Invisibility Cloak (16 page)

“Yes, every year as soon as finals are over, my folks drive down and take Sammie and Nickel for about a week or two.” But something else nagged at her.

“They’re coming . . .?”

What was she forgetting?

“Monday,” Amanda murmured then snapped her fingers. “Ah! What time is it? I almost forgot! Kelsey’s coming over with a few dresses today.”

“Who’s Kelsey?” Ryder bent forward and leaned his arms on his knees looking around Sammie catching her attention.

“A good friend who is lending me something.”

A dress for the Dinner Dance on Tuesday. She pursed her lips together. The one she was going to with Jeffrey. And Ryder was going to with Sophia Edgington.

Ryder turned over his wrist to look at his watch. “It’s fourteen hundred hours.”

“We have to get home. I didn’t realize it was that late.”

Sammie asked, “Why’s Kelsey coming over, Mom?”

“I was invited to dance and dinner at the Harbor Falls Country Club on Tuesday and she is lending me a formal to wear.”

“Dang it, we won’t be here. I want to see you in your dress.” Sammie jutted out her lower lip.

“Well, you can see me in it today. That’s why Kelsey is coming by. She’s bringing a few gowns for me to try on. You can pick out the one you think I should wear, deal?”

Nickel turned around and asked. “Are you going with Ryder?” His brown eyes, so like his father’s narrowed at Ryder. “You sure are going out a lot more now, Mom.”

“Is that a problem, Nickel?” Amanda glanced over at him.

“Nah, it’s just weird,” her son grumbled from the front of the car.

She adjusted her feet and crossed her legs. “Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure it won’t last.” She puffed out a laugh.

“Whatever.” Nick was engrossed in all the intricate instruments in the car again.

Kelsey’s little black Volkswagen Beetle was parked in front of her house when they pulled into the driveway and she groaned.

“I hope poor Kelsey hasn’t been waiting too long.”

“Thanks, Jeremy. I owe ya one.” Ryder got out of the car, waited for Sammie to get out then closed the door.

“Anytime, buddy,” Detective Coolman said through his rolled-down window. “I’ll do a check on all the Intel I got from you and we’ll get back with you.”

“Got it.” Ryder waved at him as he herded Amanda and her kids up to the front door.

“Ryder,” Amanda said as she stepped away from him. “My friend, Kelsey―” She pressed her lips together and pointed to Kelsey’s car.

“Amanda!” Her friend hollered and waved from the street where she’d parked. “I’ll need some help here, hon.”

“Be right there, we have lots of hands to help, Kels.” Amanda looked at her two children. “Stop right there, you two.” She crooked her finger to Ryder. “You too, ex-Army Ranger, I bet you could carry all the dresses in by yourself.”

Ryder moaned.

“Honestly, you are a big baby.” Amanda turned and walked toward Kelsey. “Move it, people.”

Nickel whined, “Ah, Mom. Do we have too?”

“Move it.” She yelled behind her to the stragglers, just as she reached Kelsey’s car.

“So, who is that big hunk, Amy?” Kelsey bobbed her eyebrows, looking at Ryder as he approached.

“He is a hunk, isn’t he?”

“Ah, yeah.” Kelsey grinned at her and said under her breath, “Can I have him?”

Amanda laughed softly as she watched him walk up. Man, he was a good-looking guy, if you liked the big, tall, dark and brooding type.

“What needs to get taken up to the house, Amanda?” Ryder asked after she introduced them.

“Oh, they’re hung up in the back seat.” Kelsey opened the door. “I grabbed a few extras for you to try on.” Kelsey winked at her.

He bent down to look at what she was pointing at and scowled.

“Dresses?” Ryder stood with his legs apart and his arms crossed over his chest.

“Yes, and no one can let the bottom touch the ground, swing the hem over your arm,” Kelsey ordered.

“Ah, man,” Nickel scoffed as he bent down to see what was in Kelsey’s back seat. “Girlie stuff?”

“C’mon kids,” Ryder said after he looked at Nick’s sour expression. “We have to think of this like a mission. Not one fraction of the material can be compromised, got it Nickel?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Hey, Sammie, take this bag in, will you?” Ryder handed Sammie a small tapestry bag. “Nick and I will get the dresses.”

“Got it.” Sammie stood up straighter, clicking her heels together and saluted Ryder. “Yes sir!”

“Good girl,” Ryder murmured handing Nick one of the dresses. “I’m right behind you, men.” Then he collected the last three.

“Nice to meet you ma’am,” Ryder said to Kelsey before he walked to the house. After a few paces, he stopped and turned around. “Amanda, I’ll meet you in the house.”

