Nearest Thing to Heaven (Maverick Junction) (4 page)

Nathan. Sophie started to groan in frustration, then remembered Ty. “Yes, I did.”

“Where are you?”

“We’ve been through this.”

Ty took the cup from her hand and moved to the sink. Water running, he rinsed it, obviously trying not to eavesdrop. In a place this size, that wasn’t remotely possible.

“Where are you?” Nathan demanded.

“I have to go.” She clicked off her phone, disgusted that her hand shook. Embarrassed that Ty saw it.

“You okay?”

“Sure.” She sent him a wobbly smile and picked up her purse. Her tension headache had returned.

“Anything I can do to help?”

And again, she knew this wasn’t an empty offer. But she’d be darned if she’d lean on another man to mop up this mess. Nathan was a nuisance. A growing nuisance.

A very demanding nuisance.

But he was in Chicago, and she was in Texas. For a few days, anyway. When Ty cupped her elbow, his touch reassuring, she didn’t draw away.

And wasn’t that stupid?

She wasn’t in any danger.

A
n hour and a half later, Sophie and Annelise turned onto the highway, headed to Lone Tree. Although her cousin had ridden into Maverick Junction on her Harley, she’d finally broken down and bought a car, her nod to practicality.

Sophie seriously doubted most people would term the sleek cherry-red Camaro convertible she’d chosen practical, but then, Annelise wasn’t most people. With the wind blowing through her hair, though, Sophie found it hard to argue with her cousin’s choice.

“I hope Maggie will forgive us for being a little late,” Sophie said. “I’ll tell her it’s all my fault. But I absolutely had to check out Cash’s house.
Your
house now. And that lake. Wow. I didn’t get to see it last time I was here.”

“You didn’t see much of anything last time you were here,” Annelise reminded her.

“No, I didn’t. Your folks were on a mission, and it didn’t include sightseeing.” She turned to face Annelise. “Cash’s place is wonderful. All that wood and stone. I can’t believe he built it himself. It’s perfect. Warm and inviting. Cozy and comfortable. Texas chic.”

“Yes, it’s all that.”

“And the setting. Oh, my gosh. What a difference for you, huh?”

“It is. And all for the better. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy waking up in the morning, sitting on the patio facing the lake for my morning coffee. With Cash.”

“You’re happy.”

“I am.”

Anxious, Sophie took a deep breath, a plan forming in her mind. “Has Dottie rented your apartment?”

“Why?” Annelise’s head whipped around to stare at her.

“Keep your eyes on the road.”

Annelise laughed and fluttered her hand. “Don’t worry. Driving here isn’t like city driving. Chances of meeting another car are practically nil.”

“But there are animals,” Sophie muttered. “Animals that don’t have any better sense than to stand in the middle of the road. On the way from the airport, we almost ran into those two cows. Jeez.”

“When in Texas—”

“Thus, the warning. Keep your eyes on the road.”

“Okay, okay.” A frown creased her forehead. “But why do you want to know about Dottie’s apartment?”

“I might stay awhile.”

Annelise’s brows shot up. “You? Here? In Maverick Junction? With the cattle and the silence?”

Sophie shrugged. Her idea was either brilliant or the stupidest one she’d ever had. Nathan or big-horned cattle. Hmmm. Quite a choice.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just thought, you know, a change might be good. A
temporary
change. I’m not talking long-term, believe me. A few weeks.”

Annelise’s fingers tapped the steering wheel. “Uh-uh. There’s more to it than that.” She glanced at her again. “I’m not going to be here, you know.”

“Right. I understand that. You’ll be in Paris with Cash on your honeymoon.”

The two looked at each other and squealed.

“I’m good with that.” Sophie slid her sunglasses up her nose. “I need some time alone. Time to get my head straight and my spring line pulled together, that’s all. I thought, as long as I’m here, as long as you’ve got this cute apartment, it would be a great fit.”

Annelise was silent for a minute. “Okay. I’m still not sure you’ve given full disclosure—”

“Oh, that is so lawyerish.”

“That’s not a word, and I am a lawyer.”

“I know, and I know. Both duly noted, counselor.”

“But,” Annelise continued, “as I was about to say, smarty-pants, I’ll ask Dottie about it.”

“Do you think she’ll say yes?”

Sophie hated to admit, even to herself, how much she hoped Dottie’d take her in. Nathan had initially annoyed her. Now? Now he ticked the creepy box. No way, though, would she burden Annelise with this, not so close to her wedding day. Right now, her cousin’s priority needed to be flowers, gowns, and honeymoons.

“She hasn’t advertised the apartment yet or shown it to anyone. Personally, I think she’ll be tickled pink.”

