named Billie. And she went in and deleted the photos from his desktop. But Audrey says there's no telling if there are other copies out there. Maybe he emailed the photos to someone, and he could retrieve them from his sent mail."

"Or he could have backed up his hard drive," Devon suggested.

"Right. But she took the only shot she could."

"What a slime!"

J. R. grinned. "Easy there."

"I can't help it. That just makes me so angry. Audrey works so hard, and she's so talented."

"No argument here."

"Is she all right? Do I need to call her?"

"Sweetie, you'll see her in an hour."

Carly's expression deflated. "I can't believe it's your last night."

"I know," Devon answered softly. "C'mere."

She took two long steps toward Devon's chair and melted into his embrace. "I need more time," she whimpered into his shoulder.

"I know."

"Look, maybe you two would rather spend tonight alone," J. R. suggested. "I think everyone would understand if you didn't want to socialize tonight."

"No, we're going," Carly said.

"We might just bail early."

"I'm going to head over there now," he told them. "You two follow when you're ready."

J. R. hardly remembered the ride over to Sherilyn and Andy's house once he arrived. It had been a blur of disjointed thought: Devon shipping out again; Carly left behind; recollections of his big adventure with Audrey. Like that unmemorable ride, the world just kept right on turning whether he kept up or not.

"J. R.'s here," Emma announced when he walked through the door behind her, and she touched his arm. "Devon and Carly came separately?"

"Yeah, they're right behind me."

Andy, Jackson, and Sean stood out on the deck, hovering over the grill like mother hens. Fee, Emma, Kat, Audrey, and Sherilyn buzzed about the kitchen, passing plates and filling bowls and setting them out in a buffet line on the counter, perfectly-synchronized gears in a well-oiled machine.

Audrey looked up at him quickly and shot him a smile that he felt in his knees before the action drew her back in.

"Here you go," Sherilyn said, handing over a large stainless steel spoon.

"Where's Russell?" J. R. asked no one in particular.

"Outside with the boys," Kat replied.

Once out on the deck, J. R. saw Russell on the lawn below, pitching a ball that Henry chased with vigor. With fur flying and a huge red tongue dangling out of the side of his mouth, the dog raced across the yard in pursuit, and he returned to drop it at Russell's feet, looking up at him with hope.

"Play date?" J. R. asked Andy as he stepped up beside him and watched.

"Two peas in a pod," he answered.

Andy tipped open the roll-top and tended to the steaks and chicken breasts sizzling on the grill. Enormous cobs of corn peeked out from husks on the other side next to large foil packages.

"This a new grill?" J. R. noted.

Andy lit up. "The Aztec Premium Prestige."

"Ah, geez," Sean muttered, and he turned around and walked into the house.

"We've heard it a time or two," Jackson said with a grin.

"Dual head stainless steel gas grill," Andy continued without notice, "with forty-five thousand BTU, full rotisserie, and eleven hundred square inches of cooking surface. It's the champion of excellence and precision in grilling, my friend."

As Andy set about turning the steaks, J. R. and Jackson shared an amused glance. "Good to know," J. R. said, and he smacked Andy on the back before turning toward the house.

"You're driving them away in herds, Drummond," Jackson commented.

"Don't care," Andy declared, spatula firmly in hand. "This baby is worthy of a little praise."

"Yeah, okay." And Jackson followed J. R.

Devon and Carly stood at the counter with Audrey and Sherilyn as he walked in. J. R. patted Devon's arm on his way past. He approached Audrey at the sink and caressed her shoulder.

"Nice to see you, Agent 99."

She snickered as she sprinkled fresh Parmesan cheese over the top of a large bowl.

"What is that?" he asked, leaning toward the bowl.

"Seafood orzo," she told him. "Sherilyn taught me how to make it. Orzo with shrimp, fish, peppers, tomatoes, basil. All the good stuff."