Snow Going Back

Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

‘Hey, thanks again for arranging this,’ Kate said as she and Sam arrived at the door of the bridal boutique. ‘I really appreciate it.’

The trip to the housing project had been postponed after Sam had received a call from Jerry’s wife. He’d spoken to her, as promised, and she’d finally had a last-minute cancellation. In truth, Kate would have preferred to decline and carry on to the project, as planned, but with no time left, she knew she had to find a dress.

‘It’s fine,’ Sam said with a shrug, pressing the buzzer on the door. ‘Jerry owed me a favour.’ he studied her thoughtfully as they waited. ‘So, I thought the dress was one of those things you girls liked to have sorted in advance? You seem to be cutting it kinda close.’

‘Most girls, I guess,’ Kate answered reluctantly. ‘And yes. The dress appointment back home fell through, so…’ She trailed off and shrugged.

Sam nodded, looking at her with a slight frown she couldn’t quite read. He opened his mouth to say something, but then the door swung open and a tall blonde woman with a warm smile and twinkly blue eyes looked out at them expectantly.

‘You coming in or what?’ she asked.

‘Well, it ain’t what ,’ Sam replied cheerfully. He walked inside, and Kate followed.

Sam and Sarah exchanged pleasantries and a little banter, and Kate liked her almost instantly. She had a friendly warmth about her and possessed the great mixture of a gentle voice with a big laugh and a ready smile that naturally put people at ease.

‘So, can I get you guys something to drink?’ Sarah asked.

‘I’m good, thanks,’ Sam replied. ‘Kate?’

‘I’m OK, too. Thank you though.’

‘Well, let’s get you started. Now let me just get a quick look at you.’ Sarah held Kate back at arm’s length and ran an experienced eye over her. ‘OK, so you’re what, about a six?’

‘Er…’ Kate winced, trying to remember the conversion.

‘What are you back home?’ Sarah asked.

‘A ten.’

‘OK, then yeah, you’re a six. Come with me – I’ll show you what we’ve got. Sam, you stay right there.’ Sarah ushered her further inside with an excited twinkle in her eye. ‘We have some really nice ones in right now.’

‘Sounds great,’ Kate replied, forcing a smile.

She looked at the rows of dresses. There were so many of them! More than there had been in the shop in London.

‘Here we are.’ Sarah waved her hands over several of the racks. ‘All of these are your size. What styles do you like?’

‘Er, I guess something simple and classic. Nothing frilly or lacy,’ Kate said.

Sarah nodded and gave her another quick once-over. ‘OK, what about one of these…’

She picked out three dresses and hung them on the wall. Kate smiled appreciatively. They were stunning designs. All quite different, but all fitted the bill.

‘See anything you like?’ Sarah asked.

Kate nodded, her gaze resting on the middle one. It was an off-the-shoulder creamy satin gown with a plain fitted bodice, a sweetheart neckline and a sweeping A-line skirt.

‘ That one,’ she said.

‘That was my favourite for you, too,’ Sarah told her. ‘It’ll sit really nice on the neck. You’ve got the perfect shape for it.’

‘That’s encouraging,’ Kate replied.

‘Are you comfortable with me helping you?’ Sarah asked, moving her into a changing room.

‘Sure.’

‘Great, OK.’ She closed the curtain. ‘Turn away from the mirror while we fit you up, so you don’t ruin the full effect when you see it on.’

‘OK.’ Kate turned away.

She lifted her arms and moved as instructed, waiting patiently while Sarah tugged and zipped and pulled it into place before finally standing back with a wide smile.

‘I think we’re all set. OK.’ She met Kate’s gaze, her blue eyes twinkling once more. ‘Can you trust me on something?’ Kate nodded. ‘Don’t look in this mirror. The one in the main room has three angles and all the light. Can I walk you through to do your first look there?’

‘Sure. You’re the expert,’ Kate replied.

She caught the swiftly veiled puzzlement in the other woman’s face and looked away. She really liked the dress and was glad to be here, but she just couldn’t force herself to be excited by all of this. She really had tried, but it just wasn’t happening.

‘Perfect. Let’s go.’ Sarah led her out, avoiding the mirrors, and pulled the curtain aside to let Kate through.

As Kate walked into the main room, the first thing she saw was Sam’s reaction. He did a swift double-take and quickly sat upright, his eyes and mouth widening as he was rendered speechless. His eyes moved slowly over her in open awe and then back up to meet her gaze. As their eyes connected, Kate felt something stir inside her. The same thing she’d felt the night of Matthew’s party under the mistletoe. She stopped walking and just stood there in front of him, not wanting to move. Not wanting to break the strange connection until she could at least understand it.

But a bright flash suddenly crossed her vision, and they both turned, startled. Sarah pulled the instant photo out of the retro Kodak camera and waggled it around in the air.

‘Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just cashing in on a bet,’ she told them, her eyes moving from one to the other with a knowing smile.

Sam cleared his throat and looked back at Kate, his bright blue eyes serious now and guarded with a sad tightness. He smiled encouragingly, but it didn’t seem to reach his eyes.

‘Now that’s a dress ,’ he said quietly.

‘Yes?’ Kate asked nervously. Nervous for reasons she couldn’t even name, rather than because of the actual dress.

Sam nodded. ‘Yeah,’ he confirmed. He smiled again. ‘Turn around. See for yourself.’

Kate nodded, wishing she didn’t have to turn away from him but reluctantly doing so anyway, as she knew was expected.

‘Oh.’ Her eyebrows rose in surprise. The dress fitted like it had been made just for her, and she smiled, feeling, for the first time since the whole wedding nightmare had started, like a princess. Her eyes flicked across to meet Sam’s through the glass.

The flash went off again, and she twisted towards Sarah, who was wiggling a second photo in the air.

‘Alright,’ Sam said. ‘What is this bet?’

‘Jerry bet me five hundred dollars that you’d never set foot in here. So I took it.’ She grinned.

Sam shook his head with a short chuckle. ‘Why on earth did he bet you that?’

Sarah waved it off with a grin. ‘Long story, but he lost. Here, honey…’ She walked over to Kate and handed her the picture. ‘You can keep this one.’

She held Kate’s gaze for a long, loaded moment, then moved away. Kate frowned and looked down at the photo in her hand. It was of her in this beautiful wedding dress looking softly into the mirror. But as she followed her eyes, her heart jumped. Because it wasn’t herself she was staring at with such a mesmerised look.

It was Sam.