Page 121 of Morally Black Betrothal

“It’s just culture shock, angel. Happened to me too when we left Southie. Ruth still has that stylist coming, and they can round out the rest of the things you’ll need. Today was more about you—helping you find your confidence and making sure the world knows who you are to me. I think we accomplished that, don’t you?”

“Five boutiques and five hundred thousand views later, sure,” I grumbled.

Brendan shrugged. “Worth it. Listen, you want me to even things out? I can donate the same amount—or how about double—to Mass Gen? The Wild Bird Fund? Maybe Vi needs a few more lemon delight orders?”

I giggled. “I don’t think she needs that many. But…yeah, maybe something like that might calm my conscience a little.”

“And in the meantime, we can go home. Take a break from being on display.”

“That sounds great, actually.” I hadn’t realized how badly I needed a second to myself until it had been offered. As fun as today was, it had confused me even more.

“You got it, baby.” There was a tug on my hand, and I looked up to meet Brendan’s clear, solid gaze. “Anything bothers you again, even if it’s me, you tell me, all right?”

I nodded. “Will do.”

“Good.”

That gaze dropped to my lips, and he leaned in and pressed a kiss there.

It felt so real, but this time, I told myself from the start that it was for show.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized that we’d been alone in the back of the store, with no clerk in sight. No one to film the kiss or the conversation.

And I was just as confused as ever.

28

CINDERELLA ME

Simone

Brendan had already left for work by the time I was up the next day, but not without leaving a note next to yet another massive breakfast buffet suggesting I tell Rosie which foods I actually preferred in the mornings—or not, if I wanted to keep eating like this.

I smiled as I took some fruit and scrambled eggs. He had a reputation as a cutthroat, but underneath it all, I had a feeling that most of the time Brendan was just trying to make people happy. The idea that he might want that for me was more appealing than it should have been.

I knew there were other things on the agenda today. Ruth would be arriving soon with a stylist to finish outfitting me for the upcoming engagement party and a number of other events (benefits, store openings, and a few other social commitments where a fiancée would be expected to appear). So, I had some coffee and breakfast, then spent what little free time I had making my first batch of dough in the new kitchen to see how my starter would react to a new environment.

Yeasts were sometimes like people. It took them a bit to adjust to change.

I had just finished setting up the dough for its first rise when Ruth entered the kitchen accompanied by three other people, all of them carrying several tote bags.

“There you are,” she said. “I—oh, dear.”

I looked down. I wasn’t the messiest cook in the world, but there was a certain degree of chaos you had to put up with as a baker. Flour had a tendency to get everywhere, and I hadn’t bothered to track down an apron.

“Hi, Ruth.” I wiped my flour-covered hands on a dish towel, then crossed the kitchen with an outstretched hand. “I must have lost track of the time. Hi, I’m Simone. You must be the glam squad Ruth’s been telling me about.”

“I’m Terence,” said a man holding a large Caboodle. “Hair and makeup. And you areadorable.”

I grinned. It was a better greeting than my first try at the stores, that was for sure.

“And this is Ariane, your esthetician, and Kate Zola, your general stylist, in from New York,” Ruth said. “Why don’t you clean up so they can get started? I need to get back to the office.”

“Wash the hair!” Terence called as I left the room. “I want a good clean slate!”

Thirty minutes later,I stood in the center of my suite in nothing but my underwear while Terence and Kate circled me like vultures. Ariane was busy setting up a massage table in the room next door, where I would be having a variety of skin and beauty treatments done before the other two went to work.

I might have been uncomfortable if they weren’t so friendly.