“What do you want?” I grumbled, trying to keep the smile from my face. “It’s not Tuesday.”
“No, but it’s Friday. I thought you might want to go somewhere with me.”
My lips twitched, but I countered the desperate need to smile by raising an eyebrow at him and pursing my lips just like my mother did when she got mad.
“And why would I want to do that?”
He glanced at the crowd, then back to me. “Ellie, you’re sort of leaving me hanging, here. I had this whole plan and you’re spoiling it.”
“I’m a woman. I’m allowed to.”
“Open the door, Ellie.”
“I don’t think?—”
The door unlocked. I whipped my gaze around to meet Josie’s and glared at the traitor. “How dare you!”
“Oh, come on with the foreplay already! We both know you’re taking him home tonight. Stop dragging it out so we can all get on with our day.”
I flipped her the bird and shoved the door open, trying to look sexy as I stepped out. But my stomach was not cooperating with me, and every movement made me feel like I was going to either need to run to the bathroom or vomit on the sidewalk.
“Are you ready for this?” Ryder whispered, taking my hand.
“I think I might vomit.”
“There’s no need to be nervous.”
“I’m not. I just ate a whole tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream this morning.” Wincing, I looked over at him. “I don’t think that was a good idea.”
“Probably not. Make it through the next hour, and I’ll take you home.”
“Forty-five minutes, and not a second more.”
“Fine.”
Tugging on my hand, he dragged me across the street, through the crowd of people who stared me, but not with disgust on their faces like they usually did.
“Why are they all here?” I hissed.
“Because of this,” he said, pulling me to the front of the shop.
I gasped when I saw the sign, brand new with bright colors. The windows were fixed and…you couldn’t tell at all that anything had happened to the shop.
I quickly rushed forward, pulling open the door. The moment I stepped inside, it was like I was transported to another planet.The walls were freshly painted. New artwork and mirrors were hung. And the clothes…
“It’s all new,” I murmured.
“Everyone helped out,” Ryder said, stepping up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Everyone?”
“Most of the town was here to help with the cleanup. Josie and Delaney took care of the clothes, sorted out what was salvageable, and ordered new things. The Parkers helped with installing new tables, the chandeliers…pretty much everything.”
I slowly took in every inch of the space, how beautiful it all was, the bright decorations and the brand new clothes. Turning in his arms, I was on the verge of crying again.
“You did this.”
“I had a lot of help.”
