Alyssa glanced down at Indigo. “You think so?”
“I’ve done more wedding dresses than I can count, and I can make you that promise. Besides, remember Meghan Markle’s dress? She had a train, but everything about her dress was simple and elegant. Not a scallop or bead anywhere, and her dress was perfect, as was her veil. She looked radiant.”
Alyssa nodded. “You’re right. Okay, then, let’s keep it simple.”
“I always prefer simple dresses anyway,” Indigo continued. “That way, the bride really shines, and you’re going to sparkle. It’ll be a beautiful wedding. Where will you be getting married?”
“At the Crescent Hotel. We’re going to be married on the lawn, and the reception is in the conservatory.” Alyssa’s eyes lit up. “You should come. The trees will be all new with leaves, and the garden will be so pretty. I’ll make sure you get an invitation.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” A familiar ache pulsed within Indigo. Since Sam’s death, weddings had been hard, but it wasn’t unusual for her to receive invitations from clients and feel compelled to go.
Alyssa continued, “I’d love for you to come. You can meet my family and my mom’s boss. That might be nice, since you’re both from the West Coast.” Alyssa’s tone took on a singsong quality. “He’s single.”
Indigo tried not to wither as her thoughts pulled up everything she had lost in Oregon. She didn’t want to be reminded of the West Coast. “What’s his name?” Her thoughts pinged to meeting Suzette Malcomb’s boss. Meeting a man held no interest for her, but talking about some unknown male was better than pulling up memories of Oregon. She’d just need to gently sidestep Alyssa’s efforts at matchmaking.
“Cole Demetrius. His family owns Café Oceanus.”
Indigo stuck herself with a pin and winced. She sucked on her finger to make sure there wouldn’t be any trace of blood left on the spotless white gown.
Alyssa continued, “You know Café Oceanus, right? They’re huge!”
Indigo removed her finger as her mouth fell open. Did Cole Demetrius and his family own that Café Oceanus? They were one of the most popular restaurants in Eugene. No wonder he felt he could bark out demands. People probably scurried like mice when he had anything to say. Well, she wasn’t the scurrying type. She would treat him like she’d treat anyone else who was signing her paycheck: courteous and accommodating—to a point. But the idea that she would rearrange her schedule and insist on the families she was working with to do the same so he could attend the fittings was silly.
“Oh! Are you okay?” Alyssa gave a little start away from Indigo
Indigo looked down at her throbbing finger to find blood trailing into the nail. She must’ve really given herself a serious stick. “Dang. Let me get a Band-Aid for this.” She moved away from Alyssa and dug around in a kitchen drawer, looking for a bandage. She found one quickly and wrapped the finger, the blood already stopping its flow.
“Anyway, you’ve got to come to the wedding. My mom is an excellent cook, and she’s going to be putting on quite a spread. She used to cater weddings. Now, she’s a personal chef and housekeeper. Less work and more money and not so many crabby families. Boy, could she tell you some stories about mean brides.” Alyssa’s eyes flew open. “I hope I’m not like one of them.”
Indigo smiled, trying to put Alyssa at ease. “Not in the least,” she said. “You’re a pleasure. Now, stand up straight.”
Alyssa altered her posture.
Questions swirled around Indigo about Cole Demetrius, moving up her throat with the desire to be satisfied. “What is Mr. Demetrius like to work with?” she asked as she bent over the final pins in Alyssa’s hem.
“Mom loves him, says he’s down to earth. He’s not one of those snotty billionaires who think their staff resides somewhere among the unwashed masses. He doesn’t see the world that way. I’ve been to his house a couple of times with Mom, when she needed help. It’s gorgeous but not overly ornate or fancy.” She laughed. “Kind of like my wedding dress. Simple but elegant. Anyway, his family came for a visit a few months ago, and Mom wanted everything to be perfect. So, I went to help.”
Indigo fought the next question that rose to her mind, but it refused to be denied. “How does he see the world?”
Alyssa shrugged. “I don’t know a ton of billionaires, so I can’t say how he compares exactly. But he seems to think that having money is more of a responsibility than a toy. He helps out with all kinds of things around town, but his name is never on any building or program.”
