Page 5 of Merry Mix-Up

"How about this one!" Naomi announced, and it broke the trance I was in. I turned to look at her. The dress was hideous, some floral thing with huge, puffy shoulders.

"Uh, no…" I chuckled, and I saw Newt rub his mouth as if covering a smirk. "This is awful, Nomes. I'm not letting you marry Jared wearing that." In my best "Amber" attitude, I shook my head and crossed my arms. She pouted and dropped her shoulders, letting her head crane backward.

"Nothing is working. I hate this. I need a beautiful dress." Her head shot up. "Mav! Jade!"

At the mention of my name, my heart rate shot up. I had been doing so well pretending to be my sister. I almost had a heart attack when I thought she'd figured it out.

"What?" I gulped and sat a little straighter, feeling nervous.

"Jade should make my dress! Oh, my God, it's perfect!"

"What?" There was no way I'd have time to keep working on my designs and make a dress for her, on top of maid of honor duties, holiday festivities, and still keep my shit together to play Amber. "No."

"Oh, but it's so perfect! She lives here in town and she's got a holiday break coming up too, right? Please, please ask her todo it for me." Naomi came off the pedestal and rushed over to me, and a saleswoman started in our direction. The white satin bunched and dragged on the floor, and I thought the sales lady would have a panic attack.

I had a horrible feeling about this. Playing maid of honor to the bridezilla was one thing, but designing a dress for her? And what would happen when she didn’t like my design?

"It sounds like a good idea to me," Newt said, and I felt his fingers touching my shoulder again. It was a strange bit of encouragement I didn't necessarily invite but didn't hate. I looked at him.

"You think?" I asked, and he smiled so warmly I thought I'd lose myself.

"I know. Whatever Nomie wants, Nomie gets. Tell Jade I'll pay her the cost of the materials and a hundred dollars an hour for her time to design and create the perfect Christmas gown for my sister."

I swallowed hard again as blood rushed to my head and made me dizzy. He was flirting with me, like legitimately making eyes and touching me softly. My groin tensed with arousal, and I had to look away to Naomi who was being hoisted back onto the pedestal by the sales lady who was fussing over the dress getting dirty.

"Okay," I mumbled as I made eye contact with Newt. This handsome billionaire was throwing money at anyone and anything just to make his sister happy, and all the while, he was trying to get me to notice him. Well believe me, I noticed.

"Good girl," he purred quietly so Naomi couldn't hear. "Now let's get her off to Jared to pick their rings and we'll go get coffee and plan a party.”

Nothing on earth could keep me from getting to that coffee shop. I hopped off my chair and helped the saleslady get Naomi back into the dressing room to put on her street clothes, andthe entire time, my heart was skipping beats. Newt Phillips was flirting with me and I didn't even care that he was like a decade older than me. He was hot and he was rich, and as far as I could tell, he was a good man.

Maybe helping Amber out for this wedding wasn't such a bad thing, after all.

4

NEWT

December 1st

Amber and I had an amazing time chatting about the bachelor party once we ditched Naomi to pick out rings with Jared. She was smart and funny and beautiful, and I enjoyed her sense of humor. So when I walked her to her car and heard how it barely turned over when she tried to start it, I jumped at the chance to offer her a ride and extend our time together.

She sat behind the wheel as I walked back toward her small black sedan, and I noticed her frustrated look as she engaged the ignition but the car sat and clicked. I knew that feeling, though it hadn't happened to me in a long time. I tapped on her window and she opened the door.

"It won't start," she mumbled, and I grimaced.

"I can see that…." I wished for a split second that I was one of those handy guys who could look under the hood and fix what was wrong, but I poured my attention and learning efforts into different things. Cars interested me, but not in the same way as some other men. I preferred buying expensive ones and driving them, not fixing them up. I just sent my vehicles to the repairshop when needed, and if they broke down a lot, I just bought a new one.

"I'm not sure what to do. Can you give me a jump?" she asked, and she climbed out of the car and stood with one hand resting on the door, but I could only shrug. I knew my way around a bank account or budget, not a car.

"I… Uh… How about I give you a ride instead? We can call a tow truck." I felt stupid but at this time of day, we'd be waiting hours for a tow. It was either I give her a ride home or we'd sit together and chat while we waited for the truck. Either way, I got more time with her, which made me happy.

"Alright. I don't have time to wait for a tow. I have studying to do." Amber shut the car door and locked it, then pulled her hat down on her head farther and crossed her arms over her chest. It was below zero and breezy, not a good combo for standing in the cold and waiting, and it was probably the reason her battery had gone dead.

"My car is just up here," I told her, gesturing. I'd already seen Sean pull up, so I knew he was waiting on me. The limo would be warm and toasty when we climbed in, and maybe that would help her loosen up a bit.

"Which one?" she asked. Her eyes scanned the parking lot as I walked toward the entrance of the coffee shop we had just vacated. She followed along behind me but seemed to be keeping her distance.

"There," I said, nodding, and her eyebrows rose as we approached the limo.

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