by Lauren Boyd
“I have twenty-one hundred, do I hear twenty-two hundred?”
The room was quiet.
“I have twenty-one hundred, do I hear twenty-two hundred?” the auctioneer repeated.
Jess put her hand on Kate’s arm.
“Twenty-one hundred going once, twenty-one hundred going twice.”
“Twenty-two hundred,” the other bidder announced.
“Bitch!” Kate hissed. She fought the urge to turn around and see who she was bidding against. I don’t want this to get personal…or ugly.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”reo ">“I have twenty-two hundred, do I hear twenty-three hundred?” the auctioneer asked.
“Right here,” Kate raised her hand.
“I have twenty-three hundred, do I hear twenty-four hundred?”
“Twenty-four hundred.”
“I have twenty-four hundred, do I hear twenty-five hundred?”
That’s it. I’m done. “Three thousand dollars,” Kate called out.
“There you go,” Jess nodded definitively. “Kick her ass.”
“I have three thousand, do I hear thirty-one hundred?” the auctioneer asked.
The room fell silent.
“I have three thousand, do I hear thirty-one hundred?”
“I dare her,” Kate whispered.
“Three thousand going once, three thousand going twice.” The auctioneer paused, then pointed to Kate. “Sold, for three thousand dollars!”
Kate sighed in relief. “Finally.”
“Way to go!” Jess cheered.
“Now we can get out of here.” Kate grabbed her purse and stood up. She and Jess made their way to the end of the row and over to the cashier’s table. “I just won dress number one thirty-nine,” Kate told one of the women sitting there.
“Congratulations,” the cashier said unconvincingly. “Fill out this sheet with your personal information, and I’ll need payment in the form of cash or credit card.”
“It’ll be credit card.” Kate opened her purse and pulled out her wallet.
“Do you want to pay extra to have your dress shipped?”
“No, thanks.”
Jess nudged Kate’s arm. “You’re carrying it on the plane?”
“Hell, yes. I’m not letting this dress out of my sight until it’s safely in my closet.” Kate handed her credit card to the cashier. “Considering the determination of that other bidder, I’m not convinced the dress would even make it out of this building and to the shipping store.”
Jess stared at her. “You’re paranoid.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I’ll go get your dress,” the cashier told Kate. While she was gone, Kate filled out the info sheet and laid it on the table. She turned to talk to Jess and noticed a woman walking toward them. Her eyes locked with Kate’s.
Kate shifted her gaze to Jess. “There’s a woman coming our way.”
“Where?”
“Eleven o’clock.”
Jess glanced over her shoulder. “Who is she?”
“I’m not sure.”
“She’s looking right at you.”
“I know. Should I run?”
“I wouldn’t waste your energy. Judging by the expression on her face, she’d just chase you.”
The woman came up beside Kate. “Excuse me. You won the strapless a-line a few minutes ago, didn’t you?”
Her voice is so familiar. “Yes, I did.”
“This may sound odd, but I’m willing to buy that dress from you after your wedding.”
It’s the other bidder! Kate forced herself not to gape in surprise. This is not the response I would’ve expected from my adversary. A threat, a kidnapping, gaze shot to reo a robbery, yes—but not a negotiation. “I don’t think it’ll work for me to sell you the dress,” Kate answered, as she spotted the cashier coming.
The woman appeared slighted. “Why not?”
“Because you could be waiting a long time.” Kate took her dress from the cashier.
“Are you not getting married for a while?”
“Actually, I don’t know when I’m getting married.” Kate leaned toward the woman. “I don’t even have a boyfriend.”
The woman stared blankly at her.
Kate straightened. “Good luck finding your wedding dress.” She turned and headed for the convention center exit, tightly clutching her strapless satin a-line wedding gown—number one thirty-nine.
* * * *
Kate and Jess sat by a window in the lobby of Marquise, watching for Eric. “I wish I hadn’t told him we were coming to Manhattan,” Kate grumbled. “I’m not looking forward to New Kate.”
