Page 136 of Secrets on Ice

Jo smiles. “So really, anything can happen. Let’s all just hope nobody else runs off and gets hitched.”

“One wedding per gala, that’s the rule now,” Issy says, and Collette throws a scarf at her.

“It was very romantic,” Collette says.

“Until your brother’s found out,” Issy adds.

“That was true, but your poor brother took the brunt of their anger.” She cringes. I remember finding out Pierre had knocked him out when he learned about him and Jo.

“Not my brother’s finest hour.” Jo winces.

“Well, it’s all worked out in the end,” Harper states. “And also, ladies, watch out. Last year I heard some of the boys rented rooms in the hotels for some hanky panky.”

“Not my fault we couldn’t keep our hands off each other,” Collette says.

“No way, you too. Emmett did the same,” Jo says, bursting out laughing.

“That’s what happens when you are sneaking around behind everyone’s backs. You have to go to those kinds of measures.” Harper grins. “But damn it’s hot.”

“It really is.” Collette sighs happily and disappears back into the change room.

I take a gold dress off the rack again and hold it against myself in the mirror. It’s a deep, warm gold, liquid-looking, and it moves like water when I turn. It’s the most expensive thing I have ever put on my body, and I am absolutely putting it back.

“That one,” Harper says, appearing behind me with an armful of shoes. “That’s the one. Don’t even think about it. You’re getting it.”

“Harper, it’s too much. I haven’t even looked at the sales ...”

“Don’t look at the price. Looking at the price is for people who don’t have me.” She waves a hand. “It’s handled.”

“You are not paying for my dress,” I argue with her.

“I’m paying for everyone’s dresses, so don’t feel special.” She dumps the shoes on the bench. “Try these with it, the gold ones, trust me.”

I try them, and she’s right, obviously, she’s always right.

“Oh, before I forget,” Collette calls from her change room, “I saw the photos of Nelly’s apartment on your socials. You two did such a beautiful job, it looks incredible.”

“Thank you,” Cassidy says. “He was a dream client. Just handed us his card and told us to make it nice and then stayed out of the way.”

“Best kind,” Harper agrees.

“He’s very happy with it,” Cassidy says as she comes out in the black dress with the slit and the whole group stops talking.

“Okay,” Jo says. “That’s a lot, but you look hot.”

“Too much?” Cassidy twists to look at herself.

“Not too much. Just enough that the boys are going to swallow their tongues when they see you,” Harper says.

Cassidy goes pink and pretends to fix the strap.

Jo settles on the floor-length blue gown, elegant and simple, and Issy finds a metallic gray dress, something with room for the small bump that’s just starting to show. She stands sideways in the mirror with her hand on her stomach and smiles. She is glowing.

The saleswoman brings another bottle of champagne for us as we try on shoes and search for accessories.

“I could get used to this,” Cassidy murmurs to me, sipping champagne in a dress worth who the hell knows, a lot.

“Right,” I murmur back.