Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate opened her door to a pretty blonde teenager holding a large white box wrapped with a red ribbon.
“You must be Kate. I’m Sloane.” Sloane handed her the box. “This is for you. It’s a gift from Maggie and Chloe,” she said with a huge grin.
“Wow.” Kate took the package. “It’s nice to meet you, Sloane. Your dad owns the hardware store, right?”
“He does. Thanks for the muffins you dropped off. They were lit. I can’t wait until your coffee shop opens.”
“I can’t wait either, and I’m glad you enjoyed the muffins.” Kate set the gift box down on the table by the door. “Where are my manners—would you like to come in?”
“Thanks, but I have two more boxes to deliver. There are instructions inside, and Chloe asked me to make sure you open it right away.”
“I will. Thanks for the delivery. I owe you more muffins.”
“No problem and . . . deal.” Sloane scampered toward her vehicle.
Kate’s name was written in a beautiful romantic script on top of the box. So pretty! She brought the box into the kitchen, set it on the island, and gently removed the satin ribbon, wondering what she had done to deserve such a gift.
A note on linen cardstock sat atop the tissue: This item is to be worn to the bachelorette party. Paige has always wanted to be part of an ’80s girl band. Call us if you have questions. Maggie’s and Chloe’s signatures were accompanied by a sketched heart.
Both Nyla and Lucy jumped onto one of the counter stools.
They were as curious about the delivery as she, although they were more interested in sitting in the box than they were about the contents.
Kate pulled back the tissue and held up the black garment.
She swallowed, her smile slipping as she took in the shorter-than-she-had-ever-worn sexy black dress in front of her.
She fingered the expensive fabric as she carried the dress into her bedroom.
She’d been working hard on her figure and her mindset over the past year, and she’d managed to quiet her inner critic.
But that was before seeing her ex-boyfriend’s post on social media with his new French model fiancée.
Now her inner voice was telling her she was too fat to wear something like this in front of the skinny girls.
She repeated her mantra a few times in her head, then once out loud for good measure.
“I am strong. I am smart. I love who I am.” She stripped to her undies, stood in front of the mirror, and held the dress to her body.
Nyla sauntered through the door, her black bushy tail swishing back and forth.
Kate addressed the feline. “I don’t think I can wear this. Maybe I can say it doesn’t fit, and I didn’t try it on until an hour before the party. Do you think that will work?”
Nyla lay on the bed, stretched, and flipped on her back, her legs splayed.
“You are no help,” Kate said. “Unless you’re trying to tell me something, in which case I agree with you. Finding a date wouldn’t be a problem in this dress.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath. Maybe if she stopped talking to her cat and tried on the dress with her Spanx underneath, it wouldn’t be so bad.
With the belly- and butt-flattening torture gear in place, she pulled the dress up to slip her arms into the long sleeves, and by the time her arms were in, the hem of the dress came mid-thigh. She smoothed the fabric down and stared at herself in the mirror.
“Oh. Okay. It’s short, but . . .” She pulled at the fabric to cover more thigh, then turned sideways and looked over her shoulder. “Huh.” She smoothed the fabric down the sides. Her new healthy eating plan had paid off. She looked pretty damn good.
In her closet, she found her knee-high black leather boots and slid them on. She held her fingers together and struck a pose like Kate Jackson on Charlie’s Angels.
Her phone beeped with an incoming text from Chloe.
I hope you’re not freaking out, she’d written.
How did she know? I actually was, Kate typed back.
Want me to come over? Chloe responded.
Kate bit down on her lower lip. If you have time.
brT.
* * *
It was the night of the bachelorette party, and Kate had been looking forward to it.
She entered the Blue Ox bar and restaurant on the lower level of the Deer Creek Lodge.
The party was taking place in a private room tucked in the corner of the lounge and separated from the rest of the bar by a set of French doors covered with sheer curtains.
A sign outside the doors read “Private Party.”
Balancing the cupcake box in one hand, she opened the door. Red and silver helium balloons danced around the ceiling; tendrils of curling ribbon swayed in the circulating air. Black and white streamers were looped end to end and attached to the opposite wall, along with a large Team Bride banner.
