“That might be hard.” She suppressed a shudder at the thought of matchy-matchy outfits and she and Sophie looking as sickeningly cute as the Bobbsey twins. “We thought of matching shoes—red hi-tops or something, but I don’t think we need anything past that.”
“How about silver-grey?” At Tarryn’s nod, the assistant darted off, returning a minute later with a silver-grey pants suit. The narrow leg pants and boxy jacket had a subtle shimmer under the lights. “There’s a tiny rip in the back of the pants.” The assistant gave a quick grin. “The last hirer wasn’t exactly the size twelve she claimed to be. It’s awaiting repair, hence it’s not on the rack. See what you think. I reckon we could patch the tear easily enough.”
Tarryn tilted her head and considered the suit. It was elegantly androgynous, classy without being trashy. With a white shirt, red sneakers, and some sort of rainbow tie or scarf, it would also be fun. “It’s good. Let me try it on.” She took the clothes and hung them over her forearm.
A curtain rustled, and Sophie stepped out. She smoothed her palms down the front of her thighs and lifted her chin. “What do you think?”
The dress was simple: a low V neckline that showed a hint of breast, cap sleeves, and a fitted bodice. The skirt flared and fell to just above Sophie’s knee, showing a hint of toned thigh. The dress bled from the palest of pinks at the neckline down to a deep red at the hem. It was eye-catching, it was fun, it was definitely flirty…and best of all, Sophie looked amazing in it. Tarryn’s eyes drifted from her pale arms over the tops of her breasts, down past the indent of her waist to where the skirt ended in a froth of material.
“Wow.” A low burn started in Tarryn’s belly. Sophie was lovely in a girl-next-door, cute sort of way normally. Barefoot and dressed in an unconventional wedding dress, she was stunning.
“Do you like it?” Sophie asked. Her voice had a breathy, uncertain quality it didn’t normally hold.
“I do.”
Sophie’s lips twitched. “That sounds like a wedding vow. I’ll take it as a sign. So, then, if you can find something you like that complements this, we’re home and hosed. Is that what you’re considering?” Her gaze fixed on the suit hanging on Tarryn’s arm.
“Yes. I was just about to try it on.”
“Don’t let me stop you. Unless you need a hand?” She winked.
“I’ll be fine.” Tarryn went into the cubicle Sophie had vacated. She hung the suit on the hook, and, for a moment, she sat, her palms pressed to her cheeks. Sophie had turned her heart upside down, and she struggled for composure. How strange that such a baffling woman could do that. Tarryn took a deep breath. It was just a reaction to seeing her look so gorgeous in such a fun dress, that was all. She’d be fine in a minute.
When her breathing had returned to normal, she stripped her pants, leaving her T-shirt, and donned the silver-grey suit. The pants fit well, clinging to her hips and upper thighs, then falling to the floor in a tapered style. She twisted around to see the rear in the mirror. Yes, a good fit all right. The small tear the assistant had mentioned was barely noticeable. She tugged at the jacket. It didn’t sit right; her shoulders were too wide. Maybe she could get away with just the white shirt.
She left the changing room and, for a second, enjoyed the sight of Sophie in front of the full-length mirror, checking her rear view.Oh yes. Nice.
The assistant hummed. “That jacket is no good on you.” She scurried off.
Sophie turned and her gaze raked Tarryn from head to toe. “I agree about the jacket, but the rest. Wow, the rest is gorgeous.” She came over and hooked her arm through Tarryn’s and turned them both to face the mirror. “We look good together.”
“We do.”
Their gazes collided in the mirror. Tarryn studied how their bodies fit together, Sophie shorter than her, her pale skin looking almost ethereal against the soft pink of the upper part of the dress. And herself… The silver-grey looked good against the darker grey of her hair, and the slight shimmer of her suit set off her olive skin. For a moment, she wished she could stand there for longer, her arm through Sophie’s, their bodies touching hip to hip, arm to arm. She glanced at Sophie’s face. Her lips were parted, and she wore a wistful expression, as if she were far away. Dreaming about a real wedding in her future, maybe?
Sophie’s gaze slid away. “It looks like we’ve found our outfits.”
The assistant returned, a rose-pink waistcoat in her hands. “Try this.” She thrust it at Tarryn.
It fitted perfectly, and the hue matched a shade in Sophie’s dress.
“It looks like we’re done.” Sophie cleared her throat and smiled at the assistant. “Can we take them now?”
“If you can wait a few minutes, I’ll fix that tear in the pants. Pass them out to me when you change.”
Tarryn nodded and headed for the cubicle at the exact same time as Sophie.
“You first.” Sophie brushed the hair from her eyes.
Tarryn changed back into her jeans and handed the pants to the assistant.
Outside the cubicle, she sat on a cream-coloured bench and tried to regroup her thoughts. Her pulse pounded, her palms oozed sweat, and her guts were twisting themselves into nervous knots. She knew the reason: Sophie. Adorable, beautiful Sophie dressed in an ethereal wedding dress of silk. Sophie, who, despite what she’d said earlier, looked at Tarryn as if she wanted to kiss her.
How was she going to get through the next couple of days without making a fool of herself?
Chapter 17
“The first day of theGay Bells Festival went fine. Honestly, would I lie to you?” Allie propped her back against the headboard and rested the phone on her knee. “There are a lot of visitors in town, all the accommodation is fully booked. The first day of the wedding fair was very busy, and the local food showcase dinner is at capacity.”
