Baking Love (10 page)

Kate felt her eyes welling up with tears.
I can’t believe I lost the man and now I’m losing the dress.

Jess turned and met Kate’s gaze. “This dress is nice—but number seven, the long-sleeved sheath, is still my favorite.”

Maintain your composure. Do not scream in excitement.
“You looked incredible in the sheath,” Kate said in all honesty.

“Would you get it so I can try it on again?”

I’d bring it to you on a silver platter if I had one.
“Of course. Before I go, do you want to try on number one twenty-one while I have it?”

“Nope, I think number seven is it. Hang on a minute, and you can take number one thirty-nine back, too.” Jess pulled the curtain closed.

Kate couldn’t contain a smile as she waited outside Jess’s changing room.
She doesn’t want it! It’s mine for the taking…bidding!

Jess handed number one thirty-nine around the curtain to Kate. She hurried to the racks and exchanged number one twenty-one for number seven—but she didn’t return number one thirty-nine. She took number seven to Jess. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

“Sure.”

Kate clutched the strapless satin a-line and raced down the long row of changing rooms until she found an available one. She ducked inside and slid the curtain closed. She quickly removed her shoes and clothes, and carefully pulled on the dress. She deliberately kept her back to the mirror, not wanting to see how she looked in the dress until she had it all the way on. She zipped it in the back, then straightened the skirt.
Feels good, but it’ll matter more how I look.
She turned and faced the mirror. Her breath caught.

This is my wedding dress.

The gown couldn’t have flattered her figure more if it had been tailor-made. The cut, the length, the fit were perfect. The style reflected her taste to the letter.

It’s all enhanced by the fact Jess doesn’t want it.

Kate smiled at herself in the mirror.
I’m going to bid on this dress…and I’m going to win it.

* * * *

A model wearing a long-sleeved taffeta sheath stepped onto the runway. “Next up, dress number seven,” the auctioneer announced.

Kate leaned over to Jess. “Are you ready?”

“I’m nervous. I’m afraid someone is going to outbid me.”

“Do I have an opening bid of one hundred dollars?” the auctioneer asked.

“One hundred,” a woman said.

“I have one hundred, do I hear two hundred?”

“Two hundred,” another woman said. The bidding quickly continued to five hundred.

Jess leaned toward Kate. “This dress is popular…unfortunately.”

“Just wait. These bidders will start dropping like flies.”

Indeed, it didn’t take long for the bidding to slow. “I have a thousand dollars, do I hear eleven hundred?” the auctioneer asked.

“Eleven hundred,” Jess called out.

“I have eleven hundred, do I hear twelve hundred?”

“Twelve hundred,” another woman said.

“I have twelve hundred, do I hear thirteen hundred?”

“Thirteen hundred,” Jess called out.

“I have thirteen hundred, do I hear fourteen hundred?”

The room fell silent.

“I have thirteen hundred, do I hear fourteen hundred?” the auctioneer repeated.

Nerves seized Kate, and she took hold of Jess’s hand.

“Thirteen hundred going once, thirteen hundred going twice.”

Come on, come on.
Kate felt Jess squeeze her hand.

“Sold, for thirteen hundred dollars!”

Jess released Kate’s hand and clapped. “I won! It’s mine!”

“Congratulations!” Kate exclaimed.

“I’m so relieved! I would’ve been sick if I’d had to go home without that dress.” Jess picked up her purse. “I’ll go pay, then we can get out of here.”

Kate put her hand on her friend’s arm. “Actually, I’m going to bid on a dress, too.”

“You are?”

“Yeah. I know that sounds strange because I’m not even engaged, but I love this dress. It’s the one.”

Jess put her hand on top of Kate’s. “In that case, we won’t leave here without it.”

Kate smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”

“I’ll be right back.”

While Jess went to pay for her dress, Kate watched other auctions.
At least the strapless satin a-line was assigned a higher number and will be auctioned off later in the afternoon. Maybe by then, most of the women here will have already won their dress, and I won’t be left with much competition.

Jess returned to her seat. “Did you get everything taken care of?” Kate asked.

“Yeah. I paid extra to have the dress shipped to my house.” Jess dropped her purse to the floor. “So which dress are you bidding on?”

