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“Go! Try it on.”
She went into the dressing room and slipped the silky material over her head. The back of the dress was mostly bare, but it had a modest cut in the front and the slit on the side didn’t quite reach as high as her knees. “You’ll wow him in that gown.”
“You think?”
“I know.”
“Did you find anything you liked for us bridesmaids?”
“You’re my maid of honor.”
“We’re all wearing the same thing though, aren’t we?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“You’d better decide quick. We’re running out of time.”
They left after choosing a pale lavender chiffon gown for the bridesmaids and a darker lavender for Samantha’s dress. The lighter color reminded Sam of cotton candy. It fit her friend. And she hoped Emily’s wedding would be the wedding of her dreams.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gavinfiddledwiththebuttons on his vest. He was no stranger to black-tie events, but this was different. He’d be taking the woman he could see himself falling for to the very location where he suspected his sister was being held captive. The irony wasn’t lost on him.
He headed down to the great room and waited by the door for his brother and sister-in-law. Before long they appeared both exquisitely dressed, Grayson in a tuxedo similar to his own, and Jenna in a stunning dark blue gown.
“Ready to gather your girl?”
“She’s not my girl.”
“She’ll be on your arm tonight, as far as I can tell that means, at least for tonight, she’s agreed to be your girl.” Gavin hated that the arrangement was temporary, but he knew she wasn’t coming to play the part of trophy date. Her attending was all about the investigative potential the night might bring.
Samantha was so much more than beautiful. The woman had it all. Brains, fortitude, strength, and, yes, she was a knockout, too. He’d more than met his match with her. He also knew her to be a believer, but she was guarding her heart instead of opening it to the Lord. It was the one thing that had the potential to ruin them before they got started, even if she was willing to give him the chance to prove he wasn’t some playboy planning to toy with her emotions and then leave her in the dust. It was essential that he choose a woman who loved the Lord as much as he did.
“Yeah. It’s almost time. Let’s go get her.”
They piled into the Bronco and headed to Samantha’s place. He went to the door to get her, and when she opened it to him, he stood there staring. “Wow!” her dark red dress was elegant and classy yet daring, much like the woman wearing it.
She grinned.
“You are breathtaking.”
“What am I usually, chopped liver?”
He shook his head. “You’re beautiful on a bad day, but tonight, you’ve stolen my breath away.”
“And you’re awfully wordy for someone without breath, but you don’t look so bad yourself. You clean up good, Mr. Garrison.”
He opened the rear passenger door for her, and then went around to the driver’s side, joining her in the back seat. Once they were seated, he reached for her hand. Tonight he’d make the most of the opportunity to be with her.
Samantharelishedthefeelof Gavin’s work roughened hand. She couldn’t understand how someone who sat in an office all day developed callouses like his, but there was something manly about his hands. If the seatbelt wasn’t trapping her in place, she might’ve been tempted to scoot closer to him. The man affected her far more than she cared to admit.
Grayson interrupted her thoughts. “Wade’s Lieutenant, Mac, called with an update. Wade arrived at the estate two hours ago. He’ll be one of our waiters tonight.”
“What else did he have to say?” Jenna asked.
“Mac said that Wade and the other two undercovers chose not to wear wires. They thought it was too risky, but now, if something has gone wrong, nobody will no until we get there and get the lay of the land.”
Gavin’s grip tightened on her hand and silence filled the Bronco. Nobody seemed willing to say what they were all thinking. That now instead of two lives being in danger, Cate and Emmaline, five lives hung in the balance. Sam hoped they’d made the right call.