Amanda mimicking her daughter; saluted and clicked her heels together. “Aye, Aye, captain.”

Ryder lowered his brows. “Ha, ha very funny.” Then he hiked up the rest of the dresses on his arms and followed the kids into the house, but not before saying, “Two minutes, ladies.”

“Ooh-la-la, honey.” Kelsey breathed out as they both watched Ryder jog to catch up with the kids.

“Yeah,” Amanda said dreamily. “Hey, are you coming in?”

“Sure, I got about thirty minutes, but then I have to run.”

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

“Wish I could, hon.” Kelsey grabbed her purse from the backseat and locked the car. “My mom’s expecting me tonight for dinner. How about another time, maybe next week?”

“Absolutely, let’s go. I’ll get you tipsy while you watch me try on your dresses.” Amanda linked her arm into Kelsey’s. “Now, no laughing at me, Kels.”

“You know I’d never do that, Amy,” Kelsey said as they walked into the house.

Ryder stood by the front door. “I put the dresses on top of your bedroom door, Amanda and I ordered a pizza.” He glanced down at his wrist. “I’m taking Nick in about twenty minutes to pick it up. We should be home in no time.”

“Okay. Thank you, Ryder.”

“Go on up Kels, I’ll just be a few minutes. White or red?”

“Whatever you’re having is fine with me. I’ll get everything ready for you to try on.” Kelsey looked around. “Sammie? Hey, where are you?”

Sammie’s muffled answer came from the second floor.

“We girls will get everything ready.” Kelsey smiled then hurried up the stairs.

She turned to thank Ryder but he’d already left.
Lordy.
That man was quiet. She already had some pinot grigio opened and pulled out the wine bottle and set in on the shelf. Since she’d kept the wine goblets on the third shelf next to the sink, she rose up on her tiptoes to grab three glasses. Sammie would love a wine glass too, but filled with lemonade. If she put a few sliced strawberries in the glass, it would make it look pretty. Reaching her right hand up, her fingertips brushed the stem of the glass. The goblets were just too far back. She’d have to get a stool. But before she could turn around to go get something to stand on, Ryder’s solid body was pressing against her backside.

“Need some help?” His deep voice rumbled near her ear. She shivered.

“Well, since I can’t move . . .” Amanda wiggled her rump around a few times.

“Woman―,” Ryder began to say, but then stopped.

“I’m ready whenever you are Ryder.” Nickel walked into the kitchen.

“Here you go, Amanda.” He set down two glasses.

“Um, I need one more.” She grinned at him. “Sammie’s getting lemonade in a wine glass, so she can be one of the girls.”

Ryder grunted and grabbed one more glass. “C’mon Nick. Lock the doors, Amanda. We’ll be right back.”

“Yeah, Mom,” Nick said, then followed Ryder.

Her heart raced as she watched Nickel follow Ryder out. Nick loved having another guy around, she could tell. She hoped her son wouldn’t get too attached to Ryder, because she didn’t know how much longer he’d be hanging around. He was just staying close to her and her kids because of that guy breaking into the house.

After throwing a few ice cubes in each glass, she poured healthy amounts of white wine in two of the glasses and lemonade in the third. Plucking a few strawberries out of her salad bin, she sliced them up and tossed them in all three glasses.

“Hey, Mom,” Sammie said coming around the corner. “Kelsey sent me down to help you carry up the drinks.”

“Oh, thanks.” Amanda gave her two glasses.

“Cool! I get wine too?”

“No. That’s lemonade, dear.”

“Oh, man.” Sammie walked ahead of her. “Hurry up, Mom! Wait until you see what Kelsey brought you to try on!”

Amanda swallowed a few times while she walked up the stairs. Kelsey was smaller than her, and she silently prayed that something would fit. Her close friend went to a lot more fancy parties than she ever had, so she had plenty of dresses to choose from. Amanda didn’t want to go out and buy something that she’d never wear again.

“Mom!” Sammie had already bounded up the stairs and was standing in front of her bedroom door.

“All right, all right.” As soon as her toe touched the landing to the upstairs, Kelsey appeared. “I’ll take that, my dear.” She slipped her fingers under Amanda’s and took her goblet out of her hand. “You get undressed in the bathroom and we’ll have the dresses a-waiting, my lady.”

“Wow, I feel like a princess.” Amanda stepped into her bedroom and noted the formals hanging up on the top of the door.

Kelsey shoved the wine glass back into her hand and gave her a little push into her bathroom. “Strip.”

“Princess Fiona, that is.” Amanda smirked at herself in her bathroom mirror. After setting her wine glass on the counter, she undressed.

