“So are you going to tell me what happened in the office? Ever?” Claire wrapped her hands around her coffee.
“You heard it. I tried to seduce him and failed.” Hazel didn’t make eye contact.
“Okay. Did I tell you we’re going to get married in the nude on a hoverboard?” Claire put her hand on Hazel’s arm.
“Great. I love that idea. My butt vibrating on top of a new age skateboard is the best idea ever,” Hazel responded to Claire’s obvious fib.
“Just tell me. I mean I already know. You and Wolf got it on. And you took the blame so he wouldn’t look bad.” Claire was right—she already knew.
Hazel looked at her boots.
“Chance was really impressed with you. About that whole thing. He went on and on about it.” Claire rubbed the center of Hazel’s back.
“Wolf gave me my money back.”
“He did? Wow. Did he ask for an official date, then?”
Hazel could almost hear her friend coordinating a double wedding in her head. She shot that down with her next statement.
“He sure did. He’s going to set me up on a really great date for free if I want. Told me he’ll get the match right this time. And it wouldn’t be with him.” Hazel finally did look at Claire and saw the anger flare on the redhead’s face.
“That dick banana. He is the most clueless man. Does he not see the sparks between you two? Jesus. It’s like watching clothed porn when you look at each other.”
“He’s not the guy for me.” Hazel shook her head and saw the bus she was waiting for in the distance.
“If he’s hard-headed enough, he’ll miss out on that opportunity.” Claire set her coffee down on the low retaining wall. She always pitched in if Hazel’s bus got there before the rest of the buses. “Tell me what happened in the office.”
Hazel shook her head. “You heard what I said about it. When's the dress fitting?”
“This Thursday night at Fancy Pants. Seven sharp.” Claire and Hazel stepped forward as the bus threw open its doors.
“I’ll be there.” Hazel waved at Kenzie, who looked at her through the window for a few seconds before waving back. Hazel noted the progress. She didn’t need any man at all when she had smiles like these in her life.
XOXOXOXO
Hazel’s week was a busy one. She had two recitals and a bunch of IEP meetings to prepare for, so she didn’t get a ton of time to obsess about Wolf. Though she did have to deal with increasingly frequent run-ins with Scott. He'd even had a vaseful of roses delivered to school. Hazel put one rose in each of her coworkers mailboxes to brighten their day. She wasn’t going back to Scott. She wasn’t letting anyone get close to her again for a long time. So, she had to mentally prepare for the Fancy Pants dress fitting. She didn’t even know what the dresses looked like, though she knew they were a pretty melon color.
She had to remember to harden herself in case Wolf was there, too. Claire had warned her that the men were getting their tuxes sized, but she was pretty sure it was in a different section of the bridal store.
After Hazel did paperwork and filled out some observations on Thursday, she headed home.
She ate leftover mac and cheese while looking through her closet. The lies she told herself about what she was going to wear were loud in her ears. The dark jeans and sweater she was four hundred percent absolutely going to wear were cast aside.
Hazel wanted to look good. And that was okay. It was a special day for her best friend. It was okay if she put on her long black skirt with the slit up the side with heeled boots and topped it with a matching black top. Her makeup was on point; her favorite perfume was behind her ears and her knees. And maybe she was wearing her favorite sexy undies and bra.
As Hazel was leaving her apartment, she gave a little scream when Scott came up behind her and put his hands on her hips while she was locking her door.
“Jesus!” She whirled on him.
“You look amazing.” His hands were still on her hips.
“Let go of me!” Hazel pushed him away.
“I’m sorry! I thought you knew I was here. Where are you headed? Can I come?” He wiggled his eyebrows right after the word come.
She noted his innuendo. “Too soon, Scott.”
“Again, I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure the flowers I sent you arrived.” Scott stepped out of her way and damn near tripped over himself so he could beat her to the button and call it to the third floor.
“I did. I passed them out to staff.” She made a point of not thanking him.