“Maybe this is the last time she’ll have to make an appearance.”
“I hope so.” Kate perked up. “I am looking forward to my carriage ride through Central Park.”
“What time is your reservation?”
“Nine o’clock.”
Jess smiled slyly at her. “Did you schedule it for nine so we’d have to be finished with dinner by then?”
“Damn right I did.”
Jess laughed.
A taxi pulled up in front of the hotel, and the back door opened. Eric stepped out, and Kate nearly convulsed. “That man is handsome, but when he wears a suit, he’s irresistible.” She opened her purse and started rummaging through it. “Where’s my red lipstick?”
“Uh, Kate?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re not going to like this.”
“What? Did you use my lipstick and not put it back?”
“Look.”
Kate lifted her gaze from her purse to find Eric helping Cecilia out of the taxi. You’ve got to be kidding. “Why is she here?”
“Probably has something to do with the fact she’s engaged to Eric.”
“He didn’t tell me she’d be coming.”
“I think they’re a package deal.”
Kate watched Cecilia and Eric walk arm in arm toward the revolving doors of the hotel. Jess stood up. “You ready for dinner?”
Kate snapped her purse closed. “I’ve lost my appetite.”
Cecilia and Eric entered the lobby, and Kate reluctantly rose to her feet. It’s only two hours. You can do this.
“Hey, y’all,” Eric said, approaching them. He and Jess hugged.
“It’s good to see you again,” she said.
“You, too.” Eric released her, then met Kate’s gaze. He extended his arms to her, and she reciprocated. “Hey, Kate,” he said as they hugged.
That’s the second time he hasn’t greeted me with, Hey, you. “Hey.”
He stepped back and smiled in a way Kate could only describe as polite. Guess he finally got the message I’ve been sending. Sadness unexpectedly">“Why wouldn’t it be?”reo tugged at her heart. He got the message.
Eric turned to his fiancée. “Have you met Jess?”
Cecilia nodded. “She greeted me and my mother the first time we arrived at the bakery.” She met Jess’s gaze. “Did you buy your wedding dress today?”
Jess’s face lit up. “Yes, I did!”
So did I!
“I bought my wedding dress a few weeks ago, so we’ll have to compare notes.” Cecilia smiled. “I don’t know about you, but as soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew it was the one.”
That’s how it happened for me.
“What does everyone want for dinner?” Eric asked.
“I’m up for anything,” Jess told him.
“So am I,” Kate said.
Cecilia tucked her designer clutch under her arm. “There’s a fondue restaurant in Marquise called The Pronged Fork. Do you like fondue?”
She’s only looking at Jess.
Jess’s gaze shifted to Kate, then back to Cecilia. “We’ve never had fondue.”
“The Pronged Fork has the best fondue in Manhattan. Would you like to try it?”
Jess glanced again at Kate. “Fondue?”
“Fondue is fine.”
“Fondue it is,” Eric announced.
Cecilia and Er
ic walked farther into the hotel, and Kate and Jess followed at a distance. “Cecilia is being so nice to you!” Kate whispered.
“Is she? I don’t have much to go by.”
“You can go by the way she treats me.”
“I don’t understand why she’s nice to me, and seemingly everyone else, but not you.”
Kate eyed Cecilia as she walked ahead of them. “There’s definitely something going on, some reason she doesn’t respond well to me.” Might as well make the most of it. “I have an idea.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Let’s conduct a little experiment.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.”
“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.”
“What do you want to experiment with?”
Kate smiled. “Cecilia’s behavior.”
Jess took a few steps in silence. “Okay, tell me.”
“We’ll take turns asking her questions at dinner and observe her responses. I guarantee she’ll answer all of yours politely. She’ll probably even reciprocate with questions of her own. When I ask her something, her answer will be curt, short, and borderline rude.”
“No way. It won’t be like that.”
“Twenty bucks says it will.”
“Twenty bucks, huh?” Jess paused. “Double or nothing.”
