by Addison Cole
They all answered at once as they approached the boutique, assuring her she didn’t sound stuck-up and that they wouldn’t miss the tasting. The boutique was located in a narrow, two-story house that had seen better days. Remnants of teal scuffed the wooden siding. The windows were shrouded behind big leafy plants, and a pink diamond-shaped sign hung over the door with SWANK! painted in vibrant yellow.
An adorable blond guy sat on the steps, reading. His hair was several shades of blond, cut military-short on the sides, longer on top, and brushed back from his face in a puffy, trendy style. His white dress shirt was unbuttoned four buttons deep. The sleeves were rolled up to just below his elbows. He wore a stylish pair of navy shorts with white polka dots.
He looked up as they approached and said, “There’s my beautiful princess bride!”
He set the book down and pushed to his feet, whipping off his dark sunglasses and revealing soft, friendly blue eyes. Several colorful beaded bracelets adorned his wrist, and a single leather anklet set off his muscular, tanned legs. He slid his feet into a pair of flip-flops and pulled Desiree into an overzealous embrace, air-kissing both cheeks.
“Hi, Donovan,” Desiree said.
“I see you brought your entourage this time, and not your prince.” He lowered his voice and said, “They’re gorgeous, but Ricky’s better eye candy for me.”
They all chuckled.
“Bet Ricky loves that,” Violet said snarkily as they made their way inside.
“I’m all eyes, not hands-on, sweetheart,” Donovan said. “You must be Violet, the motorcycle-riding, badgirl sister I’ve heard so much about.” He raked his eyes down Violet’s black T-shirt and cutoffs to her biker boots. “Mm-mm. Woman, you have got it all going on. I have been searching for the perfect dress for you ever since Desiree told me about you.”
“This should be interesting,” Emery whispered to Serena.
As Donovan went behind the antique dresser he used as a counter, Serena took in the mayhem that was Swank. Several chandeliers and lanterns dangled from exposed joists in the ceiling. Teal and yellow walls looked as though the color had been drained from them, like aged fruit, and dresses were displayed hanging from simple hooks. Antique dressers were placed haphazardly, draped with scarves, mismatched lamps, and other accessories. Funky racks held dresses, skirts, and blouses of all styles and colors, with seemingly no organization.
Serena grabbed Chloe’s hand and said, “Please give me a few hours, some paint, and a really great handyman. I could make this place look incredible, instead of like someone’s closet exploded.”
“Shh,” Chloe chided her.
“I’ve got your gorgeous wedding dress ready and waiting in the dressing room, princess,” Donovan said to Desiree as he came around the counter holding a garment bag. He handed the garment bag to Violet and waved to a row of curtains in the back of the store. “Why don’t you two chickies go try your dresses on, and I’ll get to know your friends.”
Violet sneered at the garment bag. “I’m not wearing any frilly stuff.”
Donovan huffed out a breath. “Honey, I had strict orders from your sister, who clearly adores you, not to find anything too girly. No frills, fuss, or muss. Trust me, sugar. You’re going to love this dress.”
“I’m not wearing heels,” Violet insisted.
“He knows.” Desiree grabbed Violet’s arm and dragged her toward the dressing area. “This is what sisters do when one of them gets married. We try on dresses together. Now, get in there and try it on. If you hate it, you don’t have to buy it.”
They disappeared behind the curtains. Donovan quickly made his way around the room, chatting with each of the girls. By the time he reached Serena, she could see by the look in the others’ eyes that they were all crazy about him.
“You’re the Boston transplant,” Donovan said as he came to her side.
“I guess that’s about right. I’m Serena.”
“Yes. The interior designer who’s dating Ricky’s supposedly hot brother, right?” He waved his hand. “The girls gave me the scoop.”
“In seven minutes? They got right down to the dirt, didn’t they?” She glanced at Mira, who mouthed, I love him!
“A smart shopkeeper knows how to work a room.” He waggled his brows.