He looked disappointed before recovering. “They work hard just like you. Glad you did that with them.”
The elevator doors opened and they both stepped on. “Where you headed?”
Hazel leaned past him and hit the button to take them to the lobby. “I have a dress fitting.”
“Really? That’s great. You going to see that guy?”
Scott was jealous. And Hazel allowed herself to feel a little bit pleased about that. “Which guy?”
Scott gave her a look like she was a pitcher of water he was filling that was about to overflow. “The one that tried to kill me right here the other night?”
“What?” Hazel was shocked.
“Yeah, we were alone here, and he just attacked me for no reason when I told him I wanted to make it up to you, to get you back.” Scott gave her his most earnest look.
“Wolf is… unpredictable.” Hazel was grateful that the elevator was opening at the lobby.
Scott stepped out with her. “Just be careful around him, right? I worry about you.”
Hazel nodded and headed out. Scott went back to the elevator.
She took off walking, grateful the Metro stop was close to her apartment because these were not walking heels.
XOXOXOXO
Fancy Pants was the area’s most well-known bridal shop. Despite the silly name, they had a great reputation. Claire had raved about them when she was fitted for a bridesmaid’s gown last year. And told her that there was clearly a man’s side and woman’s side.
Hazel walked out of the Metro stop and spied Fancy Pants lit in white lights and gauzy window displays.
Wolf was there, leaning against an old-looking sports car, and Chance and Claire were cuddled together but obviously talking to Wolf. There was another guy there Hazel didn’t recognize. She guessed he was Peter from Booty Camp. She felt her cheeks get warm, knowing he might have witnessed her last departure from the theater.
Wolf was watching her when she looked back at him again. Dark jeans and long sleeves never looked so good. He acknowledged her.
She looked down to make sure she wasn’t going to trip on the curb, and when she looked back, he was in conversation again.
Claire detangled herself from Chance and met her halfway, grabbing her in a full-body hug. “They were able to get my dress! We get to try it on right now!”
Claire started jumping, and as was tradition, they jumped together—no matter where they were in the world.
Claire linked arms with Hazel and led her over to the group. “My sister couldn’t make the drive, it’s too far, so I’ll try on her dress. We’re the same size, anyway. Peter, this is Hazel. Hazel, Peter.”
Peter was hot. Almost as tall as Chance with blazing red hair. If Hazel didn’t know better, she would think that Peter was related to Claire. With impeccable cornflower blue eyes and a nice auburn scruff going, he could be on the cover of a magazine. He held out his hand and shook Hazel’s.
“Nice to meet you.” He gave her a bright grin.
“You sure you’re not a member of the bride-to-be’s family?”
He touched his hair and mussed it. “All us redheads are from the same clan somewhere.”
Hazel started a conversation with Peter because it seemed the least awkward way to get into the store and to the proper side for the dress fitting without dealing with Wolf. “I don’t think I saw you at Booty Camp. Claire mentioned you worked there?”
“I’m securit
y. But I had a family emergency, so I didn’t get back until today. I doubt I would have missed running into you.” Peter winked, and Wolf cleared his throat behind her.
“She’s a client, so…”
Hazel finally looked at Wolf. “Am I? I thought I got a refund?”
Wolf clenched his jaw while he grabbed the door from Chance and held it open for Hazel and Peter.
“You got a refund, but you’re still a client if you decide to go on a date,” Wolf clarified.
Claire waited until Peter had cleared the door before she stepped through, giving Wolf the coldest glare she could manage.
He stepped close behind her and spoke near her ear. “My door’s open for you as a client.”
His words, whispered so near, started everything in her panties all over again. He was infuriating. She decided right then she would focus all her attention on Peter for the entirety of the wedding events. Including this one.
Hazel stood next to Claire while she explained what was going to happen.
“You guys are going to the Pants side over there.” She pointed to the right of the lobby which was filled with flowers and plush chairs for luxurious waiting. “And we will be on the Fancy side. When you’re done, you can wait for us here, and afterward we'll be going out for drinks and dancing. Okay? Chance already bought a bottle service here, so you can have a glass of wine after you’re out of the clothes.”
