Page 8 of Friend Me

“No way. You’re not going up against the Dragon Lady by yourself.”

“Dragon Lady?” Tyler asked.

“She’s a real piece of work. But she can afford to be. She’s the best.” I shrugged.

“And a personal friend of Jackson’s mother,” Alicia said.

Together, we walked to the revolving door, and Tyler gestured for us to go first. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

The bridal shop wasn’t far from Synergy’s downtown office. As we walked, Alicia and Tyler talked about a project he was working on. I left my worries about Cooper and the wedding behind me at the Synergy building and let the September sunshine warm my face.

When we reached the shop, Alicia disappeared into the dressing room with the Dragon Lady.

“Don’t forget, I promised I’d take a picture for Tiannah,” I called after her. Tiannah, Alicia’s best friend from home, was Alicia’s official maid of honor. Since she lived in Texas, I’d taken up most of the local duties like dress fittings.

An assistant brought us drinks—a can of Mountain Dew for Tyler and a fancy flute of sparkling water for me—and we settled on a loveseat in front of a platform surrounded by three mirrors.

Tyler looked around the shop. “This is a first for me.”

“You have all those brothers. And your sister. None of them is married?”

“No. One’s engaged, though.” He sipped his drink and swallowed like it was bitter instead of sweet.

I slipped off my shoes and tucked my knees under me. “When’s the wedding?”

“Next summer, I think?” He looked away, drumming his fingers on his jeans. His dimple was gone.

I couldn’t ignore the clear I-don’t-want-to-talk-about-it vibes he was sending, but I could try to cheer him up. I set my glass on the table and squeezed his shoulder. “Be right back.”

Crossing to the hat rack in the corner, I picked up an armful and carried them back to the loveseat. I set them gently on the low table and picked up a teal fascinator with peacock feathers and a cloud of netting. I set it on my head and raised my eyebrows at Tyler. “What do you think?”

One corner of his mouth curled up. “Not your color.”

“Then it must be yours.” I set it on his head and fluffed the netting. It made his hazel eyes turn blue.

He looked in the mirror and turned his head from side to side. “Damn, I look good.”

“Modest, as well as handsome.” I picked up a red one with fluffy feathers shooting off it like fireworks.

“That one,” Tyler said, pointing.

I laid down the red one and picked up the one he’d indicated. It was simpler than the others, a trio of blush-pink silk roses nestled into a splash of pale pink netting studded with pearly beads. I settled it onto my head and glanced at the mirror. I nodded. “You’re right. It’s beautiful.”

His eyes had gone dark under his ridiculous hat. “Beautiful.”

The assistant’s voice startled me. “Need a refill?”

Tyler snatched off his hat. “No, we’re good.”

She smiled at him, and then at me. “So when’s the big day?”

“Alicia, you mean?” I nodded toward the changing room. Wasn’t that her job to know? “It’s—”

“No, I meant you two. You’re going to look so gorgeous together.”

“Oh, no. No.” My laugh was too high, verging on unhinged. “We’re just friends. Work friends.”

“Just friends.” Tyler gathered up the hats and carried them to the rack.

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