“What?”
Her friend sighed. “If you don’t want to run the store anymore, why do you have to? Your mom had a good life insurance policy. The house is paid off and so is the store. You now have the freedom to do something different, if you want. Sell Fremont Fashions. Then you can focus on your wedding gown designs, which is what you love.”
The very idea sent her into a panic. What would Linda think about that? Her mother had loved running the boutique, though her taste in fashion had been questionable at best.
Fremont Fashions had been her mother’s salvation in those dark days after her father’s death. Linda had thrown herself into salvaging the store, building a clientele, handling all aspects of running a small business.
Selling the store to focus on her own love of designing dresses would feel like a betrayal of everything her mother had worked for.
“I could never do that.”
“Why not? You have the talent, certainly. All you lack is the confidence.”
And the contacts. And the skills. And the customers.
“You’re a sweetheart,” she said to Kat. “And you know I adore you. I’m just having a bad day. I’m sorry you bore the brunt of it.”
“I’m not sorry. I’m glad I was here. You know I always have your back.”
Her friends were the greatest blessing of her life and she didn’t know what she would do without them. She would have been lost these past five months without the constant support of the Haven Point Helping Hands, the loosely organized group she belonged to whose goal was to try making their community better.
“Now,” Katrina said, “tell me more about Gemma’s brother. Any sparks?”
Sam could feel her face heat again and hoped Kat didn’t notice. “Even if there were, it wouldn’t matter. He could actually be Jude Law and I wouldn’t have the time or the energy for romance right now.”
“Do we need to take you to a doctor?” Kat asked with a wide-eyed look of astonishment.
“I don’t have time for that, either. Once the puppies are gone and the summer wedding frenzy, er, season is over, I might be able to think about dating. But I’m afraid by then Gemma and Josh will be married and her cute brother, who, again, looks nothing like Jude Law, will once more be back in England with his cute kids.”
“Then we’ll have to find you someone else, won’t we?”
Katrina looked so determined Sam didn’t have the heart to tell her she hadn’t been interested in dating since her mother died.
“We can talk about finding me the perfect man again in September,” she said. “Now help me put away the dress, then we can walk across the street to the Helping Hands meeting.”
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll meet him on the way.”
“Who? The perfect man? Or Gemma’s brother?”
Katrina laughed. “Maybe this Ian Summerhill is both.”
Sam knew that absolutely wasn’t true, despite her unfortunate dreams—dreams she wasn’t at all prepared to share with Katrina, who knew her entirely too well and knew her unfortunate tendency to think she was in love every time a man smiled at her.
* * *
“YOU SHOULD SEE IT. It’s seriously the most spectacular wedding gown in the entire history of wedding gowns.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. The way she’s done the neckline is a wonder. It’s a work of art. And the sleeves are perfect. When I wear it, I feel like I should be starring in my own personal rom-com or something.”
“What is a rom-com?” Thomas asked from across the table at the Shelter Springs restaurant where they had met Gemma for dinner.
“It’s a movie,” Gemma told him. “It stands for romantic comedy.”
“Is there lots of kissing?” Amelia asked.
“Oh, yes,” Gemma said with a dreamy smile. “Loads and loads of it.”
He didn’t want to think of his sister enjoying loads and loads of kissing with anyone, though he had to admit he liked her fiancé very much. Josh Bailey seemed a genuinely good man who obviously adored Gem.
“I want to see your wedding dress,” Amelia said. “May I?”
“Of course. The glorious creation should be ready about a week before the wedding. Perhaps you could come with me to pick it up.”
Ian had to smile at Gemma’s enthusiasm. He couldn’t remember seeing her work up any interest in clothing before. She always looked nice but seemed most happy in yoga clothes, yet here she was waxing almost poetic about a dress she would wear for one day.
“It’s a good thing you like it,” Ian said.
“I love it. But then, I knew I would. Samantha is amazing with a needle and thread.”
“Sounds like it.”
“How do you like living next to her? She mentioned that she met you all yesterday.”
“I fell in the water,” Thomas said. “Our neighbor helped me out.”
“That’s what I heard.”
Ian tried not to picture his lovely neighbor dripping wet, tight clothing sticking to places he didn’t want to notice.
“She seemed very nice but we spoke only for a handful of moments. I didn’t have much opportunity to form a solid impression.”
“When you have the chance to come to know her a little better, I have no doubt you will love her as much as I do. Truly, she’s become a dear friend. She’s funny and smart and so creative with that dress shop of hers.”
As she continued gushing about her friend, Ian frowned as a sudden suspicion took root. He glanced at the children, who were now busy coloring pictures on the paper tablecloth with the crayons their server had provided.
“Tell me you’re not trying your hand at matchmaking,” he murmured in a low voice.
“Don’t be silly,” she protested, but the sudden pink that stole across his sister’s cheeks was all the answer he needed.
“Gem. Don’t.”
“Who said anything about matchmaking? I only meant she will be the perfect neighbor to you and the children. She’s lovely. Truly lovely.”
“I’m sure she is.”
He wasn’t available for a summer fling with an American woman, no matter how lovely she might be. Surely his sister understood the myriad reasons for that. Anyway, even if circumstances were different and Ian wasn’t buried under the weight of his impending responsibilities, he still wouldn’t have an affair with Samantha Fremont.