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Juniper chuckled softly. “Well, it is your name.”
“Yeah, but it’s weird. Ah yeah, hi. I’m Ms — Mikayla. You can just call me Mikayla.”
“Lovely. I’m Arabella and I’m just so delighted to be able to help you today.”
“Oh, right. That’s nice.” Then she turned to Leah, her eyes wide, and whispered, “We’re not even getting a lackey. Does my brother have some pull, or what?”
“If you’ll just follow me, we’ll take your measurements.” She clapped her hands and two uniformed women appeared out of what seemed to be nowhere. “Refreshments for our guests, thank you. And send Claire to me.” She turned to Leah, Juniper and Nora. “Please, feel free to browse while you wait. I just ask that you wear these gloves before you touch any of the dresses.” She gestured to an elegant box that housed light, white cotton gloves on a long counter. “This way, Mikayla.” She held her arm out, indicating for Mikayla to walk ahead of her.
Leah gave a thumbs up when Mikayla shot a quick, terrified glance over her shoulder. She looked like a lamb heading to slaughter.
“So, what do we know?” Juniper asked, reaching for a pair of gloves.
“About what?” Leah asked, taking a pair that Nora handed her.
“Today.”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit,” Juniper said softly. “You are so in the know.”
Leah smiled mysteriously in answer and drifted off to the racks of dresses. She was enjoying herself hugely. She pushed the dresses carefully aside one by one, working her way down the rack. She had just started on the second rack when Mikayla returned, looking wide eyed and a little overwhelmed. She flopped into one of the gilt armchairs, taking a glass of champagne from the sales assistant gratefully. Leah moved to sit next to her. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know. It’s a lot.”
“If it makes it easier, I’ve found a few dresses I think you might like. Do you want me to let Arabella know? Or would you rather have a look yourself?”
“No, you do it. Thanks.”
Leah stood, making eye contact with Nora and gesturing with her head to Mikayla. Nora nodded in immediate understanding and quickly moved to take the seat Leah had just vacated. Juniper approached. “Everything okay?”
“She’s freaking out. The sooner we get her into a dress, the better. That way she can get excited again.”
“Good thinking.”
Leah felt her phone vibrate in her bag. Pulling it out, she saw a message from Callum.
Callum:Has Mik cried yet?
Leah:Almost, but she’s holding up. You should have seen her face when she saw the limo.
Callum:I bet. Thanks so much for helping
Leah:Thanks for letting me, I’m having a good time.
Callum:How much of a good time?
Leah:I’ll show you later.
Slipping her phone back into her bag, Leah caught Arabella’s eye. She showed her the dresses she’d chosen, smiling in thanks when the sales assistants took them carefully in their arms into the dressing room.
“Mikayla?” Arabella waved Mikayla through the door into a giant fitting room. Leah moved to sit with Nora and Juniper.
“She won’t like the first two that much. They’re just warm ups.”
“You’ve got your eye on the perfect dress, haven’t you?” Nora asked with a smile.
“I think so. But you’ve got to see what you don’t like to know what you do.”
