Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold #19)(26)

“Mine is easy,” Jonny told her. “I just have Ginger, and this year I’m giving her a wedding.” And a honeymoon, but she didn’t know about that. He and Oliver were keeping it a secret until just before the big day. As far as she was concerned, they were going to stay in their apartment for a few days before classes started. Instead, the newly married couple would be flying to Hawaii to spend six nights in an oceanfront suite he’d rented for them.

“Lucky you to be done already,” Caryn said. “I have brothers and sisters and now a sister-in-law and my parents. Plus the work presents, but those are fun because I’m not spending my own money.”

With that, she walked out of the office. Jonny reached for his coffee.

“Work presents? For the office?”

“No, for clients.” Annelise looked at him. “All the things we send out on your behalf.” He must have continued to look baffled, because she added, “Gifts for your accountant, your lawyer, the assistant you use on shoots. Like that. There’s a long list.”

He supposed on some level he’d known this was happening, but he’d never much thought about it. “Shouldn’t I buy the presents myself?”

“No. It’s part of what we do for you. Besides, most years you’re off filming. When would you have the time? Don’t worry—we only send nice things. You get very lovely thank-you notes.”

“What about you? Does Caryn buy your gift, too?”

“I don’t need anything. Jonny, what’s going on? You’re not yourself.”

“Then who am I?”

Annelise picked up her coffee and sipped without saying anything.

He sighed. “I don’t know. I’m fine. Just thinking about things. In Fool’s Gold I’m not famous. I’m just a regular guy. I like that. Regular guys buy their own presents. They don’t hire it out.”

“You can’t walk into a mall somewhere and shop. Besides, regular or not, you don’t particularly like shopping. It’s a long list. Do you really want to take it on?”

“No.” It was just... He would get Annelise something, he decided. A gift he bought himself because he knew she would like it. And because somehow, in that small act, he would be just like everyone else in Fool’s Gold.

* * *

Madeline studied the petite blonde with big brown eyes. The dress—a princess style with a full skirt, as requested, hung on her. While it was pretty, it wasn’t amazing.

“I don’t know,” Janet said, then wrinkled her nose. “Am I being too picky?”

“No. Did I say no? Because no. It’s your wedding gown. Janet, honey, you have to be picky.”

Janet was a sweet girl on her first dress-shopping trip. For reasons she hadn’t explained to Madeline, she’d come on her own, which was rare. Brides tended to travel in packs. They might hate Mom’s fashion sense but they still wanted her along.

Movement caught her attention. She turned toward the mirror in time to see Jonny walking into Paper Moon. She hadn’t seen him in three days and, according to the sudden pounding of her heart, that was two days and twenty-three hours too long.

He looked good. Tall and broad shouldered and impossibly handsome. Her chest got tight, her breathing quickened and she was all about the quivers. Being around him felt like aerobics on demand.

Jonny smiled at her but didn’t try to approach. She appreciated that he got she was with a client.

Janet glanced at him. “Oh, hi.” She looked back at the mirror. “I just don’t know.”

“Yes, you do,” Madeline said gently. She walked behind the other woman and adjusted the clips holding the dress against her body. “This isn’t working. The fit is great and you look adorable but it’s not the one.”

“How can you tell?”

“Because you’re not excited or crying. Both are my favorite, but at least one is required.” Madeline removed the clips. “We have lots more dresses to try. You still have the other one you picked. If it’s okay with you, I’d like a few minutes to go through my back room. I have a couple of gowns I think would be perfect. You up for that?”

Janet nodded. She blinked a few times, as if holding back tears. “Thanks for helping me.”

“Are you kidding? I love this part. When you find the right dress, you’ll know. You’ll feel the magic all the way down to your toes.”

Janet laughed. “That’s quite the promise.”

“I have no worries about delivering.”

She helped the other woman off the dais, then followed her back to the dressing room where she unfastened the dozen or so tiny buttons on the back. She pointed to the robe hanging on the back of the door.

“Go ahead and put that on, then get yourself something to drink and maybe a snack. I’m going to find some treasure for you to consider.”

Janet turned around and gave her a quick hug. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, and I mean that.”

She let herself out of the dressing room, then went back to where Jonny was waiting.

“Hi,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound breathless. “I have to go look for dresses.”

“No problem.” He followed her down the hallway.

“How was your trip to LA?” she asked as she stepped into the storage area and flipped on the light.