Christmas on 4th Street (Fool's Gold #12.5)(35)
“Not to mention require you to use words you don’t understand.”
“There are times,” Gideon admitted. “But she’s worth it.”
“She helped you settle back into civilian life.”
Gideon nodded. “I’d recovered from what happened as much as I was going to. The rest was all about learning to live with the past. Nightmares, that kind of thing.”
Gabriel thought about all the skylights in his brother’s house, the big deck where he spent a lot of time. Gideon hadn’t shared much about his captivity, but Gabriel knew he’d been held by the Taliban for nearly two years. He’d been kept in an underground prison and tortured almost daily. The circumstances would have broken a lesser man. Gabriel wasn’t sure he would have survived it.
“You seen the folks?” his brother asked.
“Mom stopped by the store today. I haven’t talked to Dad since Thursday.” Which was only two days before, but felt longer.
“He’s getting better,” Gideon said. “I think it’s Carter’s influence. Or Webster.” He chuckled. “Dad’s training the dog better than any of us.”
Gabriel joined the laughter. “I believe it. If he can turn a green recruit into a soldier, he can get your dog to behave.” He raised his bottle toward his brother. “You look happy. That’s good to see.”
“Thanks. A year ago, I would have told you it wasn’t possible, but I was wrong. Between Felicia and my kid, I’ve made my way back.”
“I’m glad.”
Gabriel wanted his brother to be happy. If anyone had earned it, he had. He allowed himself a moment to wonder how life would be different if he believed. Only he didn’t. What was the point in having it all if you could lose it at any second?
* * *
Paper Moon was a store in transition. It had been a bridal boutique for a couple of generations. As of six months ago, the Beebe family had been planning to sell it. Isabel had temporarily returned to Fool’s Gold to help her parents by getting the boutique ready for the market. But life had a way of messing up the most perfect plans and now she was newly engaged, staying in town permanently and enlarging the store to include a selection of designer clothes. Which explained why there was a large hole in the side wall of Paper Moon.
“Ignore the mess,” Isabel said as she urged Patience up in front of the five-way mirror. “Are these the shoes? Because you don’t want to hem the dress in the wrong heels.”
“These are them,” Patience said, then bit her lip. “Oh, Isabel, you were right. This is the perfect dress.”
Noelle sat in one of the overstuffed chairs by the mirror and took in the view of her gorgeous friend. “Do you ever get tired of hearing that?”
“No,” Isabel admitted, bending down and adjusting the skirt. “I appreciate the validation.”
Patience had been unsure about having a “real” wedding. She’d been married before and wondered if she deserved to have the whole ceremony again. But after Felicia and Isabel got engaged, they’d invited her to join them in their post-Dance of the Winter King wedding plan. While Patience had agreed, she’d resisted getting a traditional wedding dress, instead insisting she would wear an ivory-colored suit.
But Isabel had been relentless in getting her friend to try on different gowns. In the end, she’d simply ordered the one that had looked the best. Now Patience stood in a soft white gown that was fitted to the knee before flaring out. It was covered in lace. The bodice was strapless, with a lace overlay, adding a touch of modesty that was pure Patience.
“I should have listened to you from the beginning,” Patience murmured.
“I can see why you like this line of work,” Noelle said, loving the happiness in her friend’s eyes.
“It’s gratifying.” Isabel admitted, stepping up on the low dais and adjusting the dress. “This is a really good fit. I’ll have my brilliant alteration lady call to make an appointment with you. Get the dress tailored sooner rather than later and remember, from this day until the wedding you can’t lose or gain an ounce.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Patience said, taking one last look at herself. She was turning when she came to a stop and her mouth dropped open. “Oh, my.”
Noelle looked and saw Felicia had stepped out of a dressing room. The stunning redhead had chosen an ivory gown that was more than fitted. It clung to her perfect body in diagonal rows of what looked like pleating but was probably some kind of fancy draping. Like Patience’s dress, it flared out just above the knee, but Felicia’s skirt ended in dozens of massive flowers made of the gorgeous silk. They cascaded to the floor and formed a train.
“I don’t know,” Felicia murmured. “I can barely walk and maybe it’s a little much for Fool’s Gold. I don’t want people to—”
“Stop,” Noelle said, walking toward her friend. She circled her, taking in the fitted back, the incredible flowers and how the color made her friend’s skin glow. “Just stop. You’re inhumanly beautiful. You need that dress. It’s perfect on you. No one else could carry that off.”
She looked at Isabel and Patience, who both nodded, wide-eyed.
Felicia stunned her by bursting into tears then pulling her close. “I love you so much. You’re a wonderful friend. Thank you.”