Page 64 of Snow Going Back

‘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.

‘Thatone,’ 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 andallthe 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 andwasglad 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 renderedspeechless. 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 adress,’ 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. ‘Whatisthis 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?’

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