My Ex's Baby (Crescent Cove 8)

Meaning more bats. I was surprised there were no floating horror movie masks or creepy severed heads, but maybe they were going for subtlety.

I turned back to the dress form standing in the center of my dressing area. I’d pushed all the comfy chairs and oversized bean bag chairs aside to make room for the women who would be coming in to get ready for the wedding. The wedding party was small, but I wanted to make them as comfortable as possible.

I’d been in charge of altering a vintage cream dress we’d found on a shopping trip into one of the big bridal boutiques in Syracuse. I’d used all the tricks in my arsenal to make the dress as Macy as possible. Including a little surprise I’d found at one of my favorite online vendors.

Kristy always had the perfect gothic one of a kind—or in this case, a dozen—items.

I fluffed out the short train I’d added to the dress. I’d held onto the extra yard of almond-colored silk for something special, and this was about as perfect as it got. I’d spent all night cutting out spaces for the appliqués I’d bought and had hand sewn in each one.

If you didn’t have a discerning eye, you’d totally miss it.

I smiled at the lace eyelets. “Damn good job, Kin.”

“Love when I walk in to hear a strong woman patting herself on the back. You deserve it.”

I spun around with a snort. “Shut up, Ivy.”

“What? I’m totally being serious.” She crossed the room to stand next to me with Rhiannon snuggled up tight inside her baby wrap, which matched her dress, thanks to moi. She started swaying, which caused me to sway too because I was terribly susceptible to the baby-comforting stance.

I really wished there was time for me to unwrap Rhiannon and get a snuggle, but Macy would be here any second. I made do with brushing a finger over her pink chubby cheeks. “She’s getting so big.”

“Tell me about it. She looks for the boob almost as much as my husband.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Okay, thanks for ruining a sweet moment.”

“Just you wait. You’ll understand what I’m talking about someday.”

The familiar tightening in my chest seemed to be happening more and more these days. You couldn’t turn a corner without finding a stroller out, or toddlers taking over the park. Holding out the hopes for my own happily ever after was getting more difficult by the day.

Except for that one moment…

Shove that crap down, girl.

I was not going there with the perpetrator’s sister—and my best friend—standing right next to me. That unforgettable moment with August the day Rhiannon was born had been nine levels of wrong. Or was that sixty-nine?

It had been so long since I’d even had missionary sex, I wasn’t going to start getting ambitious.

“You feeling okay?”

I blinked out of that dangerous memory lane. “Why?”

“You’re all flushed.” Ivy swayed her way in front of the mannequin. “Or is it because you’re exhausted? You must have been up all night with this, Kin.” She smoothed her hand down a long, lacy sleeve. “It’s beautiful.”

I lifted a hand to my burning cheek. “Yeah, you know me. No sleep and ruddy cheeks all day. Thank goodness I’m not going to be in the pictures, huh?”

She absently patted the baby’s back. “You’re sure that’s all it is?”

“Yeah. I’m just nervous for Macy to see it. I hope she likes it.”

“What did you do to it?” Macy’s husky Demi Moore-esque voice came from the doorway.

I rushed over to her. “I did some alterations like we talked about.” I nibbled on the corner of my thumbnail. “And something else.”

“You aren’t going to make me look stupid, right? That’s all I really care about. God, I knew I should have just gone with the orange dress.”

I clutched Macy’s hands. “While you definitely could have pulled off that orange dress,” and probably would have scandalized half the town council, although she would’ve looked awesome, “I think you’ll like the addition to the dress. It’s very you.”

Macy squeezed my hands back quickly before dropping them. She wasn’t exactly the touchy-feely type and I could feel the nerves radiating off her. Good thing I’d upped my essential oils in the shop for this last fitting. I was pumping lavender and lemon into the air as well as wearing my tree of life wrapped amethyst crystal against my heart.