“I love your shop. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but may I ask why you haven’t organized it in a way that would make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for?”
“You mean why does it look like my kooky Grandma Zelda decorated?” He reached up and touched a stuffed cat sitting beneath a gold lamp in the shape of a woman.
“I didn’t mean—”
“Oh, yes, you did,” he said in a singsong voice. “And you’re right. My grandmother Zelda owned this place until she passed two years ago. That’s when I took over. I haven’t had the time to make it more appealing.”
“I’m sorry about your grandmother.”
Sadness washed over him, and just as quickly, a smile lifted his lips. “Thank you. I miss her, kookiness and all. She was a wild one until the day she left us.”
“Have you thought about hiring a company to help you redesign?”
He wagged his finger at her. “Are you going to give me a sales pitch for your overpriced Boston firm?”
“No, not at all. I was actually thinking about a friend of mine who owns a small interior design firm here on the Cape. Maybe you know of her? Justine Harkness? She owns Shift Home Interior in Hyannis.”
“I don’t, but I’d be happy to talk with her. Why don’t you give me her information and write down your name so I can tell her you referred me?”
She followed him to the counter, where he gave her a pen and a notepad.
“This might be just the kick in the pants I need to get started.”
Serena wrote down her name and Justine’s contact information as Desiree and Violet came out of the dressing rooms.
“Holy cow!” Emery squealed.
Serena and Donovan hurried over. Desiree twirled in a peach, lace-up corset maxi dress with ruffles from hips to ankles, and Violet crossed her arms over the knee-length, curve-hugging, sleeveless black dress with a slit up the right side.
“What do you think?” Desiree asked. “I still can’t believe I found a wedding dress so easily. I wasn’t even shopping for one when we found it.”
“You look beautiful,” Violet said. “It’s…” Her eyes filled with warm emotions Serena had never seen. She quickly schooled her expression and said, “It’s perfect.”
“It’s feminine and breezy. I love it,” Mira said. “You’ll knock my brother’s socks off.”
Emery touched the ruffles and said, “It’s so you. It’s really stunning.”
“You make me want to have a beach wedding,” Chloe said. “But for that I’d need a man.”
“I can help with that,” Donovan offered, making them all laugh.
“Desiree, you are the most gorgeous bride I’ve ever seen, other than Mira, of course. And, Violet…” Serena was at a loss for words. She must have looked it, because Violet rolled her eyes.
Serena carefully uncrossed Violet’s arms and walked around her, visually following the gold metal zipper, which started just below her ribs on her right side and wound around her body, across her lower back, and over her left hip, ending at the top of the slit on her upper thigh.
“Let me show you the pièce de résistance.” Donovan took hold of the zipper at her ribs and unzipped all the way around her lower back and over her left hip, revealing a sexy path of tanned skin that snaked around her body.
“Holy cow, Vi. You look like a model,” Desiree said. “You should wear dresses more often.”
“Right,” Violet said sarcastically.
Emery walked around Violet, assessing her, and said, “Seriously, you look like you could catch fire.”
“I’d do you,” Chloe said, “and I’m not into girls.”
Violet rolled her eyes again. “You don�
�t have to butter me up. I can wear it for an hour or two, but I’m not wearing heels.”
“I almost forgot!” Donovan hurried over to an antique armoire and pulled out a boot box. He opened the top and handed a pair of black, wedge-heeled and fringed ankle boots to Violet. “Harley-Davidson Tybee boots, the hottest boots around for our biker girls. The hidden wedge heel and stylish fringe makes them perfect for dressing up or leathering up.”
“These are kickin’,” Violet said.
Desiree beamed at her. “Really? You’re going to wear the dress and the boots?” She threw her arms around Violet, nearly toppling them both over. “Thank you! I wouldn’t have cared if you wore your leather miniskirt and bikini top, but this means the world to me.”
