Chapter Twelve: Kelsey

The walls of the dressing room were closing in on me. The Easterly girls had hung so many dresses on the rack that I lost count. I felt like they were treating me like their personal Barbie doll, which I both loved and hated. I loved spending girly time with them, but I hated trying on clothes with every fiber of my being.

Right now, I was trying on a pink ballgown-looking monstrosity. It was the same color as the anti-nausea medicine Andrew purchased for me the other day. I wasn’t sure which of my friends thought this would be an option for someone attending a wedding as a guest, and I hoped it was more… they just wanted to play a trick on me and get me into the eyesore for fun. Otherwise, I would definitely judge their fashion sense from here on out.

“I don’t know who picked this one, but I hope you find yourself cornered, shoeless, in a room covered in Legos!” I shouted from behind the door before I stepped out of the stall. I sincerely hoped Marisol hadn’t been the one to select this dress, because I might almost feel bad for my comment. Almost.

The sisters all stared at me with anime eyes as I glanced in the one-hundred-eighty-degree mirrors before they busted out laughing. Marisol included.

“You all did this on purpose,” I surmised, glad my earlier thought was correct.

Rory uncovered her mouth from where she was trying to hide her grin. “I’m sorry. We couldn’t resist.”

Gripping the material in my fists, I turned and shook the gigantic skirt in their direction. “This should only ever be worn to a quincea?era or a prom from the ’80s.”

“Aw, come on,” Alex said as she walked over and adjusted my long hair over my shoulders. “The dress is a little poofy, but the color looks great with your complexion, and this neckline is divine.”

“I’m not a cake, Alex,” I snarled playfully, and she laughed.

“On to the next one,” Marisol ordered, and I trudged back into the dressing room after Alex unzipped me and followed me to keep me company in the stall and probably to watch over me in case I tried to make a run for it. Not that she could chase me down herself. She looked just as tired as I felt.

I tried on eleven more dresses before I was ready to give up. Either the style was wrong, or the color didn’t look great against my skin. And the few we all agreed on needed alterations, but there wasn’t enough time for that.

From around the corner, Nicole stuck her head into the fitting area and asked how things were going. None of us responded with anything more than grimaces.

The statuesque woman walked over to me and trailed her eyes up and down my body before asking me to turn around. “I have something that just came in, and I think it will be perfect for you.”

She skipped out of the room, and I turned to the group. “This is awkward, right?”

“No. I mean… it’s all ancient history now,” Autumn said, shaking her head.

“And she really does have the most beautiful clothes,” Aspen chimed in. She was wearing a gorgeous purple dress she claimed Owen bought her from this very store.

I was still on the fence about the situation. Especially not knowing exactly what this thing was between Andrew and me.

“You should know that I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason. Even losing my dear husband, Leo, Andrew’s father, I was able to find happiness with Nash,” Marisol said quietly, hinting that she thought there was something else at work when it came to the timing of her son’s accident and my loss of job and boyfriend.

“Yeah, I suppose.” There was more to everyone’s story, and I knew it changed their outlook on life. But I was jaded. Between my parents’ divorce and the push and pull of their toxicity, I had no idea how to navigate a serious relationship because of them.

“Here we are,” Nicole’s chipper voice called out as she walked back into the space, carrying a lavender column dress and a pale-blue tea-length dress that reminded me of something Audrey Hepburn would have worn.

“Oh, wow,” I murmured, as I held up the material of the gray dress I was currently wearing so that I wouldn’t step on it. “Those are gorgeous. Are they my size?”

“It’s not an exact science, but I’m fairly certain these should fit. But if you need something altered in a jiffy, I can help you out.”

“You would?” I asked, surprised.

“Oh, definitely. I learned from the best. I worked as an intern for Cassidy my last two years of college.”

Cassidy was one of the most well-known fashion brands in the world. Her range from women’s clothing to men’s daily wear was remarkable. And she came from a small town in North Carolina. I remembered watching a documentary on her brand and how it expanded when she married her rock-star husband.

“I’m so jealous. I’ve always wanted to meet her and her family. I’m a big fan and obsessed with her daughter’s photography.”

“Oh my gosh, she’s amazing, right?” Rory called out from her stool. I already knew, with Rory’s love of photography, that she was a big fan.

Nicole interrupted our gushing to add that these two dresses were from Cassidy’s newest line.

“Try them on!” the group exclaimed, and I hurried toward the fitting room, Nicole handing me the dresses before I stepped inside.

I managed to pry myself out of the corseted gray dress unassisted and pulled the lavender dress on first. I knew without looking in the mirror that this was my favorite by a mile. The material was soft and flowy and made me feel regal.

