Page 78 of All Dressed Up

“Your dress is hanging up at the boutique. Rachel found it the other day. Apparently, Mary told her it was in the trunk and to open it. It’s a little different than your original, but it’s breathtaking. I think you’re really going to love it.” He winked. “And Jason will, too.”

Emma set her measuring cup down. “I won’t be wearing a dress like the one I found in the trunk last December?” She blinked.

“Um...” It was obvious from her expression he’d surprised her—and it wasn’t like a shiny new car for your birthday or a cute little puppy for Christmas kind of surprise. Man, maybe he should call his mom and tell her he was trading in his tie for overalls and going back to the auto body shop. “I’m sorry. It’s not the same. We should have called you.” He paused, adding, “We could look through some catalogs and see if we can find something similar if you’d like.”

Emma stepped back. “Will you excuse me for a minute?”

Will watched her quickly disappear into the back.Way to go, moron. One unhappy bride. Check.

Two minutes later, she reappeared with a glittery pink mixing spoon—the infamous magical spoon for the Batter Up spell. “Abby,” she called out to her cousin who had sauntered over to her husband’s side to watch the game.

“Yeah.” Abby spun around, hands cradling her very round, pregnant belly.

“Take this.” Emma slid the spoon down the counter in Abby’s direction.

Abby came over and caught the spoon before it fell over the counter’s edge. “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Perform the spell.” Emma removed her pink apron, handing it to Abby. “There’s somewhere I need to be.”

“Now?” Abby came around the counter, not buying it. “You can’t leave. What about Alan?”

“I doubt he’s coming.” Emma pointed to Will. “But you do have a bachelor right here. Do it on Will.”

“Me?” Will straightened on the stool. He’d never been the recipient of a Batter Up spell.

“Emma, you know I can’t do it,” Abby protested, trying to give the pink mixing spoon back to her cousin. “It’ll never work. He’ll only get the first letter, not a full name.”

Emma came around to the other side of the counter and squeezed Will’s shoulder with a wink. “I think that’s all he needs.”

*

“Oh good. I’m glad you’re here.”

Rachel looked up from her laptop. She’d been trying over the last hour to get a head start on her orders for next month.

It helped to take her mind off the horrible day. A little.

“Emma, hi,” she greeted the pretty baker who appeared to be catching her breath. “Were you just running? Is everything okay?”

“Yes. I rushed over here. Will said you had my dress.” Emma glanced around the shop, adjusting her long, black tank top over her white capris. “Is my dad here?”

Oh, shoot! The dress.“No. He’s gone home.”

Emma’s forehead furrowed. “Home?”

“His apartment he’s renting from Mel.”

“Oh. Of course.” Emma smiled wryly. “My mom told me he was living there.”

Rachel stepped around the counter. They didn’t have to talk about her new employee at this moment. Not when they had way better things to discuss like the amazing gown waiting for one bride-to-be upstairs. “We do have your dress. Will tried calling last week, but you were out of town.” She pointed to the ceiling. “We can go upstairs. Let me just lock up here.” Walking over to the front door, she flipped the sign and turned the lock.

“Thank you,” Emma said, following Rachel through the store toward the back.

“So, you saw Will?” Rachel asked as they climbed the stairs.

Emma nodded. “Yes, and he was nursing a cupcake when I left him. I’m not used to having broody men in my bakery, particularly on Batter Up night. Is everything okay?”

Rachel looked down at her ballet flats, concentrating on her steps. Was it? Was Will feeling just as rotten about what had happened earlier as she was? “We kind of got into a disagreement.”

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