by Robyn Neeley
Oh crap. She was mad at his trying to lay one on her.
Why didn’t she say something when he first came into the room? She hadn’t appeared mad at all. Damn, he should have apologized like he planned. Was it lame to do it now? “Bethany, I’m sorry for what happened on the stage. It was all those little tykes cheering us on that got me going. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Kissing bug,” she offered her answer.
“Yes. Precisely. Hell, if my brother’s wife was on the stage, I probably would have tried to kiss her, too. Can’t control these lips.” He chuckled, feeling relieved for only a second, because when she turned around, she looked even more pissed off than before.
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “You know I didn’t mean anything by it.”
She grabbed her robe, pulling it to her chest. “It’s fine, Adam. We can pretend that our kissing never happened.”
“Almost kissing,” he corrected.
“Yes. It never happened.” Bringing the robe to her shoulders, she nodded for the door. “We should probably get dressed so the next couple can start their massages.”
“Right. Pauline and Evan are probably itching to disrobe.” His attempt to make her laugh didn’t work and he pulled himself off the table. It was now clear she was ticked at him for the kiss—near kiss—and hell, probably wasn’t amused at his walking in on her earlier, either. “I’ll go get dressed and warm up the truck. Take your time.”
He left the room, a clear picture of Bethany’s agitated face now running through his head. “Nice way to wreck a friendship,” he mumbled, and headed for the changing room.
Chapter 8
Pretend it never happened. Bethany stepped up to the Lakeside Inn porch, kicking some snow off her black snow boots. If only it was that easy.
And Adam would never know what she really meant.
When he asked her to fill in for Rachel, she hadn’t known what to expect nor how much fun she’d have dressing up, playing with the kids, and getting engaged to Adam the Elf.
Why did he have to go on and ruin it by leaning down to kiss her?
Of course, she wanted him to do it. Ever since the night of the Holiday Hook Up she dreamed of his lips on hers again, but she’d blown any chance of that happening.
Not when doing so would expose what she’d done. He could say that he’d been bitten by the kissing bug and downplay what had happened, but it wasn’t hard to tell from the look in his eyes, not to mention his constantly bringing it up, that he’d be thrilled to see the mystery blonde again—and get a name this time.
Bethany sighed. And there lay the problem. She was all but sure she’d never measure up to Adam’s fantasy if he learned the truth.
Sure, she thought for a brief moment, standing on the stage and staring up into his eyes last night, that maybe he did want to kiss her.
She’d even flirted a little before their massages. Still, from his profuse apologizing, she knew he was sorry, if not embarrassed, for what he’d tried to do.
If he learned that he’d already done it, she was pretty sure he’d flip out.
She stepped to the edge of the porch, taking in the dark blue lake. If Adam had kissed her last night, would he have instantly known that it wasn’t their first time?
“Maybe he wouldn’t have realized it was me,” she said out loud.
“That sounds like wishful thinking.”
Bethany spun around to see Caitlin had joined her.
“Hey.” Bethany tightened her scarf, admiring Caitlin’s puffy, royal blue coat and matching head band. Mrs. Josh Stevens had as much style as Rachel in the winter wardrobe department. “Did Abby summon you, too?”
“Yes, she did, and it better be quick. Josh is home alone with all three kids since our nanny is traveling with her family for Christmas, and I’ve got a million things to do at the theater this morning to get ready for the First Kiss Ball.”
Bethany nodded. She understood what insanely busy felt like. In two short hours, wall-to-wall customers would line the Christmas Corner as soon as she opened the door.
When Abby had sent her a text thirty minutes ago, demanding she drop everything and meet her at Brandon’s inn, she’d finished her morning coffee, more than a bit curious. She liked Abby, but they weren’t exactly close friends who made such demands. Luckily, Abby had caught her before she’d gotten to work.
Although, she’d miss Danny stopping by. Would another shipment from MR Wedding be waiting for her?
