he’d expected, with a huge amount of bouffant white and cream dresses. Everywhere he looked there was sparkle, flounce and lace. On an old-fashioned coat stand in the corner was a whole host of glittering veils. A shelf on the wall held a multitude of tiaras and on another, a whole variety of shoes and sandals. He gave a little smile. This shop was really every guy’s nightmare.
He’d never really bought into the old wedding day fiasco. A few women he’d dated could have spent his million dollars on a wedding alone. But Lisa’s shop held a little more than wedding products. On a white noticeboard she had lots of photos of happy brides – who he expected, were all wearing her dresses. He moved closer to take a look. He had to be fair. There wasn’t a bad bride amongst them.
A hand reached up and touched his shoulder. Lisa was right behind him. She leaned around a little. “That’s Sage Carrigan. And that’s Bailey Jenkins, she got married in October, then there’s Payton Hollis and McKenna Douglas.” She gave a little laugh. “McKenna decided to change her dress up a little. But they’ve all come here for their dresses. I love having pictures up of brides in dresses I’ve helped them choose. Every one of them is beautiful.”
Adam gave a little nod. It was odd but he could see exactly what she meant. The brides didn’t just look happy. They glowed. Adam gave a shudder and a little laugh. This wasn’t him at all.
He spun around and his breath caught in his throat. Lisa Renee was beautiful in black. Professional, somber it did suit her. But in red…she was a knockout. The color enhanced her skin tone, darkened her hair and made her eyes stand out even more.
“You should wear red every day,” he said quietly.
She looked down, obviously still a little unsure. “You think? I don’t know. It just seems so…so…,”
“So what?” He was amused. The color was making her self-conscious – even though she didn’t need to be.
She smiled again. “So…out there,” she finished.
He spun her around towards the free-standing mirror. “Well, I think you look perfect.” He crooked his elbow towards her. “Let’s go. Long River Cookhouse awaits.”
*
The two mile journey didn’t take long and Adam was a careful driver. She should have expected that from a doctor really. But she was finding it difficult to relax and kept tugging at her red dress as it crept up her thighs while sitting in the car.
The sound of melodic tunes met them as they pulled into the parking lot. The cookhouse was one of the classiest places around. Plate-glass windows overlooking Marietta River, a permanent piano player and yellow roses on every white-covered table. The seating was more relaxed than traditional restaurants with comfortable upholstered chairs at every table.
They were shown to their table and the waiter left them menus. Adam obviously wasn’t accustomed to the fare around here, his eyebrows shot upwards. He peered around the menu at her and smiled. “So, it’s ribs then?”
She laughed. “Or you can have ribs if you prefer.” She leaned over and flicked through the pages. “Ribs are the specialty here and all the ingredients are locally sourced. There are other food options closer to the back. Chicken, steak, fish. It’s all there.” She sat her menu on the table. “But I’ll be having the ribs.”
“You make it sound like a challenge.”
She glanced down at her red dress. “Oh believe me, it will be.” She wrinkled her nose. “I guess ribs aren’t really a first date kind of food.”
“Is that what this is? A first date?”
Heat flooded her cheeks. Oh no. Had she totally misread the situation? He was staring at her with those brown eyes of his. Totally unreadable.
The skin on her shoulders and arms felt as if a thousand little caterpillars were stomping all over it. “What do you think it is?” Even her voice sounded awkward. She didn’t even want to contemplate what her stomach was
He’d never really bought into the old wedding day fiasco. A few women he’d dated could have spent his million dollars on a wedding alone. But Lisa’s shop held a little more than wedding products. On a white noticeboard she had lots of photos of happy brides – who he expected, were all wearing her dresses. He moved closer to take a look. He had to be fair. There wasn’t a bad bride amongst them.
A hand reached up and touched his shoulder. Lisa was right behind him. She leaned around a little. “That’s Sage Carrigan. And that’s Bailey Jenkins, she got married in October, then there’s Payton Hollis and McKenna Douglas.” She gave a little laugh. “McKenna decided to change her dress up a little. But they’ve all come here for their dresses. I love having pictures up of brides in dresses I’ve helped them choose. Every one of them is beautiful.”
Adam gave a little nod. It was odd but he could see exactly what she meant. The brides didn’t just look happy. They glowed. Adam gave a shudder and a little laugh. This wasn’t him at all.
He spun around and his breath caught in his throat. Lisa Renee was beautiful in black. Professional, somber it did suit her. But in red…she was a knockout. The color enhanced her skin tone, darkened her hair and made her eyes stand out even more.
“You should wear red every day,” he said quietly.
She looked down, obviously still a little unsure. “You think? I don’t know. It just seems so…so…,”
“So what?” He was amused. The color was making her self-conscious – even though she didn’t need to be.
She smiled again. “So…out there,” she finished.
He spun her around towards the free-standing mirror. “Well, I think you look perfect.” He crooked his elbow towards her. “Let’s go. Long River Cookhouse awaits.”
*
The two mile journey didn’t take long and Adam was a careful driver. She should have expected that from a doctor really. But she was finding it difficult to relax and kept tugging at her red dress as it crept up her thighs while sitting in the car.
The sound of melodic tunes met them as they pulled into the parking lot. The cookhouse was one of the classiest places around. Plate-glass windows overlooking Marietta River, a permanent piano player and yellow roses on every white-covered table. The seating was more relaxed than traditional restaurants with comfortable upholstered chairs at every table.
They were shown to their table and the waiter left them menus. Adam obviously wasn’t accustomed to the fare around here, his eyebrows shot upwards. He peered around the menu at her and smiled. “So, it’s ribs then?”
She laughed. “Or you can have ribs if you prefer.” She leaned over and flicked through the pages. “Ribs are the specialty here and all the ingredients are locally sourced. There are other food options closer to the back. Chicken, steak, fish. It’s all there.” She sat her menu on the table. “But I’ll be having the ribs.”
“You make it sound like a challenge.”
She glanced down at her red dress. “Oh believe me, it will be.” She wrinkled her nose. “I guess ribs aren’t really a first date kind of food.”
“Is that what this is? A first date?”
Heat flooded her cheeks. Oh no. Had she totally misread the situation? He was staring at her with those brown eyes of his. Totally unreadable.
The skin on her shoulders and arms felt as if a thousand little caterpillars were stomping all over it. “What do you think it is?” Even her voice sounded awkward. She didn’t even want to contemplate what her stomach was
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