Page 15 of Every Which Way

“Me either.” Maizie seemed to want to say something else but didn’t.

“What?”

Maizie whispered, “We need a forensic accountant to go over what we got yesterday. It’s too complicated for me.”

Kenna gasped. “You don’t knoweverything? Shocking. What do I pay you for?”

Maizie grinned. “Answering your emails and telling people you’re unavailable.”

“I should give you a raise.”

Akira came over to them. She seemed to have shaken herself out of the Ramon-induced daydream. She ran to the end of the rows and came back with a dress. “Try this on.”

“How can I resist?”

“And give me that yummy man’s phone number.”

Maizie sounded like she had a frog in her throat. Once she cleared it, the teen muttered something in Spanish.

Kenna had to say, “I can ask, but he might say no.”

Akira sighed. “This is my life. Gorgeous men everywhere and none will let me dress them.”

Good thing Jax wasn’t here right now.

“But of course, that isn’t your problem. You’re getting married!” Akira leaned in and spoke quietly. “Is he gorgeous?”

Kenna felt her cheeks heat. “Yes, ma’am.”

Akira tipped her head back and chuckled.

Kenna went to the changing area behind the screen. “Maizie, I’ll need your help in a minute.” She’d have to get the thing zipped up, and that would be impossible even with arms that wouldn’t hurt when she bent them behind her back.

No way she could get around them seeing her forearms, knotted with lines of ragged red scars. The doctors had tried to consolidate with each successive surgery, but it wasn’t always possible.

That was probably part of the reason she shied away from the idea of a big wedding with lots of people. If she kept it small, then it was contained to people who either knew what had happened to her or who had seen her scars enough times they wouldn’t create a spectacle.

Kenna unlaced her Converse and kicked them off, then stepped into the dress and pulled it up. It was simple, Victorian-style draped layers in a slightly off-white color. Some pattern on the bodice but understated.

“This whole thing is ridiculous. I’m not going to wear a dress.”

Maizie grabbed the zipper at the back and eased it up. “Aren’t you supposed to want to see the look on his face? You’re gonna make him choke on his own tongue.”

“Why do I care about ‘supposed to’?” There were plenty of those in her life that she’d never experienced. A house with a fenced yard and a dog to grow up in. A mother to drive her to school. A baby that lived. A career and a life, a family.

She turned around.

Maizie’s eyes widened. She said nothing, just backed up.

“This thing is poofy. I have to kick it out in front of me, or I’ll trip on it.”

“It’s not that poofy. You just never wear anything like it.” Maizie smiled like she had a secret while Kenna emerged from behind the screen. “It’s called a dress. I’m gonna choke onmytongue now.”

Laney and Adrielle both had their hands over their eyes.

Akira waved her to the podium. “Stand here and we will do the big reveal.”

Kenna didn’t look at herself in the mirror. It didn’t make that much difference what this thing looked like. She was sticking with her slacks and bodice idea, thank you very much.

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