When I stepped out and showed the women—including an excited Nicole, who lifted her joined hands to her lips, eyes shining like a proud mama—they all squealed their agreement. This was their favorite too. And thankfully, when Nicole pulled out a set of plain, black heels for me, we discovered it didn’t need any adjustments.

The blue tea-length dress was just as magical. Which was a blessing and a curse, because now I couldn’t decide which one was my favorite.

“I wish I had a second occasion coming up soon that I’d need a different dress for,” I said jokingly as Nicole left us to help another customer. “I can’t pick. You Easterly girls vote which I should choose.”

But there was a tie between the four sisters, and Marisol refused to break, instead insisting that I buy both. “Save one to wear somewhere in the future, since we all know it’ll be a long time before we can get you to go shopping with us again after all this.”

We all laughed as I nodded vigorously at the last part. “Truth. But for real, I need to pick just one of them.”

My budget was already tight, and with the baby on the way, I needed to save every penny I could.

As I put my regular clothes back on, I tried to debate internally which dress to get, because I truly loved them both. But I knew the purple one would be best for the wedding, so I settled on that one, stepping out of the dressing room with it carefully draped over my arm. I almost felt like I was leaving a child behind as the blue dress remained hanging in the booth.

“Oh, did you decide on the purple one?” Marisol asked as I joined the group. Her daughters were standing in a semicircle, holding up sweaters in front of the mirrors.

I nodded. “It’s a bit springy for a fall wedding, but I just love the way this dress fits.”

“I think it will work just fine. It looked beautiful on you.”

“Thanks.”

“Are you going to get the blue one as well?” she asked.

“I don’t think so. I really don’t have anywhere to wear it to. And truly, I couldn’t imagine paying for both.”

The smell of coffee wafted through the air, and I noticed two newcomers into the store were carrying to-go cups from the local shop. I learned yesterday that the smell of coffee would send me running to the nearest bathroom or trashcan. I’d even told Andrew that my favorite drink was out to kill me.

During her information dump, Dr. Heller said morning sickness was common and happened at any time during the day, and any little thing could trigger it. When I dry-heaved in her office at the smell of rubber gloves, she sent a prescription over to the drugstore to help combat the nausea. Before we left, she gave me a sample for the day, which I took immediately.

Right now was as good a time as any to test it out.

“Are you okay, dear?” Marisol asked beside me, as I held my breath, waiting for the queasiness to strike. Several small inhales later, my stomach didn’t roll like I’d been accustomed to over the last few days.

“Yes,” I replied, placing my hand over my stomach. “Must be some residual symptoms from the stomach bug I had last week.”

Her keen eyes searched mine, then she smiled. “Sure.” Reaching out, she squeezed my hand with hers, and I nearly burst into tears at the caring touch. “We’re glad you’re feeling better now.”

Right then, I knew that she knew. Somehow, she possessed an instinct that could read someone like a book. And she flipped through a single page of mine and landed on my secret.

“Mrs. Easterly—"

“It’s okay, dear. I understand. It’s not my secret to tell,” she said with another warm smile.

God, Andrew was so lucky. He had no idea how good he had it, being blessed with a mom like Marisol.

“Can I get you all checked out?” Nicole asked me, after she pointed the women who had just arrived toward the section of handbags.

I handed her the dress as she offered to take it off my arm. “Almost. I was hoping you may have other shoes, besides the ones I tried on, to go with this dress. Those weren’t really my style, but the heel height was perfect.”

“Absolutely. What size again?”

“Six and a half,” I replied, and she nodded.

“I’ll grab them from the back. Let’s meet at the counter.”

Marisol followed me while she left her daughters in the fitting room area, still busy playing dress-up. Nicole returned a moment later holding a box containing a pair of strappy shoes with a stiletto heel that was going to require me to spend hours practicing in. But I knew immediately that they were the perfect match for the dress.

“These are flawless, Nicole. You really do have a great eye.”

The woman beamed under my praise, and I almost felt bad for hating her at first sight, when I saw the way she reacted to Andrew. I knew there was something more to the story, but right now, as she gently placed the gown in a garment bag, I didn’t care.

“Thank you. Is this going to be all?”

“Yes.” I winced as a number flashed on the register screen. I reached in my bag for my wallet and rummaged around for my card to cover the expense. This little trip was going to cost more than my monthly rent.

Marisol spoke up, and my head jerked in reaction. “Actually, could you please ring up the blue dress as well and select a pair of shoes to match?”

“Of course,” Nicole said, scurrying away to gather the items.

“Marisol, I… I can’t afford both dresses,” I explained, feeling my cheeks heat and tears pool along my bottom lashes. I usually wasn’t so emotional. It had to be the pregnancy hormones.

Definitely the hormones.