“You’re on.”
“This is it,” Eric told them over his shoulder.
“Welcome to The Pronged Fork,” the hostess greeted them as they entered. “How many this evening?”
“Four,” Eric replied.
She picked up their menus. “Right this way.”
As they followed her, Kate scanned the restaurant. Small, recessed lights in the ceiling, and flames atop tea candles in the center of each dining table, gave the _"> Sullivanroom a soft glow. One wall of the restaurant was glass and faced a busy Manhattan street. “Here we are.” The hostess motioned toward a rectangular table beside the glass wall. Eric pulled out Cecilia’s chair while Kate and Jess each pulled out their own. “Enjoy your dinner.”
A waiter stepped up to their table. “Good evening. My name is Todd, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“I’ll have a glass of house wine,” Kate answered without hesitation.
“So will I,” Jess said.
“Make it four,” Eric chimed in.
“Very good,” Todd nodded.
Eric smiled across the table at Kate and Jess. “Welcome to Manhattan.”
“What do you think of the city?” Cecilia asked.
Kate glanced outside at the people and vehicles rushing by. She could see Central Park across the street. I’d give anything to already be sitting in a carriage rather than at this table. “Manhattan is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been.”
“It’s not for everyone,” Cecilia sniffed.
Kate met her gaze. “I meant that as a compliment.”
Cecilia didn’t respond.
Kate picked up the wine list. Wonder how many glasses I can get for forty bucks.
Jess put her cloth napkin in her lap. “Thanks for meeting us for dinner.”
“Of course,” Eric smiled. “We couldn’t have you in our backyard and not see you.”
Next time, I’ll make sure that’s exactly what happens.
Cecilia’s gaze met Jess’s. “What was the expo like?”
“Competitive, but fun.”
“I can imagine.”
“So you’ve already bought your wedding dress?”
“Yes, I found it at a boutique not far from here.” Cecilia rubbed Eric’s back. “I love that dress almost as much as I love Eric.”
Good, here comes the wine.
Todd arrived at their table and distributed the glasses, then pulled a small notepad from his pocket. “Have you decided what you’d like for dinner?”
“Oops, not yet,” Eric said, reaching for his menu.
Cecilia looked at Jess. “Do you like seafood?”
“Yes. Kate does, too.”
Thanks, Jess.
“I recommend the Seafood Medley,” Cecilia continued. “It’s delicious, and it’s huge. In fact, it’s enough for all of us to share.”
“Sounds good,” Kate told Cecilia. Not that you care.
“Excellent choice,” Todd said. “I’ll put in your order.”
Kate took a sip of wine. Time to get down to winning this bet. “Cecilia, how are your wedding plans coming?”
“Fine.”
“Good.” Curt, short, and borderline rude—just as I’d expected.
Jess cleared her throat. “Where are you and Eric going on your honeymoon?”
“Martinique. It’s one of the only islands in the Caribbean I haven’t visited with my parents.” Cecilia smiled at Eric. “I can’t wait t going on your honeymoon?”inCo explore it together.”
Kate’s heart twisted.
“How about you?” Cecilia asked Jess. “Where are you and your fiancé going on your honeymoon?”
“Mark and I haven’t decided yet.”
“It really doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you’re together, right?” She put her hand on Eric’s thigh.
Kate dropped her gaze to her lap. Seeing the man she loved with another woman was harder to take than she’d thought it’d be. The only way to keep my mind off having lost him is to focus on trying to win this bet. She took a silent breath and lifted her gaze. “How are your parents?” she asked Cecilia.
“They’re fine.”
“I’ve enjoyed working with them.”
Cecilia nodded slightly, but said nothing.
Kate picked up her wine glass and took a long drink of the crisp liquid. Ah, sweet relief.
“Speaking of my parents,” Cecilia suddenly said to Kate. “My mother told me you took my place as Eric’s bride at the pre-rehearsal.”
