Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Well, you know there’s a dress designer in town right now. Like a real New York City, works-for-a-design-house designer,” Shane pointed out.
Oh, his brother was smart. If Sawyer was right and she wasn’t happy in the city, maybe working some Bliss jobs would show her how nice it was here.
The city was a problem. He’d never felt comfortable in a city as big and cramped as New York. It wasn’t like Stef hadn’t tried. Somehow when he got surrounded by all that concrete and metal, he couldn’t breathe, much less work. He found his peace in the simple things. The mountains and pines. Soft grass under his feet. The sound of the river rushing by.
But he would try it if it meant being close to her.
Of course, it would be way better if she decided to stay here in Bliss.
“Seriously?” Sabrina had perked up. “Because Alamosa is the closest place with an actual wedding shop, and it doesn’t have much. Teeny can order a lot of what we want, but I want some work done on my dress. It’s the right silhouette but it needs some…oomph, if you know what I mean.”
He did not, but he was going with it. “You should ask Brooke.”
“She works for Bianchi,” Shane added.
“Seriously?” Sabrina asked. “I met her, and she said she did something in design. I didn’t realize it was fashion. I’ve heard of Bianchi. I’ve wanted a pair of their palazzo pants for years.”
“She designed the navy ones from this spring’s collection,” Bay offered.
“How the hell would you know that?” a very familiar voice asked. Brooke.
He winced and looked at his brother. “She’s right behind me, isn’t she?”
Shane nodded.
“I seem like a creepy stalker now. Don’t I?” It was good to know what he was going into. If he turned around. He could pretend she wasn’t there. The stool turned, so if she moved, he could move, too. He could keep turning, and at some point he would get a chance to run, and he could live in the woods for the rest of his life.
“He’s good at recognizing what I like to call artistic tells,” Shane began. “You showed us some of your sketches. Bay is an artist. He recognized your style.”
Thank the universe for Shane. His brother was so much cooler under pressure than he was. Shane didn’t regularly think about running into the woods and becoming one of those dudes who got misidentified as a Sasquatch, though apparently there was love for them out there too, if the runaway costume designer was any indication.
Did Brooke have a thing for Bigfoot?
He turned since his brother had given such an excellent non-stalkery explanation. “That’s right. You talked about working real hard on those pants. You said you thought they were coming back in style and wanted to put your own flair to them.”
She stared for a minute as though trying to figure something out. “It was my first big addition to a line. I did some T-shirts and accessories. The palazzo pants were well received.”
“Because they were awesome,” Sabrina said with a grin.
Brooke flushed, a pink tone hitting her skin, and he wondered if she blushed like that all over her body. If her skin would be that sweet shade of pink when he got her naked and spanked her pretty ass.
And that was a mistake because his jeans weren’t all that forgiving.
“Thanks,” Brooke said. “I love a good pair of leggings, but there are days when I need the freedom of those pants. It’s good to see you again, Sabrina. I hear congratulations are in order.”
Sabrina practically glowed as she showed off the one-carat ring her men had bought her. They’d asked her to marry them on New Year’s Eve right here in the bar.
“Yes, and I hope you’ll be able to come,” Sabrina said as Brooke inspected the ring.
There was a lot of talk about venues and parties and stuff. He was watching Brooke. So was his brother. Wyatt moved behind the bar and talked to his partner. Likely about them, because they were probably back to desperate stalker vibes.
Brooke ordered her second glass of wine and thanked Sawyer. She promised Sabrina she would help her with the wedding dress and then nodded Bay and Shane’s way.
And left.
“Now she thinks you’re a complete weirdo,” Sawyer said with a cheeriness that Bay had never associated with the big guy.
Yep. That chance was probably blown.
Chapter Three
Shane watched the party as they started to break up.
He and Bay had moved to a booth when it became apparent Brooke was staying for a while.
“It’s her and Cleo and three others left. The drunk girl who sang karaoke without a machine, one guy, and another I suspect is his boyfriend.” Shane had made a study of the people around Brooke tonight. She’d been hit on more than once by random dudes, but she’d given them polite but firm nos. Surprisingly enough, he and Bay had been left alone all night. At one point a couple of women had walked in and looked Shane and his brother over like they were an all-you-can-eat sex buffet and they had some excellent coupons. He’d prepared several excuses, including he was married and he didn’t like women. The last thing he’d needed was to have Brooke think they were open to anyone but her.