“I understand, sweetheart. These dresses are gifts. Andrew insists. And if you know anything about my boy, you know he’s as stubborn as a mule. There is no use in arguing with him.”

“I…. But he doesn’t have to do that.”

“Believe me, Kelsey. Andrew doesn’t do anything he doesn’t absolutely want to.” She smiled, shaking her head.

She was 100 percent right, as far as the man I wanted to punch went.

“Here we are,” Nicole stated with a huge smile as she opened the custom garment bag and added the extra item inside.

I almost turned my back to the register when the new number flashed on the screen. Marisol reached across the counter and handed Nicole a card. A black card that had even Nicole’s eyes bulging for a second. She quickly composed herself while I tried to talk myself out of hyperventilating.

Hearing from Andrew that he was rich was very different from experiencing the receiving end of that wealth for myself. I mean, the man owned like five shirts that he rotated through. I was sure there were more packed away somewhere, for when he worked on the farm, but that was beside the point. He never spent money, at least not that I’d seen. I was sure the house being built was his biggest splurge ever.

“Here you are, Kelsey. It was wonderful to meet you,” she said as she handed me the garment bag, followed by the bag containing the shoe boxes.

“I really appreciate your help today. You have a beautiful store. I’m sure I’ll be back soon,” I told her sincerely, because really, she was so good at what she did, I could just tell her what I needed, and she’d be able to pick it out within seconds. No need for me to shop for myself ever again. Win.

“That would be lovely. If you give us a call ahead of time and let us know what you’re looking for, I can set aside a few things that I think you’d like,” she replied, reading my mind, and my eyes widened.

“Really?” Even better.

“Of course. I do it for all my regulars. I even special-order items at a customer’s request. When Autumn was pregnant with Eli, I had an entire line brought in for her.” She was beaming again, and it was lovely to see someone who truly loved what they did.

“Wow, that’s… amazing.” I wondered if that’s what I looked like while I was doing my job.

On the heels of that thought came the reminder that I no longer had my dream job, but I pushed away the dark cloud that came along with it, because I had more pressing matters to think about… like the fact that I had a baby growing inside me.

Nicole gushed, her positivity infectious, which I was grateful for. “I want people to feel and look their best, and being a part of that is my favorite thing about owning this shop.”

“Do you have an online store?” I asked.

“Yes!” she said, handing me a business card with a web address listed along the bottom. “It’s a bit different from a normal online store. I have an assistant who only posts what we have in stock. That way we’re not ordering items in bulk.”

“That’s smart. I have a few people in Nashville who would be interested in a place like this.” Some of my ex-coworkers would be thrilled to have someone whip up a few outfits for them, instead of having to shop for themselves. We worked long hours, and most of the time, the last thing we wanted to do was spend our free time digging through clothing racks.

Of course, my time now would be filled with trying to find another job. And who would want to hire a physical therapist who was pregnant?

Would I even be able to do the work while carrying a baby inside me?

“Oh, is that where you’re from?” Nicole asked, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“It is.” From outside the large pane windows, I saw Andrew approach the store, and somehow, just the sight of him made my worrying instantly calm. “Thank you again, Nicole.”

“You’re welcome!” she chirped with a smile.

Marisol started to follow me out the door, waving to her daughters as the bell over the door chimed, bringing their attention our way. But she ended up returning to the fitting rooms when they shouted that she had to see something Aspen was trying on.

While Nate popped inside the boutique to check on his wife, Andrew was busy looking down at his phone with furrowed brows. A vein along his temple pulsed, and his jaw ticked at whatever he was reading.

“Hey,” I said as I nudged him with my shoulder.

“Oh, hey. You’re done?” he asked, seeming shocked to see me. “I was just popping in to check on you.”

I shook my head as I chortled. “Andrew, I was in there for three hours. That was more than enough torture for one day.”

Smiling, he reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Was it really that bad?”

“No, it was really nice, actually. Your sisters have a sick sense of humor. They made me put on so many fluffy ballgowns I was afraid I’d float away like a tumbleweed in a stiff breeze.”

“Now that’s a sight I wish I hadn’t missed,” he said, just as Rory darted out of the store with a bag of her own.

“Don’t worry. I took some pictures,” she assured him with an evil grin.

“You did not!” I exclaimed, stepping away from Andrew and staring down my friend, who I had seen so little of since I’d been living in Ashfield.

“So, you two are getting along?” she asked, eyeing her brother.

The last time Rory had seen the two of us together was the day I arrived at her old house. He’d been a complete ass, and I would’ve been happy to be anywhere else at the time. Since that day, my best friend had been traveling with her husband, Talon, as he sought new locations for the well-known hotel chain owned by his family. Her skin held a sun-kissed glow, so I was sure they spent some time in his hometown of Miami, where the two of them met.

