He waited for Taryn to say he was wrong, or try to talk him into thinking something else. Instead she kissed him, then tugged him along to the restaurant. When they were seated, she talked about her meeting with Mayor Marsha and had him laughing at her description of Felicia Boylan explaining what a happy ending meant.
She might not understand what he’d gone through, but she accepted his truth and the consequences that went with it. A rare combination. One he’d been lucky to find.
* * *
AFTER HER LUNCH with Angel, Taryn was too restless to go back to the office. She strolled through town and found herself in front of Paper Moon. Staring at the familiar logo reminded her of Dellina’s story of the stored wedding gowns and Sam’s reaction to them. She was still giggling when she stepped inside.
The new entrance was boarded up, which meant she had to step into the refined world of all things wedding. There was a young bride on a raised platform in front of five mirrors. She wore a ball gown confection of white lace and tulle, with what looked like her best friend, mother and grandmother hovering nearby.
Isabel spotted Taryn and hurried over.
“Save me,” she murmured. “Everything in that family is precious. She’s their precious daughter. They want her to look precious on her wedding day. The groom’s family is—”
“Precious?” Taryn asked.
Isabel groaned. “Exactly.” She waved at Madeline, her associate. “I’m leaving them in your capable hands.”
Madeline grinned. “I’ll make the experience as precious as possible.”
“You do that.”
Isabel made a quick call, then motioned for Taryn to follow her to the back of the store. They parted thick plastic covering a doorway and headed into the space next door. Taryn paused as she took in the changes from the last time she’d visited.
The walls had been painted a pale blue-gray and most of the permanent fixtures were in place. The office space in the rear still needed to be finished and the floor was concrete, but otherwise it looked good.
“You’re nearly there,” Taryn said.
“I know. They start on the floors next week. We’re laying down extra padding so all the walking isn’t so hard on our legs. The sound system is finished. Ford and I cranked it up last weekend.”
“And partied until dawn?” Taryn asked.
Isabel wiggled her eyebrows. “Something like that.” She pointed to a portable clothes rack. “Come on. I have a few things to show you.”
Taryn followed eagerly. Isabel had contracted with several new designers for clothes and accessories. The pieces were fresh, the styles appealing. Some were too avant-garde for her, but a surprising number of them were completely wearable.
Isabel held out an emerald-green leather jacket with narrow tucking at the waist. There was a flame-red dress with cutouts at the waist and two tailored suits—one with what looked like snakeskin trim.
“Color me impressed,” Taryn said. She stepped onto the towel Isabel tossed on the floor and pulled off her sandals. She stripped out of her shirt and capris, then reached for the red dress.
“Hey, it’s me,” someone called.
Patience Garrett, Justice’s wife and the owner of Brew-haha, came around the corner. She saw Taryn standing in her underwear and came to a stop.
“Oh, sorry,” she said, starting to turn her back.
“You’re in the right place,” Isabel told her. “I pulled out a few things for Taryn and I still have that great little black dress for you.” She grinned at Taryn. “Justice and Patience are going out for a romantic evening. He told her there would be a nice dinner out and I’m helping her spruce up her wardrobe.”
Taryn moved over to make room on the towel. “Please, join me,” she said as she pulled the red dress over her head and shimmied until it settled in place.
When she looked up, Patience was gnawing on her lower lip. Taryn wondered if she was upset she wasn’t getting a private showing of the dress.
“I can come back,” she said quickly.
Isabel looked at Patience, who blushed.
“It’s not that,” Patience assured her. “It’s just you’re so comfortable standing there in your underwear.”
Taryn sighed. “Sorry. It’s the boys. They’ve walked in on me in the locker room a bunch of times. I used to get upset, but they wore me down.”
Patience nodded. “This is good for me. Being adventurous. Were you wearing a thong? Aren’t they uncomfortable?”
Isabel laughed. “You’re going to have to give us lessons on being sexy, powerful women.”
“Who wear thongs,” Patience added.
She was pretty, with brown hair and brown eyes. She grabbed the hem of her Brew-haha T-shirt and pulled it off. Her jeans followed. Taryn told herself not to judge the plain cotton bikini briefs and unadorned white cotton bra. No doubt Patience was a much better person than she could ever aspire to be.
Patience took the black dress from Isabel and pulled it on. It was a simple tank style—fitted, with princess seaming and a hemline a good six inches above her knee.
“Nice,” Taryn said. “It fits you great.”