Kate choked on her wine. She grabbed her cloth napkin and covered her mouth as she coughed to try and clear her throat. Todd quickly appeared at the table. “Is everything alright?”
She struggled to catch her breath so she could speak. “Could I get a glass of water?”
“Certainly.”
“Are you okay?” Eric asked.
Kate shook her head and continued to cough into the napkin. In a flash, Todd was back with water. “Here you are, ma’am.” She took the glass from him and drained it.
Jess patted Kate’s back. “You alright?”
“Yeah.” She dried her eyes with the napkin, then met Cecilia’s gaze. “Do you know why I stood in for you?”
“No, but I’d love to.”
Eric cleared his throat, and Kate instinctively met his gaze. His expression was stoic. Did he just flinch…or was he shaking his head at me?
Realization set in. He didn’t tell Cecilia he called me during the pre-rehearsal. Kate held back a frown. Why wouldn’t he tell her?
“Well?” Cecilia’s voice penetrated her thoughts.
Knowing Eric, there’s a good reason, so I’ll keep my mouth shut about it. I will defend myself to that woman, though. Kate’s gaze returned to Cecilia’s. “I stood in for you at the pre-rehearsal because your mother asked me to.”
“I see.”
No, you don’t. You don’t know the half of it.
“Dinner is served,” a waiter said, as he arrived at their table with a tray of food. Todd came around him and moved the tea candles aside. The men placed the contents of the tray on the table: a large oval plate filled with seafood, a fondue pot, and bowls of various sauces. Todd set a plate in front of each person, then handed out pronged forks. “Enjoy.”
Kate pierced a shrimp and dipped it into one of the bowls of sauce. At the same time, Cecilia dipped a scallop into the same bowl. Kate ate the shrimp, and Cecilia fed the scallop to Eric. “How’s this?” she asked sweetly.
Kate quickly averted her eyes to the glass wa going on your honeymoon?”inCll. We’re almost done, we’re almost done. Aside from spearing bites of fish, she kept her g
aze fixed firmly outside. Conversation at the table resounded in her ear, but she registered none of it.
“Kate?”
She looked over at Jess. “Yes?”
“Cecilia asked about their wedding cake.”
Kate mustered the emotional strength to respond, then shifted her gaze to the bride. “Things are going well with both cakes.” Turns out blue is an awesome color for a cake.
“We baked the cakes earlier this week,” Jess added.
Kate’s brows flinched. You shouldn’t have told her that, Jess. The last thing we need is Cecilia asking us to make new cakes closer to time.
Sure enough, Cecilia frowned. “Will the cakes still be fresh for the wedding?”
“Absolutely,” Jess said without missing a beat. “Most bakeries make their cakes in advance and freeze them. That way, the cakes are waiting on the baker and not the other way around.”
Well-done, Jess.
Cecilia’s expression softened. “I might’ve heard that somewhere before.”
Jess opened her mouth again. “Dinner was delicious,” Kate quickly said, before her friend could disclose any more of their time-saving measures.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Eric smiled. “Would you like dessert?”
“No, I’ve had enough…food.”
“I’m finished as well,” Jess answered him.
Todd returned to their table. “How was everything?”
“Wonderful, as always,” Cecilia swooned.
“Will you be having dessert this evening?”
“No, we’re finished,” Eric replied.
“Shall I divide up the check?”
“Yes, please.”
Todd collected their plates and the bowls of sauce. He piled the bowls onto the plates, then picked up the stack with one hand and the fondue pot with the other. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Kate watched Todd whisk away his balancing act. “How does he do that?” she muttered. He rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.
Eric pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “Do y’all want to hang out with me and Cecilia tonight?”
Dishes crashed to the floor somewhere in the restaurant. “I appreciate the offer,” Kate said. “I’m actually going to spend the rest of the evening checking out Manhattan.”
Cecilia chuckled. “You’re checking out the city—at night—alone?”
“I’m taking a carriage ride through Central Park, so, no, I won’t be alone. I’ll have a horse with me.”