She’d find out soon enough, but first it was time to get this show on the road. She followed Caitlin inside.
Abby wasted no time, greeting them in the foyer and taking their coats, hanging them on the coat rack. “Just the ladies we’ve been waiting for.”
“We?” Bethany asked, pulling her scarf off and handing it to Abby.
“Emma.” Abby nodded to the ceiling. “She’s upstairs.”
“Care to tell us why we needed to drop everything and meet you here?” Caitlin asked.
Abby turned and waved for them to follow her. “There’s no time for chitchat. Let’s go.” With that, she raced up to the second floor.
Bethany shot Caitlin a questioning look, but only got a shoulder shrug response. “Abby, what’s going on?” she asked, neither of them making a move.
Abby spun around at the top of the stairs. “Come on. There’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s just Emma in one of the guest rooms. No ghosts. I promise.”
Bethany wasn’t exactly reassured by that. However, by the determined look on Abby’s face, she had a feeling that if she attempted to make a run for it, the fiery redhead would race after her and drag her up the stairs. She took a few cautious steps to the staircase and started to climb.
“Abby, why am I here?” Caitlin asked, following Bethany up the stairs.
“Because you are now part of this family and know the individual involved better than all of us—except for maybe Adam and your husband.”
“Are you talking about Mary?” Caitlin took immediate interest and bypassed Bethany straight for Abby.
Bethany’s arms shivered at the mention of Mary’s name. “I thought you said no ghosts.”
Abby waved her off. “Mary’s far, far away in a land called ‘crossed over.’ You’re fine.”
“Did you find her dress?” Caitlin asked.
“No.” Abby shook her head. “But with Bethany’s help, I think we will.”
“My help?” What did Abby think she could do? “You saw me take off the dress the night of the Holiday Hook Up before it disappeared. I have no clue what happened to it.”
“I think I do,” Abby said, and motioned for Bethany to go before her into the guest room. “But we need your assistance to prove my hunch.”
Bethany stepped in to see Emma standing in front of the full-length mirror in a gorgeous white wedding dress with a sleeveless sweetheart neckline. She twirled around, the satin material flowing to the floor.
“Oh, my God, Emma!” Bethany admired the breathtaking gown. Was this why Abby had called? To share the news that Emma and Jason were getting married. If so, it seemed strange that she would be included. She wasn’t exactly part of their inner circle. “When did you and Jason get engaged?”
Emma smiled, smoothing her hands down the soft white fabric. “We’re not.”
“But you had an itch to try on wedding dresses.” Caitlin snickered. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
Abby came over and swatted her. “Not every woman in this town gets pregnant before she gets married.”
“Oh, so you’re playing the role of the pot today,” Caitlin snapped back.
“Just remember you filled your kettle way before me.”
“Like that makes you a saint. At least I didn’t curse the father of my babies after I got pregnant.”
Abby crossed her arms. “I didn’t know I was pregnant, obviously.”
“Okay, you two.” Emma stepped in to separate them. “And, no. For the record, I’m not pregnant. I f
ound the dress here.”
“In there.” Abby pointed to the hope chest. “She found it in there.”
Bethany’s legs began to wobble at that big reveal. While Caitlin walked over and peered into the hope chest, she didn’t need to see inside to believe Abby. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her knees. “When did you find it?”
Abby sat down beside her. “About an hour ago. I’d asked Emma to stop by so I could show her the hope chest. I wanted to do it earlier in the week, but someone skipped town with her boyfriend.” She gave a sideways glance to Emma. “But swears they didn’t get engaged.”
Emma raised her ringless hand. “It was a quick trip to Niagara Falls. Jason had never been. I promise you the minute it happens, you all will know.”
“We better.” Abby continued, “Anyways, we came up here, and I opened the hope chest and it w—”
“It was in there,” Caitlin cut her off. “That dress?”
“No. It was completely empty.”
“Wait.” Bethany pointed at Emma. “I thought you said you found it in there.”
