Page 76 of Full Mountie

Beth

Instead of headinghome after a very long, very tense day, I leap on an invitation to go shopping with Sasha Brewster, Ellie’s maid of honour. Well, it’s more window shopping for me, because Sasha’s an honest-to-goodness socialite.

Sasha and I don’t shop on the same level. We don’t even shop in the same galaxy.

She seems to think we need an entire new wardrobe for the wedding weekend in British Columbia. I’m happy to watch her tear her way through Holt Renfrew and make notes.

Plus she’s funny, and not at all quiet.

Also, nosy. I get a text from Lachlan, and before I can click on it, she’s giving my phone a nosy Parker look. “Who’s the text from?”

I stick it back in my purse without reading the message. I’m not risking her peeking over my shoulder. “A guy I’m seeing.”

Her eyes narrow. “If it’s not Lachlan, don’t tell Ellie.”

I laugh. “Why would you ask who it is if you might not like the answer?”

“Wishful thinking.”

“Why does everyone care so much if we get together?”

“Oh, come on.” She gives me a big, google-eyed look of disbelief. “You know.”

I take a deep breath. “No. Yes. But no.”

“You guys are both head over heels for each other.”

“It’s not that simple.” I’d always known real life was more complicated than fairy tales. I’d never expected this level of complication, but still… “It’sreallynot that simple.”

“Was it Lachlan?” She presses her finger to her lips. “Promise I can keep a secret.”

“From Ellie?”

“From everyone.” Her expression is drop-dead serious now. “Honestly, you don’t need to tell me. But…if you want to, I’ll be a vault with it. Secret gossip is even better than regular gossip.”

I weigh the pros and cons of telling her. At some point Ellie might mention it anyway. Hell, Gavin might drunkenly mention it in his wedding speech. Threaten to chuck Ellie’s bouquet at Lachlan’s head or something stupid like that.

Maybe I should skip the wedding.

I grit my teeth and nod. “Yes, it was Lachlan. We’re…kind of dating. We’re dating.”

“What’s the kind of part?”

“That’s not exactly my secret to share.”

Her eyes go wide again. “Oh.”

“Oh, nothing.”

“No, I think it’s something.” She nods slowly. “I like this. Your life is fabulously interesting.”

She’s not wrong. I give her a wobbly smile. “Hey, where would be a good place to buy lingerie?”

We endup driving to a high-end boutique—of course—where the owner loves Sasha and gives her a suspiciously high discount on everything in the store.

Sasha claps like it’s our lucky day, but I think I know better. When we finally collapse in the coffee shop a few doors down, me with my one bag, her with two much larger ones, I take a deep breath. “Did you arrange that somehow? The deal? Did you…help me somehow?”

She wrinkles her nose. “No. Although yes, sort of. But not like you’re thinking.” She leans in and lowers her voice. “Now it’s your turn to keep a secret. Not even Ellie knows this. That shop? I’m her silent partner. I own 49% of it and put up the capital. So she extended my discount to you, but she does the same for Ellie. No secret blinking messages or anything like that.”

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