Three Little Words (Fool's Gold #12)

As she worked, she glanced at the phone. She’d left two messages for Sonia and had yet to hear from her.

Isabel threw out the packing material and flattened the boxes for the recycling bin, then returned to the front of the store. A few minutes after one, a woman walked in, carrying a garment bag.

“Hi,” the twentysomething said with a smile. “I don’t know if you remember me, Isabel. We were in school together years ago.”

Isabel stared at the brown-eyed brunette. She was about five-five, with pretty features. Memories flashed through her brain as she remembered a girl with two younger sisters whose parents had died in a car crash.

“Dellina?”

Dellina’s smile broadened. “That’s me. I wasn’t sure you’d remember.”

“Of course I do. How are you?”

Dellina put down the garment bag and they hugged.

“I’m good,” the other woman said. “Busy. My sisters are doing well.”

Isabel remembered that Dellina had younger sisters. Twins, she thought.

“I’ve spent the past few years getting them settled,” Dellina said. “They’re doing great now and I’m focusing on my business. I’m doing party planning and decorating in town.”

Isabel nodded slowly. “I heard about that. You were in charge of Charlie and Clay’s wedding a couple of months ago. It was great. The luau was so much fun and everyone was surprised.”

“Thanks. Charlie had to be sold on that idea, but it turned out well.”

“Come on,” Isabel said, motioning for her to follow her. “Let’s grab a seat and catch up.”

They sat in the plush chairs by the mirrors the brides used. Isabel was able to see if anyone walked in the store while she chatted with her friend.

“You’ve been in New York,” Dellina said. “Impressive.”

“Less impressive than you’d think,” Isabel admitted. She briefly explained about her divorce. “So this is a bit of a change.”

“It would be. I keep telling myself I have to pick. Either party planning or interior decorating. In a way, they’re both about staging, which I like. But I can’t decide and there’s not enough business in town for me to give up one. So for now, it’s both.” She grinned. “And possibly a third challenge. Let me show you what I’ve brought.”

She picked up the garment bag, then unzipped the sides. Two dresses hung from hangers. The first was black and royal-blue, with a scoop neck. The sleeves and sides were black, while the center of the dress was blue. Gathers pulled in the garment around the waist.

Isabel saw right away how the style would create the illusion of being smaller than you were in any size. The fabric was substantial without being heavy, and the dress itself was ageless. It could be accessorized to go from day to night easily.

The other dress was just as intriguing. There was also a jacket with a pair of black pants.

“I love them,” she admitted, seeing possibilities for both using them in a display and wearing them herself. She mentally ran through her shoe collection and found at least three pairs that would work with each outfit.

“A friend of mine designs them,” Dellina told her. “She’s too shy to sell them herself and I couldn’t stand to see them just hanging in her spare room, so I took them. These are samples of her work. I thought maybe you could display them here.”

How could she? Paper Moon sold wedding gowns and dresses for bridesmaids and mothers of the bride. Not clothes a woman could wear to work.

She started to say no, only she couldn’t seem to form the word. Her gaze drifted to the display window on the north side of the store. It was too small for a wedding gown, so they’d always used it for prom dresses or accessories.

If she pulled out the fabric background, the walls were stark white. Usually too harsh for her purposes, but the plain backdrop would highlight the clothes.

“Over here,” she said impulsively. “In this window.”

Dellina draped the clothes over a chair and followed her.

They quickly removed the shoes and veils. Isabel unhooked the pale pink, fabric-covered board that covered the back of the display window and the two of them wrestled it out into the storeroom.

“I have two spare mannequins,” Isabel said, then pointed. There was a slim brass coatrack in the corner. “We could hang the third dress from that.”

“It’s perfect.” Dellina studied the two mannequins. “Can we take their heads off? The look would be cleaner.”

“And slightly creepier,” Isabel said with a laugh. But she saw what the other woman meant. “Let’s try it.”

She reached for the mannequin, then stopped. “Wait a minute. I can’t do this. I’m not staying.”

Dellina stared at her. “I don’t understand. Am I keeping you from an appointment? I can come back.”

“No. It’s the store. We’re selling it. After the first of the year.”

Dellina’s eyes widened with shock. “You’re selling Paper Moon? But it’s been in Fool’s Gold forever.”