She kissed Chance like they would be parted for four months instead of forty-five minutes. And after the boys walked away, Claire made Hazel do the jumping again.
“I hope it looks as good as it did in the magazine. I’m so excited. But I think I might puke. Oh my God. You have to FaceTime this for my sister and mother, okay? They don’t want to miss anything.” Claire squeezed Hazel’s hands.
“Of course. No problem. This store has wifi?” Hazel pulled out her phone and saw that she already had an alert offering to join Fancy Pants network.
“Okay. I think let’s do you first, and once that’s out of the way, I can try on mine.” Claire greeted the shop girl as she approached.
“Oh, here’s our bride. I’ve steamed the dress and laid it out in the main dressing room. Would you like a glass of champagne?” To Hazel, she introduced herself as Lottie.
“I think, Lottie, maybe we have to get Claire into her dress before she explodes.” Hazel smiled and reached into Claire’s purse for her phone.
Claire didn’t even try to argue as Hazel changed her plan. Hazel waited until Lottie had taken Claire into the main dressing room, which was along the wall that the Fancy side and the Pants side shared. Hazel overheard Lottie explain to Claire that she had to be careful because the wall was papered to look solid, but it was really a temporary divider that the store had worked into the design.
Hazel tried her best not to think of having to spend an evening on the town with Wolf. But on the other hand, she was really glad she looked good.
Chapter 22
There She Is
Wolf waited on the Pants side of the bridal store while Chance made some last-minute decisions on vest shape. Peter sat in the chair next to Wolf. Peter was a great guy and a reliable employee. Booty Camp was lucky to have him. Right now, Wolf wanted to punch him in the face.
“So, is Hazel a client or isn’t she?”
Because he obviously had the same thing on his mind that Wolf did.
“If she’s not, I’m going to slip into a dress, bust over there, and ask her out. Did you see that leg? Holy shit. And that rack was not kidding.”
Wolf didn’t look at Peter but reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “She’s a client.”
Peter removed Wolf’s hand. “Easy, boy. Wow. Sorry to touch your stuff. When’d you get so uptight?”
Chance interrupted. “Wolf’s pretending she’s not a real girl when I’m pretty sure he’s hiding a tattoo of her name on his back.”
“Oh.” Peter stood up so he was shoulder to shoulder with Chance. “That’s how it is. That makes a lot of sense. You got great taste, boss.”
Chance shook his head like Wolf was a TV show they were watching. “Our boy is going to fuck this up. Which would be a shame because I’m no matchmaker descendent or anything, but they have chemistry out his dingdong.”
Wolf held up his middle finger. “I’m not involved with Hazel. Where are these monkey suits? Do we have to wait for you to get your makeup done first or something?”
“The gentleman is going to take your inseams first, you bastard.” Chance pointed to the set of steps where an older man was waiting. “He’s going to take your measurements—but don’t start crying, he won’t measure your dick—and then you have to put on shoes and some samples for him to see how the suit hangs on you. Which you should know by now, Mr. I Own My Own Business.”
Wolf didn’t even have a real need for a suit. There was an odd wedding or two, but the business was moving too fast for him to worry about the trappings a guy with his annual income usually had to grapple with.
Booty Camp’s success had been a steamroller. Luckily, he'd made Chance the recognizable face of the Booty Camp brand. It saved Wolf’s anonymity, and Chance loved the limelight.
Chance had been a friend since high school. Ironically, Wolf had stopped a group of assholes from beating up a much smaller Chance in the locker room. He’d inspired loyalty from the younger guy. And Wolf didn’t have to worry about him when he graduated because Chance shot up in his junior year and took to weight lifting.
Wolf reached his lowest when he lost Faith. No one had known what to do to help him move past his sobbing anger at fate. But Chance had recognized that the pain was Wolf’s bully and stayed next to him until he could function again.