“Put on the little black number that’s hanging on the towel rack,” Kelsey said as she cracked open the door.

Amanda pulled it over her head. She let out a breath of relief. “It fits!” She stared at her reflection. It had a halter top and slim bodice. Amanda stepped closer to her mirror. Her left leg jutted out.
Dang it!
It had a huge slit on the left side of the dress. No way could she wear this, her brace would stick out like a sore thumb. “Next.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” Kelsey said through the door slit again.

“Oh, just come on in.” Amanda said in exasperation. “Both of you.”

Kelsey pushed opened the door and walked in, with Sammie behind her.

“I can’t have any slits on the dress.” Amanda pointed to her left leg. “See!” She fought back tears. She would not get upset in front of her daughter, she just couldn’t.

“Oops.” Kelsey was behind her in a flash. “No problem, senorita.” She unzipped the black dress. “Try on the green; it will look fantastic with your eyes.”

“Give me another sip of wine first.” Kelsey held out her glass and Amanda took another sip. “Okay, ready for the next one.”

“Here, hon, just step into it.” Kelsey held the green dress up and Amanda stepped into it. “Give me your arms.” Kelsey tried cramming her arms through the thin fabric.

“No, Kels!” Amanda jerked her arms back. “I’m going to tear the dress! It’s too small.”

Kelsey huffed out a breath.

“Oh crap! What if I can’t fit into anything?”

“Try on the blue one. I just bought it.” Kelsey gestured off-handedly to the dresses Amanda had already tried on. “I shouldn’t have even brought the others. Here try this.”

Blue? Amanda wasn’t sure if she’d look good in blue with her complexion. But she’d try anything. She lifted her arms up and Kelsey slipped it over her head. It glided over her body like water. Amanda shimmied a few times and it floated past her hips and the hem skimmed onto her toes. “This feels good, Kels.”

“Mom! It really does make you look like a princess.” Sammie jumped up and down as she walked around her.

“Oh, it’s not even zipped up yet!” Amanda sucked in her stomach. “Hurry, Kels. Zip it up.”

“Amy, the zipper’s already up.” Kelsey smiled. “Wow. You look a lot better than I ever did in this one.”

“It feels good. Like a second skin.” Amanda blinked at her image in her bathroom mirror. “Not bad.” She smoothed her hands over the front of her dress. The waist of the dress tapered in, showing off her flat belly. She wouldn’t be able to eat normally until this event was over or else she’d have a little bulge right there. She patted her lower abdomen. It was a little snug in the chest, but all the deep V neckline did was flatter her. “
Ohmygod
, I have cleavage.” Amanda pressed her elbows together and watched as her breasts looked better than ever. They hadn’t looked this robust since she was pregnant! She lowered her gaze to her covered legs. The dress narrowed down and flared out around her knees. No slits. She flung her arms up and traipsed around the bathroom until her left toe caught a wrinkle in the rug in front of her sink. “I love it.” She caught herself from landing on the floor by bracing both hands on the sink.

“Turn around, hon.” Kelsey twirled her index finger at her.

Amanda immediately pivoted.

“
Gah!
” Kelsey said dramatically. “Sammie get me the bag you brought in.”

Sammie handed Kelsey her small tapestry bag.

“You need to wear this.” Kelsey took a nice sip of wine. “It is a must. You have gargantuan panty lines.” After rummaging around for a second or two, Kelsey held up a flimsy scrap of material. “You must wear this. Or you’ll simply ruin the entire look.” Kelsey thrust her arm out toward Amanda. “A thong. You must wear a thong.” Kelsey embellished the word thong and started giggling.

“Zoe has these!” Sammie squealed. “I want one too, Mom.”

Amanda rolled her eyes and grabbed it from Kelsey’s hand.

“Come on Sammie, let’s leave your mom alone so she can try it on.” Kelsey pulled Sammie out of the bathroom. “Try it on. It’s yours. I bought it for you. I knew somehow you’d never buy one for yourself.”

Amanda plopped down on her vanity seat and stripped off her underwear, cursing the white cotton bikinis the whole while. Why? Because they showed a line, that’s why! She grabbed her wine glass and took a big sip. After throwing her bikinis in her dirty clothes hamper, she vowed she’d never wear them again and pulled on the flimsy scraps of silk Kelsey handed her moments ago up her legs.

Jumping up to her feet, she yanked the skimpy material all the way up. She’d never worn these before and wasn’t sure where to put the slim material. Around her butt cheek? Under her cheek? She turned and studied herself and then asked loudly, “Kelsey, I ah, need some help here.”