Page 55 of Sweet Heat at Bayside
“He knows.” Desiree grabbed Violet’s arm and dragged her toward the dressing area. “This is what sisters do when one of them gets married. We try on dresses together. Now, get in there and try it on. If you hate it, you don’t have to buy it.”
They disappeared behind the curtains. Donovan quickly made his way around the room, chatting with each of the girls. By the time he reached Serena, she could see by the look in the others’ eyes that they were all crazy about him.
“You’re the Boston transplant,” Donovan said as he came to her side.
“I guess that’s about right. I’m Serena.”
“Yes. The interior designer who’s dating Ricky’s supposedly hot brother, right?” He waved his hand. “The girls gave me the scoop.”
“Inseven minutes? They got right down to the dirt, didn’t they?” She glanced at Mira, who mouthed,I love him!
“A smart shopkeeper knows how to work a room.” He waggled his brows.
“I love your shop. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but may I ask why you haven’t organized it in a way that would make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for?”
“You mean why does it look like my kooky Grandma Zelda decorated?” He reached up and touched a stuffed cat sitting beneath a gold lamp in the shape of a woman.
“I didn’t mean—”
“Oh, yes, you did,” he said in a singsong voice. “And you’re right. My grandmother Zelda owned this place until she passed two years ago. That’s when I took over. I haven’t had the time to make it more appealing.”
“I’m sorry about your grandmother.”
Sadness washed over him, and just as quickly, a smile lifted his lips. “Thank you. I miss her, kookiness and all. She was a wild one until the day she left us.”
“Have you thought about hiring a company to help you redesign?”
He wagged his finger at her. “Are you going to give me a sales pitch for your overpriced Boston firm?”
“No, not at all. I was actually thinking about a friend of mine who owns a small interior design firm here on the Cape. Maybe you know of her? Justine Harkness? She owns Shift Home Interior in Hyannis.”
“I don’t, but I’d be happy to talk with her. Why don’t you give me her information and write down your name so I can tell her you referred me?”
She followed him to the counter, where he gave her a pen and a notepad.
“This might be just the kick in the pants I need to get started.”
Serena wrote down her name and Justine’s contact information as Desiree and Violet came out of the dressing rooms.
“Holy cow!” Emery squealed.
Serena and Donovan hurried over. Desiree twirled in a peach, lace-up corset maxi dress with ruffles from hips to ankles, and Violet crossed her arms over the knee-length, curve-hugging, sleeveless black dress with a slit up the right side.
“What do you think?” Desiree asked. “I still can’t believe I found a wedding dress so easily. I wasn’t even shopping for one when we found it.”
“You look beautiful,” Violet said. “It’s…” Her eyes filled with warm emotions Serena had never seen. She quickly schooled her expression and said, “It’s perfect.”
“It’s feminine and breezy. I love it,” Mira said. “You’ll knock my brother’s socks off.”
Emery touched the ruffles and said, “It’s soyou. It’s really stunning.”
“You make me want to have a beach wedding,” Chloe said. “But for that I’d need a man.”
“I can help with that,” Donovan offered, making them all laugh.
“Desiree, you are the most gorgeous bride I’ve ever seen, other than Mira, of course. And, Violet…” Serena was at a loss for words. She must have looked it, because Violet rolled her eyes.
Serena carefully uncrossed Violet’s arms and walked around her, visually following the gold metal zipper, which started just below her ribs on her right side and wound around her body, across her lower back, and over her left hip, ending at the top of the slit on her upper thigh.
