A sigh expels from me.Same here, Chloe. Same here.
Dominique spins back around and pulls out a small paper bag before dropping in a few dry ingredients.
“It’s not lethal to inhale,” she says. “Might give you a headache, though.”
“So what’s the best way to distribute this?” I ask as my heart begins to palpitate within me.
My heart,Chloe corrects.Let’s not get carried away.You’re a tenant, not a landlord.
Dominique gives me a curious look as if she heard Chloe’s commentary.
“I like to call this special blendno mercy. It’s best ingested, but since there’s a bit of roughage to it, I’d suggest baking your victim something sweet to eat. Sugar will mask the flavor easily. Perhaps brownies?” She rings it up, and I quickly fork over Chloe’s credit card.
Crap, Messenger,Chloe balks.Two hundred and fifty bucks?
Dominique nods my way and winks. “Murder never comes cheap. I suppose I’ll see you at the wedding then?”
“Why, yes, you will.”
I don’t ask who invited Dominique. With Rory in charge, I’m sure the questions are never-ending.
Instead, I drive from boutique to boutique in search of something to wear to my own wedding outside of a wedding dress, and then it hits me.
I’m sure as hell not wearing that eighties clown outfit when I walk down the aisle,I say to Chloe.I’ll need a real wedding dress. And I’ll have to find you something to wear, too.
Oh hell, Skyla. I couldn’t care less. Find me a bathrobe. Just focus on yourself. We still have to get ready for that rehearsal dinner fiasco.
I nod.You’re so right. Where should I go?
She grunts,The Enchanted Closet has an entire cache of emergency wedding dresses in the back. Lexy says they’re for customers, but the truth is, she’s keeping them around in the event some idiot crops up in her life and pops the question.
God bless Lexy and her delusions of grandeur,I say as I hightail us over to the Enchanted Closet where I find both Lexy and Michelle staring at their phones.
“What’s up, Bishop?” Lex says without bothering to look up.
“Where are those emergency wedding dresses you have stashed here?”
She hops off her stool and leads the way to the back, and Michelle is in hot pursuit as well.
“What do you need it for?” Michelle sounds a twinge jealous. She’s been on an emotional low ever since she split with Liam. And, ironically, Lexy has been on an emotional high ever since she starteddatingLiam.
I’m not really liking Liam all that much right about now. I may not be close to Lex or Michelle, but I don’t really care for what he’s up to. As far as the Oliver men are involved, I’ve got a bigger fish to fry. I’d saydick, but I wouldn’t want it to come across as an inadvertent compliment.
Ooh.Chloe sounds as if she’s getting excited.We should take a moment to discuss Gage Oliver’s baseball bat.
“No,” I say it out loud without meaning to.
Michelle clucks her tongue. “Okay. Nobody said you need to buy the first dress you see.”
“Let’s be real,” I say. “I’m not buying a thing.”
Chloe titters.Now there’s something I’d say. You can remind them I’m a part owner. Don’t take any bullshit, Messenger.
“Right,” I mutter as Michelle pulls out a rolling rack from the back and I gasp at all the pretty pastel glittering gowns. But one in particular sets my heart on edge. “This one,” I say, pulling forth a gleaming white gown that borders on gray with a ballerina neckline, thin spaghetti straps, full-length tulle skirt, and just enough beads and crystals that dot the front to give it an ethereal glow. “This is the dress.”
“Nope. Sorry, Chloe.” Lexy plucks it out of my grasp and lands it back on the rack. “That’s my dress. What do you want it for, anyway?”
“What doyouwant it for?” I smear the words with attitude. I must admit, there is something liberating to be as big a bitch as I care to be, especially around Lexy Bakova. She’s been a thorn in my side for far too long, and I’ve beenniceevery inch of the way.