“Obviously, seeing as I asked her to be my plus-one for the wedding,” Andrew answered, and her eyes narrowed at her brother. I wasn’t too oblivious to miss the sibling stare battle that was happening.

“He’s been a perfect gentleman, Rory,” I assured her, elbowing Andrew in the ribs, but he only chuckled.

“Hm. Well, do you mind if I steal my bestie for a little bit? I want to catch up, and talking on the phone or over text messages just isn’t cutting it.” Rory reached over and looped her arm through mine.

“Sure, I can drive myself back home if you want to bring her to the house,” he replied, looking at me, his eyes asking if I would be okay with that. I gave him a small nod.

“Should you be driving?” Rory asked, as their sisters filed out of the store, followed by Marisol.

“Yes, actually. It’s been four weeks, and I’m doing better.”

“Okay, I can bring her home. Oh, maybe we can go see that new rom-com that has Devyn Dane in it. He is so dreamy,” she said wistfully.

“Careful or I’ll tell Talon,” Andrew joked, and his sister laughed.

“Like he doesn’t already know that I’m obsessed. Pretty sure every woman has a thing for him, since he did that spread in GQ .” She turned her head toward me and stage-whispered, “Abs for days .”

When I looked back at Andrew, he narrowed his eyes at me, silently asking if this was true. I nodded, because truly, Devyn Dane was a gorgeous man. Though, in my opinion, Andrew was hotter, but I wasn’t about to tell my best friend that.

He shrugged. “All right, you ladies have fun. I’ll see you later.”

Rory tugged at my arm to get me to move in the opposite direction, but I was stuck in place, watching Andrew’s retreating back as he carried my items in one hand, his crutch in the other.

Something felt off.

I wanted… I wanted him to kiss me goodbye, even though I knew we couldn’t do that out in the open. Either way, that notion didn’t stop my desire for it.

“Come on, Kels,” she said impatiently, clearly wondering why I still hadn’t moved.

“Sorry,” I apologized to Rory. “I just want to watch and make sure he gets across the street okay.”

Rory sighed but nodded, then turned her back to me to chat with her sisters, just as Andrew stopped at the corner before crossing the street. When he reached the other side, he glanced at me over his shoulder like he felt me watching, and he winked, making me smile.

It wasn’t a kiss, but it would have to do for now.

Alex had to return to the cake shop to finish up an order that would be picked up tomorrow morning, and she and Nate waved goodbye as he walked her across the street, but the other two Easterly sisters said they’d join Rory and me for the movie. Marisol declined, even though we whined and begged her to join us. She claimed she needed to get back home to start on dinner.

Nash was one lucky man to be blessed with Marisol’s cooking every day. I’d never leave my house if I had her running the kitchen.

After the movie, which was basically a two-hour-long Devyn Dane thirst trap that caused every woman in the theater to squeal during several scenes, Rory suggested we all go out for drinks. Thankfully, Autumn must have noticed my fear of how to navigate the situation. Not that I told her I was pregnant, but she had been the one to tell Andrew to buy the test in the first place, then sent him the doctor’s number when he asked for it mere hours later. I was sure she had an inkling.

“Let’s plan for a night when Alex can join us. Maybe Friday?”

Rory pulled out her phone and then agreed. “Talon and I are here through the end of the week, so that works for me.”

Aspen quickly agreed as well, then all eyes turned on me.

“I don’t think I have anything going on.” I internally cringed, because sometime between now and then, I was going to have to come up with an excuse to duck out of the meetup.

It was around 6:00 p.m. when I walked into the house after Rory drove me home. She and Talon had a beautiful home on the farm that they rarely used. They always offered for me to stay there when I was visiting, but I preferred the bed-and-breakfast. There was no chance of walking in on the two of them enjoying their married life on the kitchen counter, like I had once before.

“Andrew?” I called out as I closed the front door behind me.

“Out here!” he called from the backyard, and I saw the door had been left open a crack. As I opened the sliding glass door all the way and stepped through, I found a small bistro table nestled off to the side on the back deck. String lights that looked like Edison bulbs hung from above.

“What’s all this?” I asked when I noticed the table was set for dinner.

Andrew walked away from the grill he was manning and stepped up in front of me, his crutch resting against the exterior wall of the house. His hands reached for my cheeks, the tips of his fingers delving into my hair as he brought his face closer to mine.

Our lips sealed together, and I was lost in him.

The kiss ended too soon, but Andrew didn’t pull back more than an inch or two. “I wanted to do that earlier.”

“Me too,” I confessed in a whisper.

“You know, I don’t usually eat dessert before a meal, but right now, I’m considering bending all the rules.”

And the look on his face made it clear—he wasn’t talking about pie.