“Number one thirty-nine, the strapless a-line.”

“I remember that one. Did you try it on?”

Kate felt her face flush. “Yeah, while you were in the changing room.”

Jess punched Kate’s arm playfully. “Aren’t you sneaky! Why didn’t you let me see it on you?”

“It felt selfish to even be trying it on.”

“Nonsense. You need a wedding dress, too.”

“That’s sweet of you, but I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

“You will—and I have a feeling it’ll be sooner than you think.”

I wish I shared your optimism.

“Next up, dress number one thirty-nine,” the auctioneer’s voice filled the room.

Kate’s gaze slid from Jess to the runway, where a model wore the dress she wanted. She exhaled sharply. “Here we go.”

“Do I have an opening bid of one hundred dollars?” the auctioneer asked.

“One hundred,” a woman said.

“I have one hundred, do I hear two hundred?”

“Two hundred,” another woman said.

The bidding continued at an accelerated pace, and Kate leaned toward Jess. “I was hoping most of these women would’ve already won their dress by now.”

“Apparently, they were all waiting to bid on this one.”

“I have nine hundred, do I hear a thousand?” the auctioneer asked.

“One thousand dollars,” a woman replied.

“I have a thousand, do I hear eleven hundred?”

“Eleven hundred.”

Kate frowned.
I might not be going home with this dress after all.

“I have eleven hundred, do I hear twelve hundred?”

Just jump in.
“Right here,” Kate called out.

“I have twelve hundred, do I hear thirteen hundred?”

“Thirteen hundred.”

“I have thirteen hundred, do I hear fourteen hundred?”

“Right here,” Kate nodded.

“I have fourteen hundred, do I hear fifteen hundred?”

“Fifteen hundred.”

Sounds like I’m only up against one other bidder now.

“I have fifteen hundred, do I hear sixteen hundred?”

“Right here,” Kate said. She and the other bidder continued to banter back and forth in hundred dollars increments. Frustrated, Kate finally turned to Jess. “This is ridiculous.”
I need to leave this woman in the dust.

“I have nineteen hundred, do I hear two thousand?”

I’ll give you two hundred more, just to end this.
“Twenty-one hundred,” Kate called out.

“I have twenty-one hundred, do I hear twenty-two hundred?”

The room was quiet.

“I have twenty-one hundred, do I hear twenty-two hundred?” the auctioneer repeated.

Jess put her hand on Kate’s arm.

“Twenty-one hundred going once, twenty-one hundred going twice.”

“Twenty-two hundred,” the other bidder announced.

“Bitch!” Kate hissed. She fought the urge to turn around and see who she was bidding against.
I don’t want this to get personal…or ugly.

“I have twenty-two hundred, do I hear twenty-three hundred?” the auctioneer asked.

“Right here,” Kate raised her hand.

“I have twenty-three hundred, do I hear twenty-four hundred?”

“Twenty-four hundred.”

“I have twenty-four hundred, do I hear twenty-five hundred?”

That’s it. I’m done.
“Three thousand dollars,” Kate called out.

“There you go,” Jess nodded definitively. “Kick her ass.”

“I have three thousand, do I hear thirty-one hundred?” the auctioneer asked.

The room fell silent.

“I have three thousand, do I hear thirty-one hundred?”

“I dare her,” Kate whispered.

“Three thousand going once, three thousand going twice.” The auctioneer paused, then pointed to Kate. “Sold, for three thousand dollars!”

Kate sighed in relief. “Finally.”

“Way to go!” Jess cheered.

“
Now
we can get out of here.” Kate grabbed her purse and stood up. She and Jess made their way to the end of the row and over to the cashier’s table. “I just won dress number one thirty-nine,” Kate told one of the women sitting there.

“Congratulations,” the cashier said unconvincingly. “Fill out this sheet with your personal information, and I’ll need payment in the form of cash or credit card.”

“It’ll be credit card.” Kate opened her purse and pulled out her wallet.

“Do you want to pay extra to have your dress shipped?”

“No, thanks.”

Jess nudged Kate’s arm. “You’re carrying it on the plane?”

“Hell, yes. I’m not letting this dress out of my sight until it’s safely in my closet.” Kate handed her credit card to the cashier. “Considering the determination of that other bidder, I’m not convinced the dress would even make it out of this building and to the shipping store.”

