Page 64 of Faking the Pass
“I should go change then. Not that it really matters what I’m wearing, I guess. I should at least put on a dress of some kind.”
Presley’s forehead creased, and he shook his head.
“We can get the license today, but we can’t get married today. I’ll need a few days to pull everything together. Besides, my brother Merc has to fly here from San Francisco. And your friend Danielle will need time to get back here, too. Tell her not to worry about the ticket. I’ll buy it.”
“You want your brother to come?” I ask in shock.
And the fact he’d want to fly my best friend here for our sham wedding stunned me.
“Of course,” he said. “He’ll kill me if we do it without him here.”
Presley opened a drawer and pulled out a pen and a pad of paper, jotting down a list.
“Your ring is taken care of—I went ahead and bought the matching wedding band while I was there, but we’ll need to get one for me. I’ve already got a tux, but you’re going to need a dress.”
He looked up at me. “Maybe you could go to Saltwater Style at Brady’s Wharf. My sister-in-law Jessica says Chelle there is really good with personal shopping, and they have a bridal boutique on the top floor. I’m sure Jess would love to go with you—she likes that kind of thing.”
“I can just wear the dress I already have,” I said.
Presley’s handsome face contorted into a severe frown. “No, you need a new dress.”
“Don’t be silly,” I protested. “There’s no need to spend money on a new dress when I already have one fitted specifically to me.”
Although after my little cupcake and wine party, it might not fitquitethe same. It had already been so tight after months of near starvation I’d barely been able to breathe in it.
“Might as well get some use out of it,” I said. “It probably cost Randy a frigging fortune—he insisted on couture.”
“You’renotwearing a dress Randy Ryland bought to marryme,” Presley insisted.
Weird. I wasn’t sure why he’d even care.
“Well, okay. I guess we could probably re-sell it later—the ring, too—and get some of your money back.”
“Will you stop worrying about money please?” Presley sounded irked. He gestured around, pen still in hand.
“I know my house probably doesn’t compare to Randy’s Beverly Hillsmansionor whatever,” he said, “but I have plenty of money. Just go dress shopping with Jessica. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Okay if you insist,” I said in anI give uptone.
“I do.”
He pointed at me with the pen. “Anddon’tget the cheapest dress they have. We’re going to have to put out some pictures or video of the wedding. Get the kind of dress you’d want to wear if this were actually real.”
I gave him a little salute. “Yes sir, husband, sir. Any other orders?”
He cracked a grin.
“Yes. Have fun with Jessica. You deserve some.”
Chapter 16
You’re Different
Rosie
A few days later, I sat with Jessica Lowe on a velvet settee in the second story loft of Saltwater Style, an exclusive store in Eastport Bay’s historic harbor area.
When I’d lived in town as a teenager, I’d never even dreamed of shopping here or in any of the other posh boutiques lining Main Street.