Maggie and Chloe turned in her direction. Kate glanced around. “The room looks great.”
Place cards and white gift bags stuffed with red tissue stood on a large banquet table. A table along the wall held two large platters laden with cheese, olives, crackers, meats, and a selection of vegetables and dips.
Kate handed Chloe the bakery box. “Cupcakes as promised.”
“I can’t wait to see! You look beautiful, by the way. I love your boots,” Maggie said.
“Thank you.” Kate smoothed the black dress down in hopes it would lengthen a tad more. For too many years, baking and eating her confections had made her hips wider and her middle softer. “I never wear this short of a dress.”
“You should. You look fabulous,” Chloe said.
Kate smiled. “I see you went with combat boots. Love them!”
“Thanks. I’m going for ‘sexy badass.’ Besides, I’m not the most graceful in heels.”
“I had to learn to walk in heels when I catered in Chicago, but I prefer flat-soled shoes too.”
Chloe moved closer to the food table. “I’m dying to see the cupcakes.” She opened the bakery box.
Maggie peered over her shoulder. “Paige is going to love them!”
Chloe stared but said nothing. Kate cringed, thinking maybe she had gone overboard.
“I don’t think I can eat that.” Chloe pointed to the most risqué dessert.
Maggie burst into uncontrollable laughter and placed a hand on Chloe’s shoulder. “I have to say, it’s anatomically correct.”
“Tell me you didn’t use my brother as a model,” Chloe said.
Paige, Lily, Alexis, and Rachel walked in and joined them at the table. “What did you use Nick as a model for?” Rachel asked. She looked down. “Oh. Oh!”
“I did not use Nick as a model. We’re just friends!” Kate’s face heated. Giggles erupted around her. She wanted to crawl under the table.
Maggie side-hugged her, aware of her distress. “Kate made the cupcakes I requested. And they are magnificent. You’ve totally outdone yourself. Thank you so much.”
Paige wore a similar dress to Kate’s, except hers was sleeveless and she wore fishnet stockings with four-inch heels. Her hair was teased high on her head. “They really are amazing, Kate.”
Feeling better knowing that the bride enjoyed her designs, Kate relaxed. “Congratulations, Paige. You look stunning.”
“Thank you, you do too. Thanks, you guys, for celebrating with me and for dressing in ’80s garb.
” Paige hugged everyone then pronounced, “I need a cupcake.” She picked up the one that had horrified Chloe and placed her mouth around it, sucking in the frosting.
She wiped her mouth and grinned. “Yummy!”
Chloe’s jaw dropped, and the rest of the room erupted in laughter. This was going to be a fun night.
Maggie handed blow-up guitars to Paige and Alexis. “These will help sell the look of the Bangles when we head into the bar for karaoke.”
“Very cool,” Alexis said. She wore a black blouse with sheer sleeves and a short black-and-white skirt. Her short spiked blonde hair and knee-length black leather boots rounded off her ’80s rocker look.
“Here you go, Kate.” Chloe handed her a pile of slim metal bracelets. “I forgot to include these in the boxes.” She gave the jangly bangles to all the girls. Kate slipped them on and wiggled her wrist back and forth. “Fun.”
Chloe had arranged their very own bartender for the evening, and he’d created a signature drink for the occasion: a fruity rum cocktail adorned with pineapple, cherries, and colorful stir sticks and mini umbrellas.
Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” played softly over the speakers.
Karaoke night at the Blue Ox would start within the hour.
Maggie stood and tapped her fork against the hurricane glass. “Okay, ladies. Let’s fill our plates with this delicious food chef John made for us. Then, each one of you has a gift to open, a thank-you for coming tonight.”
“Like we needed to be persuaded with gifts,” Lily said and toasted Paige. Lily had teased her hair into true ’80s rocker style, gaining her another two inches of height. She wore a black leather skirt and a white silk tank under a studded black leather jacket.
Maggie continued, “You all know how much fun I have shopping and since we will be sisters, Paige, I wanted to contribute. Besides, I couldn’t let Chloe have all the fun.”