“Tickled pink?” Sophie groaned. She’d seen Dottie’s pink downstairs apartment. Her pink wardrobe. “That’s bad, Annelise. Really bad.”

“Yeah, I know.”

They laughed, rocketing closer to Lone Tree and their appointment.

Sophie didn’t move, not even after Annelise had turned off the car. “This is Lone Tree?”

“The people here are wonderful,” her cousin said, reaching into the back seat for her purse.

“Oh, that’s rich. That’s like being set up for a blind date with someone who has a great personality. You know he’s going to be a minus one out of ten in the looks department. Not that that matters,” she added quickly.

Annelise snorted. “You’re right. Sorry. But, seriously, the people here really are terrific.”

What people? Sophie wondered. Lone Tree could have been a ghost town. The street was devoid of life. No people, no plants, nothing moving.

Beside her, Annelise pointed to the store in front of them.

Cowboy Grill was splashed across the window. “Ollie, the owner and chief bottle-washer, is the one who pointed me in the right direction when I was searching for my great-aunt.”

“He helped you save your grandfather’s life, then.”

“He did. On a lighter note, but still very important…” She held up a finger. “Ollie’s wife makes the best lemon meringue pie you’ve ever tasted.”

“Ty said the same thing. I might have to test it myself.”

“We will. After your fitting. I can hit the treadmill an extra half-hour to work it off before Saturday.” Her expression went all dreamy. “Saturday. Only three more days, and I’ll be Mrs. Cash Hardeman.”

“Annelise?”

“Hmm?”

“I’d like to thank you.”

“For what?”

“Not turning into Bridezilla. Some of the stories I’ve heard—”

“I couldn’t do that. I’m so happy, and I want everyone else happy, too.” She took a deep breath, let it out in a rush. “Okay, let’s get over to Maggie’s before I turn into a waterfall and have to do a full makeup repair.”

Walking across the deserted street, Sophie sighed when she spotted Maggie’s. The store window’s flowing script suited the stylish, gregarious redhead. Very elegant. Very Maggie.

Then they opened the door to the shop and Sophie stood rooted, hugging herself. Ultra-feminine, it smelled of vanilla and lilacs. Sun spilled through lacy white curtains and bathed the boutique in its glow. Soothing, muted pink covered the walls, while chocolate brown carpet and moldings grounded the room and kept it from seeming fussy—and Ty’s Julia had a hand in picking these colors. Sophie sighed.

The décor could only be described as eclectic. Antique dressers, overstuffed chairs, and gilded mirrors acted as an underpinning to the clothes on display. If she had the money, she’d go totally crazy in here. But she didn’t. With the expense of this trip, she’d have to scrape to cover her mortgage this month.

Well, she wouldn’t think about that right now. Today was Annelise’s day. And no one deserved this more.

Stepping inside, she whispered, “Incredible.”

“Didn’t I tell you? Hard to believe, huh?”

“Pinch me.” Sophie held out a hand. “I must be dreaming. How can this exist in the middle of this mud-ugly town?”

“Come on in.” Maggie moved from behind a glass counter covered with jewelry and accessories. She wore what had to be one of her own designs, a lightweight black and white dress that showcased her curves and made Sophie drool. Phenomenal.

“If I thought for an instant that dress would look half as good on me as it does on you, I’d fight you for it,” Annelise said.

Maggie laughed. “Don’t tell any of the guys. They’d line up around the block to watch two women go at it.”

“Isn’t that the truth? I never have figured out what that’s all about.”

“Me, either,” Maggie said.

“I know we’re here to fit my dress, but I need a minute.” Sophie wandered over to an old dresser and fingered the camisoles tumbling casually from its drawers. One, a soft pink piped in black, caught her eye. “Ooh-la-la. If I had a guy in my life right now, this would go home with me.”

“I have matching thongs.” Maggie reached into another drawer, flipped through them, and pulled out a tiny scrap of pink and black. “Of course, with the set, you might want to make sure you’re handy to an ER, if you know what I mean.”

“Annelise, you should get these for your honeymoon.” Sophie held them out.

“No, I don’t think so. I’ll leave them right here, in case you need them.”

Sophie snorted. “Fat chance.”

“You never know.” Maggie’s eyes sparkled. “Come on. I can’t wait for you to see your dress. If you don’t like it, well, there’s simply no hope for you.”

Sophie laughed. “You really need to work on that self-esteem problem.”

Maggie flipped the sign on the door to read closed. Together, they walked toward her workroom.

“Babs, Kinsey, and both Annie’s mom and Cash’s have already been in for their fittings. You’re the last,” Maggie tossed over her shoulder.

“I’m sorry about that. I know this is really pushing it, but I couldn’t get down before now. Things have been crazy, and I’ve been so busy.”