“She did.” Abby jumped up and walked over to the hope chest, shutting the lid. “After me. I closed the top and then Emma came over and opened it, and voila . . .” She pointed to her cousin. “That gorgeous gown—which just so happens to fit her to perfection—was in there.”
Caitlin’s eyes went wide at that news while Bethany sat still, trying to process what she was hearing. “So why did you ask me to come over?” Her bottom lip quivered at that question.
Abby shut the lid and then came back over to the bed and grabbed Bethany’s hand, pulling her up. “We need you to open it.”
Bethany pulled her hand back. “Why?”
Emma’s hand went to her shoulder. “We think there might be something inside there for you.”
“Mary’s dress,” Bethany whispered.
“Well, there’s one way to find out.” Caitlin bent down and grabbed the handle.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Abby threw her arms around Caitlin’s middle and pulled her back. “Bethany, needs to open it.”
“Why?” Caitlin asked.
“Because you are already married. If I’m right, it’ll be empty for you just like it was for me this morning and when I opened it the night of the Holiday Hook Up to stow the masks and wigs.”
Bethany stood frozen. She knew magic was real in the Stevenses’ world, but it was one thing to know it and entirely another to personally experience it. “That’s why you think the dress wasn’t in the hope chest that night. Because you opened it?”
“Yes, the dress didn’t go AWOL. I wasn’t its owner.” She motioned Bethany over. “Nothing bad is going to happen. We just need you to open it.”
Bethany took a deep breath. Was this really happening? I can do this. I can do this. She stepped in front of the hope chest and bent over, grabbing onto the handle and immediately let go. The same tingles she experienced the first time she’d opened it now radiated from her fingers up her arm.
“What’s the matter?” Caitlin asked.
“You felt it, didn’t you?” Emma came up beside her.
“Yes,” Bethany admitted. “Did you feel them, too?”
“Yes.” Emma smoothed her dress. “And this overwhelming sensation that I had to open it.”
“Me, too.”
“Shall we see what’s inside?” Abby asked.
Bethany blew out a breath and counted.
One. Two. Three.
She opened the lid.
“Oh . . . my . . . God!” Caitlin was the first to acknowledge that, sure enough, Mary’s vintage ivory wedding gown appeared inside.
Reaching down, Bethany pulled out the beautiful cream dress, holding it close to her. “I can’t believe this. It’s Mary’s dress.”
“It’s your dress,” Emma whispered.
“What do you mean it’s Bethany’s?” Caitlin asked, inspecting the fabric.
Abby came up and stood between them. “Emma and I think this hope chest belonged to Mary, and she enchanted it.”
“Oh really,” Caitlin scoffed. “I’m not sure it took two witches to figure that out. Poof there’s a dress . . . poof it’s gone . . .”
Abby rolled her eyes and continued, “We all know Mary’s powers were stronger than what Grandma Stevens was capable of doing. It’s quite possible that in addition to enchanting the mixing spoons, she also cast a spell on the hope chest. And I bet she did it the night she took her life.”
Bethany held on to the dress. “What kind of magic is it?”
Emma reached for her hand, bringing her over to the full-length mirror. There, she pulled it from Bethany’s arms, straightening it so it fell perfectly to her feet.
“I think it can introduce a single woman to the dress she’s meant to wear on her wedding day.”
Chapter 9
Bethany tied a festive red bow onto the last of the gifts Betty had purchased, placing them in a shiny green bag for the waitress. It’d been arguably the busiest day of the season, but she’d certainly welcomed the whirlwind distraction.
Yesterday at the Lakeside Inn had more than freaked her out. Once Emma declared that Mary’s dress was meant for her, Caitlin had asked the obvious question: Was Bethany interested in Adam?
Actually, she’d demanded to know in no uncertain terms if they were sleeping together, in which case, Bethany honestly said no.
Abby immediately dismissed Caitlin, saying that perhaps Mary’s dress came to Bethany because she was the first bachelorette to open the hope chest setting off the spell, an answer that seemed to satisfy Caitlin for the time being.