Everyone piled their plates high and took their seats. The song switched to Heart’s “What about Love.” Lily and Rachel faced each other and sang a few notes.
“Paige, you start,” Maggie said.
“Okay.” Paige tore into her gift bag and pulled out an array of seven colorful thongs, one for each day of the week. Lack of fabric allowed for only the first letter of each day.
“Ethan will love these!” Paige giggled.
“Chloe, do you carry them at Rural Chic?” Lily asked.
“Uh, no.”
They all laughed.
Maggie bumped shoulders with Chloe. “You’re such a prude.”
“I’m really not.”
“Kate, why don’t you go next?” Maggie said with a devilish smirk.
The look she got had Kate worried. She delicately removed the tissue from her gift bag and pulled out a pair of pink furry handcuffs and a box of condoms in rainbow colors.
“Ahh . . . thanks?” Her cheeks heated, and she downed her drink.
She had a feeling she would need continual liquid courage tonight.
“We figured they might come in handy,” Maggie said with a knowing smile.
“Hilarious, but we’re just—”
“Friends,” the girls chorused. “We know.”
Alexis returned to the table with a tray of drinks in her hand. “Don’t mind them. They’re just having fun. They don’t seem to know what just friends means.”
Kate wondered if Alexis was speaking from experience.
“I think it’s time to post a picture,” Paige said with a grin.
* * *
After wiping off the grime from the day, Nick exited the shower and dressed in his favorite faded jeans and blue Henley.
He had a bachelor party to attend, and he didn’t want to be late.
Cole, in charge of the party, had arranged for time at the high school batting cages, then they’d head to Cole’s place.
At least that had been the plan until Nick received a text from his brother: Where are the girls hanging out tonight?
How would I know? Nick typed back.
Ask Kate.
Nick stared at his phone. If Ethan and Owen didn’t know, the girls obviously didn’t want them interrupting their plans.
Why? he texted.
We want to join them after batting practice.
Not a bad idea. He wouldn’t mind spending time with Kate. He sent one last text to Cole: Fine. See you soon.
He grabbed his keys off the counter. While he warmed his truck, he texted Kate. He decided on the direct approach: Where’s the party tonight?
She responded immediately with a smiley face. Sorry, but it’s a secret. Paige says to tell the guys to stop asking and have fun because we are.
Nick smiled. Tonight might prove interesting. Between Zeke, former special forces with a prior link to the intelligence community, and Owen, a former Navy SEAL, they’d find out. It was only a matter of time until they crashed the party.
* * *
From the vehicles in the otherwise abandoned parking lot, it looked like Nick was the last to arrive at the high school.
He hadn’t been inside the small gym, the original gymnasium, since the “big” gym was built after he graduated. Four lanes of net batting cages with divider curtains and artificial turf filled the space.
He joined his friends by the cages. “Nice to see you again, Ben.” Nick had heard from Zeke that Ben, Owen’s best friend, had been invited to the wedding when he’d been in attendance at a game night at Paige and Ethan’s when they announced their wedding date.
One of the many fun nights Nick had missed because of the job.
“You too, Nick. Heard you became Sheriff. Congrats.”
“Thanks.”
After an hour in the batting cage, betting and challenging each other, they packed up their things.
“Owen, any word from Maggie?” Ethan asked his brother-in-law.
Owen pulled his phone from his pocket after putting his equipment away. “Not yet.”
Their local intelligence network had provided no clues as to the whereabouts of the women. But then a notification came over the Town Talk app.
Nick scrolled through the app on his phone.
He stared at the photo just posted. Kate and the rest of the bachelorette party attendees were dressed as sexy rock stars straight out of the ’80s.
He enlarged the photo to see what each girl held in their hands.
Paige and Alexis each held an inflatable guitar, but what caught his eye was Kate, who wore a short, sexy black dress and dangled pink furry handcuffs from a fingertip.
A grin graced her lips. And suddenly he wished he knew how that smile tasted.
If only he had kissed her while snowshoeing.
His jeans tightened. He reminded himself they were friends. Just friends.
“Let me see that.”
Nick handed Cole his phone. Cole zoomed in on the background. “Guys, we found them! They’re at the lodge.”