“I’m sorry, Mrs. Holt. I didn’t thinkmoney was an issue.” Becca looks at me, a bit chagrined.
“It’s not.” Olivia maintains, matter offact. “This is my gift to you, Kate.”
“Olivia.” My voice is a thread of sound.She can’t be serious. I look at her wide eyed. I didn’t see this coming. Idon’t know what to say.
“Don’t even try to argue with me. I oweyou this.” Olivia puts her hands on her hips, a signal that ends our argument.
I just stare at her. I hope this meansthat she and I really have a truce, that there won’t be any more funnybusiness. Along with a few tears, I manage a smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She turns to Becca. “I hope you takeAmerican Express.” A friendly sales lady comes over and takes Olivia to fillout some papers and pay for the dress.
Laura, Annie, and I jump up and down. “Ifound a dress,” I squeal, feeling giddy.
“I need to take some measurements for thealterations. It should only take about twenty minutes,” Becca offersapologetically.
I glance at the clock; it reads quarterto two. “Um okay. Hey mom, why don’t you and everyone else heads over to 58Tour for lunch and Olivia and I will meet you there.” My mom just nods. “Mom.”She turns and looks at me. “Is everything all right? You like the dress,right?”
She smiles, but it doesn’t reach hereyes. “Yes, it’s beautiful, we’ll see you at the restaurant.” Something feelsoff with her. I just don’t know what; she said she liked the dress, so it hasto be something else. The question is, what is it?
“Okay.” I smile, waving goodbye.
“All right Kate, let’s get you measured.”I follow Becca back to the dressing room.
“Let me go find the seamstress and I’llbe back.”
“Sounds good.” I admire myself a littlemore in the mirror. I walk over to the Dahlia Swank dress. I would have pickedthis one, it’s very much me, but if my mother is happy, I’m happy. I pick up mypurse and look around for my phone, but I can’t seem to find it. There’s aknock at the door. “Coming.” Great, just great. I just got that phone. It’s gotto be around here somewhere. I open the door and staring at me is none otherthan Shane. I freak out screaming. Shit, what is she doing here? One of MelvinMartin’s henchmen, whose sole purpose I’m sure of, is to make my life a living hell.The last time I saw her, she was pushing me into a limo, aiding and abetting mykidnapping. My hands come up and my fist goes flying right into her face. Idon’t think either of us sees this coming, especially me. She tries to grab myhands, but I push at her face again, and she moves out of the door. I run outinto the reception area, but my family’s all gone. So I keep going into thefoyer. I look around frantically for Olivia, but I don’t see anyone.
“Is there something I can help you with,miss?” the lady behind the counter asks.
“Yes, I’m looking for a tall blondewoman.” The girl behind the counter shrugs, like I’m wasting her time. Thisirritates me. Isn’t her job to stand there and be nice? “She has looks thatcould kill. Her name is Olivia.”
“Oh, Mrs. Holt.”
“Yes, her.”
“Her security just escorted her into awaiting car and left.”
“What!” I scream.
I glance up to see Shane stomping towardsme; her hair askew, blood trickling down her nose. Oh no, I did that. “Holycrap.” I’m trapped. My only option for avoiding her is making a run for it outthe front doors. The hell if I’m going to let Shane get her hands on me, shescared the crap out of the grocery store Elvis just looking at him, no way, andI bolt out the front doors.
“You have to pay for that,” the girlbehind the counter says.
“The scary lady already did, but thanks.”I book it out of the bridal store.
When my feet touch the pavement, Irealize I have no shoes on, and it’s hot, but I gather my dress up and startrunning.
This is not happening to me, I think as Irun down the sidewalk. I don’t have a phone; I don’t even know where I am.Somewhere in Las Vegas off the strip. I know I look like an idiot. Think Kate,think. I should go back to the bridal shop. I’m sure that once security figuresout what they’ve done, they’ll come looking for me. Shane was there for areason. She probably took my phone again! Dammit!
I finally stop—my feet are killing me andit’s really hard to run in this dress and breathe at the same time. Dumbcorset. I look up the sidewalk. Well, she didn’t follow me. But in thedistance, I see a sleek black car coming toward me. I feel like a trappedanimal, and in a sense I kind of am. A cab is approaching from the other way.I’m either going to get run over by the yellow taxi or kidnapped again. I’lltake my chances with the cab. I jump out into the middle of the street, wavingmy arms. I’m sure I look like a complete lunatic. I have no shoes, and I’m in awedding dress. I have no idea if the cab is taking passengers, or open, or howto even tell. Thankfully, the cab stops. I run around the driver’s side. “Areyou open? Oh, hell—you know. I mean, are you taking passengers?”
“Climb in.”
Oh phew. “Thanks,” I say as I gather mydress up and climb in the back. “You’re a lifesaver.” More than you may know.
The cab driver takes off. “Running away?”