Before they left, Emma suggested they all be discreet and not spread the news about the hope chest. She wanted some time to talk to her mother and Abby’s before they did anything with it. Both Sheila and Jackie Stevens had more experience in magic than Emma and Abby.
There was no way Bethany was going to bring it up. Abby had taken Mary’s dress from her and put it back in the chest. She told them she’d have Brandon and one of his employees move it into the second-floor office so no other inn guest received a wedding dress surprise.
Bethany had felt a little sadness when she handed the dress back. Was Emma right about it being hers? If so, she could never imagine wearing it to marry another man after kissing Adam in it.
And their becoming a couple wasn’t in the cards. To wear the dress, he needed to fall in love with her, and she was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen unless she dyed her hair blond and changed her name.
She crossed the store, flipped over the sign, and locked the door. The day before Christmas Eve was officially a wrap and she was more than ready to head home after she took out the garbage.
Minutes later, she opened the back door with one full trash bag, stepping into the frigid air. The Christmas Corner shared the trash and recyclables area with Rachel’s flower shop. Perhaps her friend might be interested in grabbing a bite to eat. As far as she knew, Rachel’s Christmas festivities at her parents didn’t start until tomorrow night when her twin brother, Donovan, would be coming into town.
She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks.
“Oh, hey.”
Not the guy she expected to run into. “Hi, Will.”
“Um . . . Hey, Bethany . . . er . . . fancy meeting you back here.”
Indeed, it was since his auto body shop was way down the street. “What are you doing?”
“Throwing out some garbage. Let me give you a hand.” He grinned and reached for her bag, taking it and throwing it effortlessly in the trash receptacle.
Just then, Rachel came around the corner, a broken-down box under her arm. “Hi, Bethany!”
“Hi, yourself.” Bethany eyed her friend’s normally perfectly coifed hair that looked more than a little tousled.
“How funny that we came out here at the same time. That never happens,” Rachel said.
Funny indeed. And Will was standing there looking pretty da
rn happy. Yes, way too content for a man taking out the trash in twenty-degree weather. Without a word, she raised an eyebrow over to her friend.
“Will was helping me close up.” Rachel walked past him and set her box down in the recyclables bin. “Thanks for your help, Will. See you around.”
He stood for a few awkward seconds before saying, “Right. Yeah. Have a good night, Rachel. See ya, Bethany.”
“Bye, Will.” Bethany folded her arms as soon he was out of sight. “What are you doing?”
“Same thing you are. Taking out the trash and closing up.” Rachel moved her neck to each side. “Man, it’s been a long day.”
Was her friend really going to lie to her face? Bethany decided to ask the question another way. “Is Will trying to get on Santa’s nice list by helping with the garbage of all Buttermilk Falls business owners, because if he is, I could use the assistance, too, and will call him first thing in the morning.”
Rachel knew the jig was up. “Fine. Come into my shop, and I’ll tell you everything. It’s freezing out here.”
More than curious, Bethany followed her in, the scent of eucalyptus filling her lungs. She always admired how simple Rachel kept her shop with colorful arrangements in the store’s refrigerator and a work table in the center to cut flowers and create her beautiful displays.
Rachel grabbed her black purse off the counter. Digging in, she pulled out a lipstick tube and swiped her lips a pretty red that matched her festive knit dress. “So, I need you to do me a huge favor.”
“What?”
She picked up an envelope off the register and handed it to Bethany. “Adam’s waiting for me at the Majestic Theater. I found this wedged in my door this morning. Apparently, the wild card date is tonight.”
Bethany wrinkled her nose. “Already?” Usually the wild card date happened after Christmas but before the First Kiss Ball.
Bethany opened the envelope, pulling out the card that held the time and location for said date. They were to meet at the theater for the late showing of It’s a Wonderful Life. She handed Rachel back the card. “My favorite holiday movie. You’ll have fun.”