“Whatevs, sis,” Violet said with a sigh. “Can I change now? I’m freaking starving.”
“Yes. Go!” Desiree nudged her toward the curtain. Then she threw her arms around Donovan and kissed his cheek. “You’re amazing! Thank you so much for everything. The dress fits perfectly, and Violet looks like a dream. Now I just have to find heels.”
“I might have you covered, too, princess.” He went to the armoire and returned with another box. “If you like them, they’re my wedding gift to you.”
Desiree opened the box, and happiness bloomed in her eyes. “I love them!”
She held up a pair of gorgeous sandals, also with a wedge heel, a shade lighter than her dress, with tiny pearls on the thin strap across the front of her foot and on the thin ankle strap.
“With a beach wedding, you want flats or a wedge, and since Ricky’s so tall, I thought you’d want the additional height to be closer to his lips.” He winked.
“Can you help me with my wedding dress?” Emery asked. “I wasn’t going to do anything fancy, but…”
“How about a triple wedding?” He looked inquisitively at Emery and Serena—as did the others.
“Dean and I are not crashing Des’s wedding,” Emery said. “Count me out.”
Serena’s stomach twisted nervously. “I…um…no. Drake and I just started dating. We’re not even close to being engaged.”
“We’ll see about that,” Desiree said. “Rick and I didn’t date long before we got engaged. And look at Em and Dean. When you know, you know.”
“Don’t fall prey to their pressure,” Violet said as she stepped out from behind the curtain wearing her own clothes. “Stay strong, little one.”
She’d been strong for so many years when it came to Drake, she sort of hated that expression, but her life was in Boston and his was here at the Cape. “I’m going through enough life changes at the moment. We’ve only just begun trying to figure out how to be a long-distance couple.”
That didn’t stop her from thinking about Donovan’s suggestion and toying with the idea through lunch at the Red Eye Coffee and Café later that afternoon. Thinking of Drake made her think of making love with him, which reminded her of her shopping list. As the girls chatted about everything under the sun, Serena thought about her earlier conversation with Drake about her impending shopping trip.
You probably want me to get handcuffs or silk ties. His gaze had nearly ignited, and she’d taken it a little further. Or maybe edible underwear? She’d always thought herself to be open to anything and fairly well versed in the bedroom, even if she didn’t have hands-on experience with much kink. But with Drake, she had a feeling she came across as a novice. He’d chuckled and said, Baby, you’re all I need, but I’m all for exploring a darker side with you.
The passion in his eyes, the heat in his voice, and the fact that Drake was the man she’d loved forever made her want to explore with him, to test her limits.
“Let’s eat quick and go see Lizzie and Brandy,” Desiree suggested.
“Remind me to stop into your little pleasure trove of dark and sexy secrets when we get back to Wellfleet,” Serena said as casually as she could.
Violet’s catlike green eyes landed on her. “Guess you got my note.”
“You left her a note, too?” Desiree speared a tomato from her salad with her fork.
“I think Vi modified yours,” Serena answered. She’d never been the least bit nervous about wandering around their adult toy shop. But now, just thinking about buying things to actually use with Drake, made her all kinds of jittery, and she second-guessed her suggestion.
“You modified my note?” Desiree gave Violet a disapproving look.
Violet slung her tattooed arm casually over the back of her chair and said, “Clearly mine made an impact.”
Violet’s note might have opened the gates to Curiosityville, but it was Drake’s interest nudging her through.
DRAKE PUSHED THE couch to the area Serena had laid out in her designs for the reading nook in the music store. She was running late with the girls, but she’d sounded happy when she’d called, and he knew how much she missed them. She’d been right about the couch. The rounded back even made him want to sit down and relax, and the style fit right in with the bohemian theme they used in the stores. Although they maintained the same theme for each of the stores, Serena had come up with unique ideas for setup and furniture that fit in with each of the locations they were serving. For example, his store in Florida used brighter colors and a beachier bohemian theme, while the store in West Virginia was more rustic. As he moved the two armchairs into place, rounding out the reading nook, he thought about how well he and Serena worked together. She hadn’t dropped the ball once, even with her move, her new job, and her longer hours, and he hoped she’d be excited to see the store set up and ready for the grand opening.