“Not a problem. I think the dress will suit you perfectly.” She stopped, turned to Sophie, and studied her with a seamstress eye. “We shouldn’t need to do more than a couple tiny alterations.”

She opened a beautiful old door at the back of the shop and led them into her workroom.

Sophie gaped. “It’s like stepping into a secret garden.”

“Isn’t it?” Annelise grinned ear to ear. “I’m in love with it. It’s so girlie, and there’s such energy here.”

Everywhere she looked, Sophie saw evidence of Maggie’s creativity. Swatches, buttons, drawings tacked to bulletin boards and scattered across a well-used table. One wall was weathered brick, and the floor’s scarred wood held decades of history.

“Your dress is in here.” Maggie stepped to another, smaller doorway.

Sophie followed her along shelf after shelf of fabric. Tweeds, silks, linens, cotton of every color. “This is almost orgasmic.”

Maggie laughed. “If the fabric alone will do that for you, let’s see what this does.” She reached behind a room divider and held up a floor-length dress.

Sophie gasped. “Oh, my gosh, it’s gorgeous. More than gorgeous. It’s perfection.” She clapped her hands.

The black silk dress was strapless, its skirt a dreamy swirl. One swath of black cut diagonally across the top and fluttered over the red satin band at the waist. Horizontal pleating provided texture to the bodice. Beyond stunning.

She turned from Maggie to Annelise. “You’ll really let me wear this for your wedding? Isn’t there some rule that says attendants’ gowns have to be butt-ugly so the bride looks that much more radiant?”

Annelise laughed. “If there is, it deserves to be broken.”

“Don’t worry,” Maggie said. “Annie is going to shine so brightly, the guests will be grabbing their sunglasses.”

“I don’t doubt that. Not for a second.” Sophie moved to the dress, ran a hand along the sash, trailed a finger over the bodice detail. Sighed. Then she threw herself first into her cousin’s arms, then Maggie’s.

Maggie tossed Annelise a look. “Told you she’d like it.”

“What are the other attendants wearing?”

Handing Sophie her gown, Maggie reached behind the curtain and pulled out a dress bag. She unzipped it and held it up for Sophie.

“The other’s identical.” The strapless red dress had no draping at the top but was pleated from beneath the bust to the waist where two large, silk roses in the same red nipped it in.

“Gorgeous.”

“Cash’s niece, Abbie, is our flower girl. Maggie designed a fairy-tale dress for her. A red bodice and miles and miles of white tulle skirt with just the tiniest bit of red trim at the bottom.”

“Good job.” Sophie high-fived both women. “So where’s your wedding gown?” she asked. “Can I see it? You’ve refused to tell me anything about it, even when I was in Boston for your shower.”

“Because it’s a secret. And it’s going to stay that way.”

“I’m your maid of honor.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Can’t I have one little, teensy-weensy peek?”

“Nope. My gown’s in hiding.”

“Oh, that’s so not fair.”

Annelise grinned. “I know. But I’m the bride. I get to do what I want. Nobody sees the dress. Sorry.”

“You’re not at all sorry.”

A mischievous grin broke out on Annelise’s face. “You’re right. I’m not.”

“Okay, it’s time I take back the Bridezilla comment. Maybe you are turning into the bride from Hell.”

“Not even.” Annelise patted her check. “Come on, I did let Maggie show you the other dresses.”

“Yes, thanks for that.” She studied the silk flowers on the red dresses more closely. “Maggie, you’re going to explode onto the fashion scene.”

“If I do, I’ll have Annie here to thank for it.” She covered the red dress and put it away.

“Oh, no,” Annelise said. “
When
, not
if
, you do, you’ll have your own talent, hard work, and persistence to thank for your success.”

“Without exposure—” Maggie shrugged. “Okay, enough chitchat. Strip, Sophie. Let’s get this on you and see what we need to do.”

Fifteen minutes later, Maggie carefully removed the gown. “Don’t put your clothes back on. The alterations won’t take long. There’s a robe on the hook by the door. Just slip into it.”

Hands folded in her lap, Annelise sat on a bench by the door. Sophie slid into the robe and snagged a stool from the corner.

Maggie settled in front of her sewing machine with seam ripper, pin cushion, and magic fingers. Sophie watched in awe as she went to work.

Music played softly in the store and drifted back to them. “The Way You Look Tonight.” It couldn’t be a better choice.

“Maggie, you’ve known Ty and Cash for a long time, right?”

“Since we were pups.”

Sophie grinned, then her face sobered. “And you knew Julia.”

Maggie’s smile dimmed. “Yeah. She was a special person.”

Of course she was, Sophie thought. That’s why Ty had fallen in love with her. A little corner of her heart cramped. “What did she look like? What was she like?”