“He likes to fly under the radar?” Indigo continued to fiddle with the hem of Alyssa’s wedding dress. She didn’t want to meet the bride’s eyes, in case Alyssa read more than a casual interest. Indigo chided herself. Her conversation with Alyssa was nothing more than a spontaneous discussion. She needed to stop acting like a few questions turned everything into a federal case.
“In some respects, I guess. But in other ways, he’s very visible. Take his car, for instance. That red Tesla is something. I always know when he’s in town, and so does everyone else.” Alyssa glanced at Indigo. “Have you seen it?”
Indigo broke free from her reverie. “Um, yeah. I’ve seen it.”
“Have you seen him? My gosh, he’s gorgeous! I can’t understand why he’s single. Mom thinks something happened in his past. When his family was here, I guess there were some tense conversations around a woman named Jessica.”
Indigo thirsted for more information but shut down her curiosity. She had no business pursuing anything about Cole that moved from common knowledge to more personal topics, and his love life was definitely personal. She had her own worries, and right now, one of them was finishing this hem without another pin stick.
Furrowing her brow, she focused on the satin for the last two pins before standing. “Okay, I think that does it.”
Alyssa grinned as she bunched her shoulders in excitement. Indigo offered the girl her hand, and she stepped gingerly off the pedestal, checking herself in the three-way mirror.
Alyssa sashayed the skirt as she checked her reflection from various angles. Indigo forced a smile while pushing her own feelings of loss about Sam to the back of her present moment. This was not the time to recall how her own wedding dress lay in cardboard and tissue paper in the back of a closet in her parents’ home in Oregon.
Her and Sam’s was a late January wedding, the fifth anniversary just four weeks past. Her dress reflected the season with a white faux fur wrap that covered her shoulders and upper arms, helping to keep her warm for the outdoor pictures that were taken in the snows of Sisters, Oregon. She had designed the dress herself, and she and her mother spent countless hours putting together satin, lace, and tulle. Even now, she could smell the sharp mountain air and snow fields that drifted on the winter wind from the peaks as she stood amid pines dressed in the most beautiful gown and veil she’d ever seen with its fitted bodice, long mesh sleeves, flared skirt, and veil that lifted and fluttered around her in a cold breeze.
Sam had chosen the wedding ring, and he’d refused to show her. Some of her friends had disagreed with his choice to keep the ring a secret, but Indigo had only felt growing excited anticipation. Sam knew her tastes perfectly. The moment he’d slipped the cool band over her finger, it’d warmed to her skin as if it had always been there, encircling her finger with an eternal round of bright but small diamonds channeled in platinum. It was still a reminder of how Sam’s love encompassed her heart even though he was gone.
“What do you think?” Alyssa beamed.
Indigo was grateful for the intrusion into her thoughts. “I think you’re going to be a lovely bride.”
“Steven hasn’t seen the dress yet. He’s going to love it.”
Indigo agreed.
“What happens next?” Alyssa asked.
Indigo left her thoughts of Sam, the clean cold smell of the mountains retreating to the back of her mind. Gratefully, she concentrated on Alyssa. “I’ll hem the lace first with a
rolled hem. Then, the satin will be next. That’ll be hemmed by hand, but you won’t be able to see the stitch from the outside, so it’s worth the trouble. I’ll also hem the slip to make sure everything falls just right.”
Alyssa sighed as she gazed at her reflection. “I don’t want to take it off.”
Indigo checked her watch. She had another appointment in fifteen minutes. “I’ll get it to you a week before the wedding,” she said. “But for now, I need it back.”
Alyssa stepped from the mirror. “Yes, of course. I’ll go and change.” The young bride hurried from the mirror.
“Be careful with the pins,” Indigo warned.
“Sure thing,” Alyssa replied as she slipped into the bathroom.
Indigo listened to the rustling that came through the hallway bathroom door. Someday, customers wouldn’t need to meet at her residence for a fitting. If this job with Cara and Phillip paid off, she’d have her own place of business by midsummer.