He rolled out the rug she’d ordered—a funky mix of faded blues, reds, golds, and about a dozen other colors in bold shapes—and centered it between the furniture and the display of music books. Then he stepped back and took it all in.
This location was more than twice the size of his first store, despite the fact that more musical instruments were being purchased online than ever. Drake was constantly adapting his businesses to the ever-changing consumer buying habits, offering online fulfillment as well as school instrument rental programs, on-site repairs, and lessons for beginners. He and Serena had lined up the instructors and marketed to the schools in the surrounding areas months ago. Through his deals with distributors, he was able to offer a wide selection of products in all price ranges. After opening the second store, Serena had suggested he offer only a small collection of vintage instruments that customers could request to have sent to their location. That allowed him to keep fewer of the more expensive, rarely purchased items in stock and ready for purchase within forty-eight hours. She was great at cutting expenses without cutting corners, and it had paid off. He’d gained a solid reputation for high-quality goods at affordable prices.
We’ve gained the reputation.
The doors opened, and Serena breezed in with a shopping bag dangling from each hand, all sexy bronze skin and a luminous smile just for him. “Sorry I’m late! We got ice cream after lunch and then stopped in to chat with Lizzie and Brandy about the wedding. Brandy had to delay the tasting for a week because of a scheduling conflict, but don’t worry—I confirmed the catering for the grand opening. She’s all set. Then we went to the toy sh—” She stopped cold midway through the store, and her bags dropped to the floor as she looked around at the instruments on the walls, laid out just as she’d suggested. Violins at the front of the store, horns in the middle, and guitars in the back to draw the most customers through. Drums were in the left rear corner beside the counter. The perfect spot for eager young children to get the bug and try them out.
“It’s…done?” She schooled her expression so fast, if he didn’t know her so well, he might have missed the hurt that had first appeared. “You’ve been busy. It looks amazing.”
“You were right about everything.” He closed the distance between them. “The shape of the couch, the layout. I think it’s our best store yet.” He put a hand on her hip and brushed his thumb over her warm skin beneath h
er shirt. “Our best store.”
He realized that was how he thought about everything when it came to Serena, as theirs. She’d been there from the very start, when he’d found his love for music, when he’d lost his father and that love of music had turned to a fierce few months of songwriting. She’d been there after college, when he’d been touting his dreams to buy a store, and she’d encouraged him, never once doubting his abilities or afraid of the risk he was taking. Every time someone raised a concern, she’d sing “Don’t Stop Believin’,” until he heard it like a mantra in his mind. And later, when he’d thought about opening the resort with the hopes of bringing Rick back to the Cape, back into the fold of the family, she’d offered to stand by his side before he’d even brought up the idea to Rick or Dean. She had become his best friend, his business partner, and now his lover. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her in any way.
“I think so, too,” she said. “I can’t get over it. You did everything.”
“Except the feature displays. We’ll figure that out Saturday morning, like always.” He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. She was trying so hard to be supportive, he wondered if he’d done the wrong thing after all. “I’m sorry, babe. I had all those nights alone. Working here made me feel closer to you. And then I got it into my head that if I finished before the weekend, we’d have more time for us.”
She wrapped her arms around him and said, “I love those reasons. I was just surprised. That’s all.”
“And hurt.” He kissed her tenderly. “You don’t have to hide your feelings from me. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but now I see how it might feel like I’m pushing you out or saying I don’t need your help. That’s not it, though. I hope you know that. This is me being selfish. I want time for us more than I want anything else.”
“More than you want to christen your new office?” She began unbuttoning his shirt. “I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to seduce the boss.”