The Dating Arrangement. Kerri Carpenter

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СКАЧАТЬ a cloud made out of cotton balls as she would probably get. Although, cotton balls didn’t weigh anything. This frilly monstrosity felt like it would clock in at about eighty pounds.

      And surely her savior, whoever he was, didn’t appreciate having an eighty-pound dress, plus a woman, crash-land on top of him. At least the fall appeared to knock the anxiety attack right out of her—she could feel her pulse returning to normal. She couldn’t believe she’d just climbed out of a window. This had to take over the number-one spot on the list of craziest things she’d ever done.

      “I’m so sorry,” Emerson said, shifting her weight and trying to rearrange herself and the dress. If she’d so much as knocked a crystal loose on this dress, her mother would kill her.

      “’t’s ’kay,” the man mumbled in a deep voice. She could feel him moving under her as he attempted to push the various layers of material out of his way.

      “No, it’s not. Let me just...” She broke off as she tried to figure out how to get up gracefully. Only, a second later, she realized she’d left grace and all other etiquette behind the moment she’d decided to fling herself out the window.

      After a few more moments of rustling about, Emerson and her Good Samaritan had freed themselves and were finally standing again. That’s when she got her first look at him.

      And damn, he was sexy. Tall and muscular, with dark, disheveled hair and dark eyes to match. Eyes that were currently giving her a suspicious once-over as he brushed dirt off his pants.

      “Are you okay?” he asked.

      “I am, thanks to you,” she said, with her voice sounding a little breathier than she’d like. “Emerson Dewitt.” She stuck a hand out to shake. He grasped it and she shivered.

      “Jack Wright.” He looked around the alleyway, eyeing the window to her mother’s shop. “Is there somewhere I can take you? Back to the shop?” His gaze fell over her attire. “To a church?”

      In spite of everything else, she laughed. “Definitely not to a church. I guess you’re probably wondering why a bride would climb out a window.”

      He nodded gravely but there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

      “You see, I was trying this dress on and then...well, someone must have sucked all of the air out of the room, and I was seeing black spots in front of my eyes and then...” She sighed, long and hard. “I’ll take ‘ways to have a panic attack’ for five hundred.”

      Again, he nodded. “I see. Well, marriage is a big step.”

      She cocked her head. “Marriage?” She felt her nose crinkle. “I’m not...oh of course you would think that.” She smoothed down one of the flouncy flowers on the front of the gown. “I’m not getting married.” Blew that chance last year.

      Jack remained still for a moment. Finally, his brows creased. “And you would be in a wedding dress why?”

      She sighed. “Funny story.”

      He crossed his arms over his chest, and the motion stretched the fabric of his T-shirt, so she couldn’t help but notice the rippling muscles underneath. Yum. She looked up—high up, because Jack Wright was very tall—to see Jack waiting patiently.

      He pointed to the door of the wedding shop. “Why don’t we get you inside? My dad’s—that is, I own The Wright Drink. Looks like you could you use one.”

      “Right drink, wrong drink, I’ll take either. Thanks.” She glanced down and happened to notice something. Something very bad. “Ohmigod!”

      “What’s wrong?”

      “I got dirt all over this dress. My mother is going to seriously kill me.”

      Jack peered at her dress. “Don’t worry. I can get that out with a special mixture my dad came up with.”

      She arched an eyebrow in suspicion.

      “You don’t own a bar for as long as my dad did without having a great hangover cure and a fail-safe stain remover.”

      He held the door open and led Emerson through the back of the bar. He gestured for her to take a seat. She took a moment to observe the space. It was nice. The bar, a large, continuous square made of a dark wood, dominated the room. Glasses of various shapes and sizes hung from the shelving above it. And gold fixtures gave the place an old-timey feel, even if the gold needed a good polish. It reminded her of the reruns of the show Cheers. All it was missing was Norm and Cliff at one end of the bar.

      Jack appeared in front of her, with the bar separating them. He handed her a rag. “Just dab lightly at the dirt. Should come right out.”

      Miraculously, it did! She was saved, for now.

      “Thank you so much,” she said gratefully.

      “No problem.”

      She continued to inspect the dress and clean up any imperfections she found. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement and jumped out of her chair.

      “What is that?”

      “Huh?” Jack questioned. “Oh sorry. That’s Cosmo, my dad’s dog. Apparently.”

      Emerson clapped her hands together. “A dog!” She crouched down and the poodle-like dog pranced right over to her, with the charms on his collar jingling while he did.

      “Aren’t you the cutest thing? You are so handsome. Yes, you are.” She lost herself in petting the dog, who rolled right over on his back. She obliged by scratching his tummy. “Do you like your belly scratched? Yes, you do.” She met Jack’s unamused eyes. “He is the sweetest thing.”

      “Don’t be fooled,” Jack said dryly. “He peed on the floor ten minutes ago.”

      “Well, maybe you should have taken him out. It wasn’t your fault, cutie-pie. No, it wasn’t.” She took in Cosmo’s adorable little face, with his brown nose. “Are his eyes...green?” she asked Jack.

      “Seems like it. I’ve never seen a dog with eyes like that before. They’re very human. I feel like he looks at me and knows things he shouldn’t.”

      Emerson laughed. She picked up the dog and cradled him to her side, the way she would with a baby. Cosmo wrapped his legs around her and seemed quite content.

      “I can’t believe you’re picking him up,” Jack said. “Your dress.”

      Emerson absolutely adored dogs. Her mother had been firmly against them getting a dog, no matter how much Emerson and her sister had begged. Her dad begged too, for that matter. Of course, a dog would not have been good for her mother’s antiques and perfect house.

      “You better be careful.” Jack wagged a finger at her. “I’m not sure if my dad’s stain remover can get dog pee out of a wedding dress.”

      She kissed the top of Cosmo’s head. “You won’t go potty on me, will you? No, you won’t.”

      “You’ve been warned. Now, what can I get you?” Jack asked. “Water? Hot tea? Maybe a glass of wine? I СКАЧАТЬ