Jess stared at her. “You’re paranoid.”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’ll go get your dress,” the cashier told Kate. While she was gone, Kate filled out the info sheet and laid it on the table. She turned to talk to Jess and noticed a woman walking toward them. Her eyes locked with Kate’s.

Kate shifted her gaze to Jess. “There’s a woman coming our way.”

“Where?”

“Eleven o’clock.”

Jess glanced over her shoulder. “Who is she?”

“I’m not sure.”

“She’s looking right at you.”

“I know. Should I run?”

“I wouldn’t waste your energy. Judging by the expression on her face, she’d just chase you.”

The woman came up beside Kate. “Excuse me. You won the strapless a-line a few minutes ago, didn’t you?”

Her voice is so familiar.
“Yes, I did.”

“This may sound odd, but I’m willing to buy that dress from you after your wedding.”

It’s the other bidder!
Kate forced herself not to gape in surprise.
This is not the response I would’ve expected from my adversary. A threat, a kidnapping, a robbery, yes—but not a negotiation.
“I don’t think it’ll work for me to sell you the dress,” Kate answered, as she spotted the cashier coming.

The woman appeared slighted. “Why not?”

“Because you could be waiting a long time.” Kate took her dress from the cashier.

“Are you not getting married for a while?”

“Actually, I don’t know
when
I’m getting married.” Kate leaned toward the woman. “I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

The woman stared blankly at her.

Kate straightened. “Good luck finding your wedding dress.” She turned and headed for the convention center exit, tightly clutching her
strapless satin a-line wedding gown—number one thirty-nine.

* * * *

Kate and Jess sat by a window in the lobby of Marquise, watching for Eric. “I wish I hadn’t told him we were coming to Manhattan,” Kate grumbled. “I’m not looking forward to New Kate.”

“Maybe this is the last time she’ll have to make an appearance.”

“I hope so.” Kate perked up. “I
am
looking forward to my carriage ride through Central Park.”

“What time is your reservation?”

“Nine o’clock.”

Jess smiled slyly at her. “Did you schedule it for nine so we’d have to be finished with dinner by then?”

“Damn right I did.”

Jess laughed.

A taxi pulled up in front of the hotel, and the back door opened. Eric stepped out, and Kate nearly convulsed. “That man is handsome, but when he wears a suit, he’s irresistible.” She opened her purse and started rummaging through it. “Where’s my red lipstick?”

“Uh, Kate?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not going to like this.”

“What? Did you use my lipstick and not put it back?”

“Look.”

Kate lifted her gaze from her purse to find Eric helping Cecilia out of the taxi.
You’ve got to be kidding.
“Why is she here?”

“Probably has something to do with the fact she’s engaged to Eric.”

“He didn’t tell me she’d be coming.”

“I think they’re a package deal.”

Kate watched Cecilia and Eric walk arm in arm toward the revolving doors of the hotel. Jess stood up. “You ready for dinner?”

Kate snapped her purse closed. “I’ve lost my appetite.”

Cecilia and Eric entered the lobby, and Kate reluctantly rose to her feet.
It’s only two hours. You can do this.

“Hey, y’all,” Eric said, approaching them. He and Jess hugged.

“It’s good to see you again,” she said.

“You, too.” Eric released her, then met Kate’s gaze. He extended his arms to her, and she reciprocated. “Hey, Kate,” he said as they hugged.

That’s the second time he hasn’t greeted me with, Hey, you.
“Hey.”

He stepped back and smiled in a way Kate could only describe as polite.
Guess he finally got the message I’ve been sending.
Sadness unexpectedly tugged at her heart.
He got the message.

Eric turned to his fiancée. “Have you met Jess?”

Cecilia nodded. “She greeted me and my mother the first time we arrived at the bakery.” She met Jess’s gaze. “Did you buy your wedding dress today?”

Jess’s face lit up. “Yes, I did!”

So did I!

“I bought my wedding dress a few weeks ago, so we’ll have to compare notes.” Cecilia smiled. “I don’t know about you, but as soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew it was the one.”

That’s how it happened for me.

“What does everyone want for dinner?” Eric asked.