Page 86 of The Holidays with Mr. Mitchell
I eyed my wife, searching her devious expression for truth. “Is that so?” I questioned.
“It’s so,” her eyes widened, teasing me in ways I didn’t need to be distracted at the moment.
“Very well, then,” I arched a challenging eyebrow at her. “I’ll deal with your sexy ass later,” I kissed her nose.
“Girls,” I called. “Time to go see what I’ve been working on.”
It was time to keep moving things forward, or I was going to screw up the surprise that awaited our girls. This night was all about the reveal of their little imaginations that I’d fed to my planner, and she put into perfect play. I couldn’t wait to see their reactions to the fun visions we all created, which had now come to life.
After I’d called the girls, Izzy had whipped around first, her curls bouncing, already halfway to my side. Addy followed a second later, still trying to act like she wasn’tthatexcited. She failed. Miserably.
“Do we get to ride in one of the party buses?” Izzy asked, clutching her glittering mini-purse as if it were a sacred treasure.
“Yep, the same luxury coach fleet everyone else will be arriving in tomorrow. But tonight, it’s just ours.”
Addy gave me a suspicious look. “Is there Wi-Fi?”
I narrowed my eyes. “There’s holiday magic. Better than the internet, which you know your old dad is completely over at the moment.”
Just as Izzy reached for the coat rack, Avery intercepted like a linebacker with impeccable fashion sense.
“Hold up, young lady,” she said, holding out a hand. “Neither one of you is going anywhere in those gowns.”
Izzy froze.
“Seriously, Mom?” Addy groaned. “We want to have the full effect.”
“You will,” Avery folded her arms and smiled at our girls, “tomorrow night, whenIand all the other guests get our full effect.”
“But, Mom,” Izzy pleaded with those puppy dog eyes.
“No,but Mom, kiddo. Those are for tomorrow night only. You two will not be wrinkling silk and velvet in the back of your father’s party bus the night before the event.”
I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, silently enjoying the show. There she was—my wife, the self-proclaimed CEO of Christmas, a title she’d adopted weeks ago for Mitchell and Associates. In truth, the woman could organize a charity ball, outmaneuver a PR crisis (if she wanted to), and still stay three steps ahead of two teenage girls determined to look like Vogue models on a school night.
Addy tried again. “Can’t we just keep them on and sit really still?”
“Nope.” Avery turned on her heel and pointed toward the fitting rooms. “Go change. I want the dresses hung neatly on their hangers, in the garment bags, and zipped.”
Izzy sighed, as if this were a death sentence. “But I was going to take a picture in mine.”
“You can take ten thousand tomorrow. And you’ll look even better when you’re not wrinkled like a tissue someone sat on.”
Addy muttered something under her breath and disappeared with her sister. I stepped in closer to Avery, brushing my hand against her waist. “You’re sexy when you’re acting like you run the company.”
She didn’t even blink. “And you’re reckless when you let them think they’re going to parade around in five-hundred-dollar gowns like it’s a casual Tuesday. The dresses will be delivered to the venue, just like everyone’s outfits will be delivered for mine.”
I grinned. “Av,” I started, “how many times have we gotten a little wild while you were dressed for a gala in the back of the?—”
“Jim,” she sternly cut me off. “All of the outfits will be delivered to their respective parties.”
I studied her. Avery never gave half a damn about wrinkles, and she knew damn well the girls would be careful. There was something behind her sudden concern I couldn’t quite place—especially considering she and I had done a whole lot more in her tailored event dresses in the back of a limousine than the girls could ever manage on a party bus. And not once had there been a wrinkle worth worrying about.
“I promise I won’t let them?—”
“No,” she held her ground, to which I merely raised an eyebrow.
Avery never acted like this, but I decided not to press the issue. I was ready to get the girls up the mountain and to the venue they’d dreamt up for Christmas.
