Page 62 of The Deal Maker

“Well, if you need a job while you’re contemplating your life’s choices, you can always come be our stock boy,” I say, chuckling.

“That would be fun. Or I was thinking about talking to Troy. I know they’re getting ready to retire and he’s going to need someone to take over his business.”

“That would be awesome. And a lot less pressure than the arcade.”

Nodding, he says, “Hopefully I can make this one stick.”

“I think you’ve gotten enough experience now that you know what to do.”

He squeezes my hand and says, “Thank you for the vote of confidence.”

“Hey, once you said you were done with timeshares I’m all about supporting you now.” I laugh a bit and see that he’s looking at me more seriously.

“Is that all it took?” he says in a lower voice.

I hesitate, not sure what to say to that. “You’re a great guy, Duke. You’ll figure out what you need in life. You’ve got your friends and you’ve got me to support you.”

He leans in and I freeze, wondering what he’s going to do. He brushes a kiss along my cheekbone and then stands up. “I need to head out, but I’ll see you later?”

I nod, still not sure if I should move after what just happened. I know, it seems like such a dorky thing to be all giddy and frozen because of a kiss, but I wasn’t expecting it at all. And I liked it.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later.”

He heads out, calling for Champ on his way. I sit there for a few more minutes, trying to figure out what I’m doing with my life. Am I falling for the guy who was my enemy three weeks ago?

TWENTY-SIX

MAGGIE

I’m two days away from the wedding and I still need to figure out what I’ll be wearing to it. Hope has no opinions, and she wants me to feel comfortable. I have to be in some kind of space time continuum for that to happen.

I’ve asked her several times what she wants and everything is just chill and laid back, at least that’s what she’s telling me. I can’t read the underlying feelings though. Maybe there aren’t any.

After having a long talk with Jason, she’s been able to get past her soon-to-be mother-in-law’s negativity, which is perfect. I hope she can keep that going.

It’s time to head to The Bridal Barn. I can’t put it off anymore. To be honest, I’ll be lucky to find anything that will fit my hips on the first try. Should I have gone in when I first heard Hope was getting married? Probably. But I kept getting distracted by The Candy Jar and the scavenger hunt, along with all of the other things popping up. Duke mostly.

The outer windows of The Bridal Barn are filled with poofy ball gowns, but I hope they’ve got some more relaxed wear near the back. Owning my own business, I know that having some of the wow factor at the front window helps bring in customers.

I wander through the store, leafing through the clothing here and there when something catches my eye. I’m not sure what I really want the vibe to be. Something that looks nice but isn’t too restricting that I’ll have trouble breathing by the end of the night.

There are some interesting options. I see a coral-colored dress and pull it off the rack, taking a full view of the garment. It’s got bubble sleeves and a tighter torso while flowing out to a fuller skirt that would probably hit right above my knee. Am I willing to sport the large scar I got from a biking accident when I was ten?

It all depends on how it fits, I guess.

I take it and two other options to the fitting room. I’m not loving the pea green dress on me, even though the style accentuates my features.

The coral one, though, that’s the one. Not like I’m saying yes to a wedding dress, but sometimes it’s hard to find stuff that fits me comfortably.

The price tag is a bit much, but it’s a splurge I’m willing to take for my bestie’s wedding.

“Did you find everything you need, dear?” the woman behind the counter asks with a smile. The word dear makes me think of when Duke accidentally used it on me.

Nodding, I say, “I did, thank you. You have a beautiful store.”

The woman grins. “Thank you. It’s taken a lot to get it to this point, but we’re very proud of it. Do you have an account with us?”

I shake my head. “No, this is my first time here.”

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