Alyssa hurried from the bathroom, her wedding dress over her arms like a sacramental cloth. Indigo took it from her gently before saying goodbye to the young bride. Quickly, she fitted the dress on its hanger before taking it to the spare room, where she hung it on the rack.
Kelsey came into the living room, wearing a pair of gray sweats and carrying a pint of ice cream, as Indigo watched Alyssa drive away in her Honda. Indigo turned from the window, and Kelsey handed her the spoon filled with cherry vanilla. She took the utensil and let the smooth cold treat melt on her tongue. The flavor of the tart fruit mingled perfectly with the mellow and sweet vanilla.
“So, another bride in Eureka Springs,” Kelsey said.
Indigo studied her roommate. Her long chestnut-brown hair was woven into a French braid. Tendrils framed her face, drawing Indigo’s gaze to her sweet milk-chocolate-colored eyes. “When are you going to become a bride?”
Kelsey laughed. “Never. I don’t want to get married. I’m perfectly happy without falling in love. I meet plenty of people waitressing, and I’ve got my little house snug in the woods.”
Indigo nodded. “It’s uncomplicated. I’ll give you that.” She thought back to Sam. “Still,” she whispered softly. “I would trade all the complications in the world for one more day with Sam.”
Kelsey took the spoon from her. “You’ve certainly seen your share of complications, and you didn’t deserve a single one. Especially the one he left you with.”
Tears and a shot of panic threatened Indigo. “I don’t care about any of that. He didn’t know he was going to die when he took out those loans or quit his job to start his business. He was expecting to have a long and happy life. I love him,” she whispered.
Kelsey moved the short distance to the kitchen, where she placed the spoon in the nearly empty pint of ice cream before setting it on the counter. “I know, Indi. You’ll always love him, in spite of the crushing debt. I just wish …”
“Don’t say it.” The panic rose into a full-blown irritation, surfacing alongside Indigo’s grief. “I know you think Sam was stupid to buy that boat and truck, along with everything else he wanted for his fishing guide business. But it was his dream.”
“Becoming a fishing guide on the McKenzie or the Willamette doesn’t require a brand-new boat or truck,” Kelsey replied. “He bought those things because he wanted them, and he used the business idea to get the loan. Then he quit his job and you guys lived on hope and credit cards. When he got sick, there wasn’t any insurance, so you’re saddled with several hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt that you’re trying to pay off fifty bucks a credit card. He shouldn’t have left a good-paying job with benefits. No one does that these days.” Kelsey’s voice softened, and she looked at Indigo, her eyes shaded with guilt. “I guess I’m a little mad at him for that.”
Indigo looked down. She didn’t have any argument for Kelsey’s words. Everything she said was right. Indigo had argued with Sam against the purchases and the decision to quit his day job in hopes of working full time as a fishing guide. But she hadn’t had the heart to keep badgering him. It was the one flaw in her and Sam’s relationship.
Kelsey sighed. “Still, I know you love him, and he adored you, Indi. I’ve never seen a man love a woman like he loved you. The two of you …” Kelsey searched for the right words. “I don’t know. You were like honey and butter. You belonged together.”
Indigo laughed as tears mingled with Kelsey’s affirming words. She and Sam were high school sweethearts who knew everything about each other. They’d held on to each other’s secrets and mysteries like precious cargo, creating a warm intimacy that came from complete trust and confidence in the other. Indigo still carried stories about Sam that she refused to tell. Somehow, keeping them close and private kept him alive.
“You will always love him,” Kelsey repeated. “And he’ll always love you.”
Indigo smiled. Those gentle and affectionate memories satiated her deepest desires to love and be loved. If she had her way, it would be enough to hold her for a lifetime. “Maybe you and I can live here forever and become a couple of old maids.”
Kelsey shrugged. “It suits me. I get plenty of social action, both positive and negative, through my job, but it’s not what I’d recommend for you.”
Indigo’s curiosity and a touch of stinging indignation emerged. “What makes you say that? I could live a single life.”
“But I doubt you’d be happy. I know Sam’s death felt like a scalding, but I hope you won’t give up on love.”
