I handed his phone back. “Definitely.”
“I was on my way there now to see them but wanted to stop by here first. I missed you.”
I didn’t think I’d ever smiled as much as I did when I was with Drew. “You said that already.”
He didn’t appear sheepish or embarrassed. Just gazed at me in that tender way of his. “It needed to be repeated.”
My chest swelled, and I bit down on the inside of my bottom lip. Drew put me out of sorts. I worked on facts and battle plans. I didn’t know what to do with the flood of feelings his words and attention rained down upon me.
I dropped my gaze to the chair to regain my equilibrium. “Guess you don’t need a haircut after all then.” I peeked back up at him.
His flirtatious smile was back in full force. “As much as I want your hands on me, I’ll have to take a raincheck.”
His insinuation shot flames up my neck and sent an ache to my belly. I was a mother, not some naive, untried, green miss—or however someone in Jane Austen’s day would describe a virgin. Drew’s words may have been innocent and teasing, but it had been a long time since anyone wanted to touch me in a physically intimate way.
The echo of the Shulamite’s advice to the daughters of Jerusalem rang in my head.I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not stir up or awaken love until it is ready!Whether she meant emotionally, physically, or both, I didn’t know, but I tucked the warning into the corner of my heart.
“I’ll see you at the game tomorrow night.” Drew stepped forward and pressed his lips to my cheek. “Bye.”
My hand rose to my waist, and I gave him a small wave as he exited the salon. I rotated my chair to face me and sank into the seat. I’d always known Drew was trouble. I just hadn’t realized the trouble would be to my heart. But there was no way around the situation. Someone had found a remote control to our relationship and pushed the fast forward button. What other explanation could there be when I found myself already half in love with the man?
I went through the motions of the rest of the work day, giving a sailor a high and tight and working through my afternoon balayage appointment. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I called to Camille as I clocked out.
Sierra had asked if she could spend the night at a friend’s house, and since they didn’t have school in the morning, because it was a teacher in-service day, I’d given her permission.
After driving through some traffic, I pulled off to the side of the street in front of Jocelyn and Molly’s house. The duo had been hosting our sewing circle since the beginning, and their house was a sort of oasis for me. A safe place outside the craziness of the real world. Although, remembering Amanda’s warning from earlier, I wasn’t sure how safe it would be tonight.
I turned off the engine and made a grab toward the bag of sewing supplies I kept in the passenger seat. Only they weren’t there. Right. Because we had the dresses for the wedding to finish. Instead, I slung my purse over my shoulder and stepped out of the car. The front door of the house opened, and Amanda spilled out. I braced, knowing my best friends were going to reenact the Spanish Inquisition on me.
Amanda laid ahold of my wrist when I neared and pulled me into the house. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
“So I see,” I said dryly.
She dragged me into the living room, where I expected a darkened room with a spotlight and maybe some swirling cigarette smoke like in a noir film but instead found my friends swathed in Molly’s wedding colors of soft yellow and white.
Molly stood in the center in her gorgeous handmade creation, looking like the cover of a bridal magazine. Jocelyn had on her bridesmaid gown, an off-the-shoulder flowing number with a chiffon overlay. Betsy’s arms were crossed over a sweetheart neckline, the lines of her gown hugging her curves in a mermaid silhouette with a slit up to her knee. She looked equal parts rock-and-roll and girl-next-door.
Jocelyn held a tea-length dress up to me in one hand. “Go try this on.” She pushed my shoulders, directing me to the bathroom.
Amanda picked up her own dress from the back of the couch and headed down the hall to change in one of the bedrooms.
I shimmied out of my jeans and blouse, then slipped the dress over my head. The illusion neckline covered my chest in a see-through frothy material. The skirt of the dress belled out in thick layers of tulle. I couldn’t believe the reflection looking back at me in the mirror. Jocelyn had somehow managed to get each of our personalities in her designs.
I stepped out of the bathroom, colliding with Amanda in the hall. Her dress was a simple sleeveless A-line, fully ruched bodice with a charmeuse band flowing into a tea-length hemline.
We stood in a sorry excuse for a circle, staring at each other.
“I’m getting married,” Molly breathed.
“I’m moving,” Jocelyn announced without preamble.
“Nicole’s dating Drew,” Amanda nearly shouted.
We blinked at each other, absorbing the trio of declarations. Of course, I’d been aware of two out of the three, but Jocelyn’s news made my head spin.
“You’re moving?” I said at the same time as Jocelyn squawked, “You’re dating Drew?”
Molly clapped her hands. “Who cares if I’m getting married? I’m so excited for you guys!”