And that was what he'd needed. Faith’s death had been a shock. She’d had a cold that turned into bronchitis that turned into pneumonia. Wolf had already been at odds with his mother and grandmother over the woman he'd been dating at the time. They were positive she was wrong for him, and he married Clarissa anyway.
They thought that he was too young to make permanent choices like that. He worked toward his college degree and in the yard of the local lumber company at the same time. His marriage dissolved.
When he decided to turn the matchmaking skill every female in his family excelled at—and, for some unknown reason, he'd inherited—into a business, he'd made his mom and grandmother very angry.
They felt it was disrespectful. The matchmaking was like religion; it should be practiced as a way to increase the positive energy in the world. No amount of proof he dragged before them would sway their opinion. First, it was the small wins, marriages and pregnancy announcements, and then it was nationwide success with waves of babies being born after Booty Camp blew through a city. Wolf believed it was the best use of what he could do. And sure, it made money, but it also made lots of people very happy. Well, everyone except Hazel.
And he’d taken Chance for that ride with him. Wolf loved his family. Still missed his sister all the time. So he would try not to make this anything but fun for his non-blood brother despite the boner-for-Hazel guilt wrestling that was his new hobby.
“You’re lucky he’s not measuring my dick because then you’d have to pay for the heart attack it’d give him.” Wolf shot a wink at Chance and slapped a smile on his face. He was not going to be a moody bastard anymore today.
XOXOXOXO
Hazel spent a great big giant chunk of time with Claire’s mother and sister on FaceTime, showing them every angle of Claire’s wedding dress. She looked like a princess. All agreed that white on a redhead was a wonderful combination. There were tears and happy squeals all around. Hazel had to shout a little, because Fancy Pants seemed to be having a music war. The Fancy side had classical music cranked. The Pants side seemed to favor classic rock.
When Claire was finally ready to start pinning for the alterations, she encouraged Hazel to go try on her bridesmaid dress.
After looking at the melon-colored A-line dress, Hazel was
grateful her best friend had such impeccable taste. She showed it off to Claire’s sister and mother before propping the phone on a chair so she could go get changed.
Hazel latched the dressing room door and started to get undressed. She should have worn or brought a strapless bra for when she tried on the dress. She hadn’t thought to ask Claire what kind of neckline she was dealing with.
She toyed with leaving on the black bra but ultimately decided it would be too distracting for Claire and her family. So Hazel took the bra off, folded it, and set it on top of her shirt on the chair.
She should have worn regular heels, not her fuck-me boots, as well. They were a bitch to lace up. Hazel decided to leave them on while she wrangled herself out of her skirt.
Finally, she was down to her boots and her black thong panties. As she turned at the waist, her heel caught on the throw rug in the dressing room and she started to fall.
Everything moved in slow motion as her brain replayed Lottie's warning about the walls. They looked solid, but they were only temporary dividers papered to look real.
And that’s when she ripped right through the wall.
The tearing noise wasn’t nearly as loud as she thought it would be, and just before her ass hit the floor, two hands slipped under her arms and grabbed her boobs, halting her fall.
“Oh.” Hazel caught her breath. She recognized those hands.
“Holy crap. Are you okay?” Wolf’s voice was in her ear over the clash of the loud music. He wasn’t nearly as panicked as she was.
She had to rely on him for balance as her heel was still tangled in the throw rug. He put her down on the floor of what had to be his dressing room on the Pants side of Fancy Pants.
“Did you hurt yourself?” Wolf asked as he took a knee to free her foot.
She shook her head. It had all happened so quickly. But she was pretty sure he’d prevented the giant tailbone bruise she might otherwise have had.
She remembered she was topless and covered her boobs. It was far too late, of course, as he had already gotten an eyeful, but she had to give him credit for trying to act like a gentleman. His dressing room was all faux dark leather and steel touches. The Hazel-shaped hole was puckered with what looked like torn heavy paper.