“I don’t need a man.” Her earlier ill humor returned. Kelsey didn’t understand. A relationship was the last thing she wanted. Sam was all she had and would be all she’d ever required. She turned away from Kelsey and began preparing for her next client.
“No. You’ve got goals and plans, and they’re exciting. But you’ve always been a family girl, Indi. As long as I’ve known you, you’ve wanted to be a wife and mother. Take this latest job, for instance. Even if I was a seamstress looking for a big paycheck, I’d never agree to sew a bunch of costumes for kids. I’d rather run screaming into a frozen blizzard than deal with children.”
Indigo’s temper cooled. “I’ve never understood what you’ve got against kids.”
“Just that I was one, and I know how much trouble I gave my folks.” Kelsey winked.
“Every relationship is some sort of trouble,” Indigo mused. She shook her head. “Not that it matters. If I can’t have Sam, I prefer to be alone. I’m not sure I could ever love anyone like that again, and I don’t want to.” The whisper of the mountain air from the day of their wedding photo shoot filtered back to her, unbidden. She tried to hang on to it, but it drifted through her and away as if just passing through.
“How could you love like that again?” Kelsey replied. “The two of you were all about wild abandonment and head-over-heels crazy for each other. He was the lover of your youth, Indi, and you’ll never love someone like you loved Sam. But that doesn’t mean you can’t love differently.”
Indigo stared at Kelsey. “Love differently? What else is there?”
Kelsey looked down for a moment before returning Indigo’s gaze. “I’m not sure,” she said. “I mean, I stay as far away from love as possible, but I’m still an observer. I think there can be a grown-up love, a loving familiarity that lights the way home. I believe there’s a man out there who can be the lover of your soul.”
A late model Volkswagen pulled up, crunching the gravel as it parked.
“Oh, here’s your next customer,” Kelsey said.
Indigo glanced out the window, still feeling off-balance from Kelsey’s words. A lover of her soul? Wasn’t that Sam? She did her best to dismiss her shared conversation with Kelsey. Nothing would ever match her and Sam’s love. There was nothing more that love could offer. Besides, if she was careful in tending the memories of Sam, they would keep the fire of their love and marriage burning bright for the rest of her life. She didn’t need anything more. Indigo would make sure of it. She change
d the subject. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here and use your home as my business. I know it’s inconvenient.”
“Not really.” Kelsey grabbed the pint of ice cream and scooped the last of the melting treat into her mouth before throwing the container into the kitchen garbage. Indigo watched as she pulled out a box of fudge from the Sweet Shoppe on Main. Cutting two slices, she handed one to Indigo, who took a bite; the smooth, cool chocolate warmed on her tongue. No one could make fudge like Brooklyn with its refined texture and perfect balance between sweetness and cocoa.
Kelsey continued, “It’s kinda fun. I may not want to get married, but I do love pretty dresses. And you specialize in those.” She gave Indigo a wink before moving down the hallway toward her bedroom as Indigo’s next client rapped on the door.
Indigo flashed her a quick smile before hurrying toward the knock. She loved Kelsey like a sister. Even though they were as different as water and oil, no one knew her quite as well. But Kelsey was wrong about one thing. She had given up her dream of ever becoming a wife and mother. Other dreams had taken their place while also giving her access to the things she loved. Working with children with this dance troupe would fill her cup at least a little, while helping her reach her goal of having a business in Eureka Springs.
It wasn’t a bad life. It was a life that allowed her to remember Sam before he’d succumbed to lung cancer at the age of twenty-eight without ever smoking a single cigarette. And it kept her safe from ever feeling that kind of piercing pain she was determined to never again allow into her life. For Indigo, there would never be any lover for her soul.
Chapter Five
Cole noticed the Subaru the minute he pulled into the parking lot of the dance studio. A small smile crept onto his lips, and he tried to tell himself it was because he appreciated punctuality. Climbing the stairs, he walked into the brightly lit room and took in his surroundings. Cara and Phillip were talking with Mrs. Williams, who held a sketch pad and pencil along with several loose papers covered in drawings of children dressed in simple ballroom costumes.
Her Billionaire Betrayal (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 3) Page 3