Page 48 of All Dressed Up

He closed his eyes and nodded. “She’s next to you.”

“Well, tell her I said, ‘Thank you.’ Emma’s going to love it.”

He chuckled. “I think she heard you.” He paused. “Is that really for my daughter?” he asked, his voice cracking a bit.

“It is. Mary said last night she’d be getting it soon.”

He reached out and placed his tanned, wrinkled hand on the fabric. “When is the wedding?”

Rachel blinked. She wasn’t about to tell him it was two weeks from Saturday.

“You don’t have to say. I don’t reckon I’ll be invited.”

Rachel draped the dress over her arm, feeling for the man. Even though he must have done something awful for Sheila to banish him from Buttermilk Falls—if that’s what happened—she could see his genuine sorrow. “I’m just going to go hang this up,” she said, avoiding his initial question.

She led them out of the room to the rack, sliding the ivory dress in. Her thoughts racing a mile a minute. What had happened moments ago was extraordinary. Mary Reed had finally delivered. She couldn’t wait to show Will the dress. She’d let him do the honors and call Emma with the good news.

Before that happened, she needed to get Jesse out of here. “Thank you again.”

“Anytime. I guess that’s still a no to the job.”

She shook her head. Having him here as a medium, or whatever it was he was able to do, could come in handy. Still, there was no way she could do it. “I’m sorry. Really, I am.”

“Okay, then. You have a great day. I’ll see myself out.”

“Thanks again,” she called out and watched Jesse exit. Not offering him the job was the right thing to do. Let Mel put him to work at the Star Lite as a line cook or dish washer.

She straightened the rack, pulling out a bulging dress. Hoisting it up, she sighed. She’d forgotten all about this particular one. The gown that belonged to Amber.

Eventually, Amber would come to collect it and probably also stake her claim on the man who she might believe she’d be wearing it for. Rachel’s chest tightened as she thought back to last night and Will’s declaration of whom he wanted to date.

Was she going to have to endure Will and Amber’s relationship forming right in front of her?

Not today. She shoved the dress back in, tucking the long bow train way in so she wouldn’t have to see it.

She moved over to the refreshment table and began to fiddle with the empty flutes, arranging them in a line. Mary had indicated last night that Will’s heart was missing. Maybe he wasn’t ready to fall for anyone until he found it.

Wait a minute?Mary’s note had said Rachel couldn’t win Will’s heart untilshefound it. She returned to the other room. It was hers to find, not Amber’s. “Mary, if you are still here, I have an important question to ask. You said I needed help finding Will’s heart. Did you mean Jesse’s help?”

Silence.

Of course, she’d get nothing. “One noise yes, two noises no,” she muttered.

More silence. Her shoulders slumped, and she turned to leave, taking a step forward.

The trunk slammed shut.

Rachel spun around. Was that Mary’s one noise? If it was, she’d take it. She ran out to catch Jesse but stopped halfway down the stairs, doubling back up. “Thank you, partner!” she yelled into the room.

It took her seconds to return to her shop. She bolted through and flung the door open.

Jesse was sitting on the bench in front of her shop, newspaper on his lap. “Mr. Taylor.”

He glanced up. “Jesse.”

“Jesse.” She stopped beside him, catching her breath. “You’re hired.”

“I am?”

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