Flirting With Disaster (Camelot 3)

She texted back quickly, Where r u?

“Is that him?” Ellen asked.

Carly chimed in. “Who’s ‘him’? Nobody ever tells me anything.”

“Sean Owens,” Ellen told her. “He works for Caleb.”

“The blond one?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“He’s yummy!” Carly said, fanning herself dramatically. “Nicely done, Katie. Is he any good in bed?”

“None of your business.”

“She’s turning pink,” Ellen observed.

“I am not.”

“She is,” Ellen said to Carly. “With their dark complexion, you have to know where to look, but Caleb blushes just the same. Tips of his ears and the base of his throat. You embarrassed her.”

“The question is, did I embarrass her because he’s terrible in bed or because he’s superb?”

“Stand up straight,” the shop owner said to Carly. “I’m going to zip you.”

“I apologize in advance for my boobs. Dora’s on a nursing strike, and they are ginormous. Also, they hurt like a bitch, so don’t poke me, please. I do this reflexive slapping thing when I get poked in the boob. It isn’t pretty.”

“Oh, I know,” the owner said. She pointed to her daughter. “When I was breast-feeding her, my tits were like warheads. Every time my husband tried to touch them, I was like, ‘Don’t go there, honey, not unless you want to find out what a nuclear holocaust feels like.’ ”

“Mom!” the girl said, aghast, and Carly laughed until she had to wipe the tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand.

“So are you going to be in here next?” the owner asked Katie. “I don’t see a ring on your finger yet. Is this guy The One?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be tight-lipped and efficient, like a tailor in the movies?” Katie asked.

“You must be thinking of the other bridal shop,” she said. “Though I’ll tell you what, for all her airs? That woman’s a real whore.”

Carly snorted, and Ellen said, “I knew I liked you. ’Fess up, Katie. Is Sean The One? Caleb says he’s a great guy.”

“He didn’t say that,” Katie replied. She knew her brother. He’d never be so effusive.

“Okay, so I believe his actual words were, ‘If he weren’t sleeping with my sister, I might like him.’ ”

“But from Caleb, that’s high praise,” Carly said, sounding impressed.

Katie’s phone chirped in her hand. Judah again. Nowhere. Call me when U can. I have gay-man probs 2 discuss.

Katie smiled, relieved he was safe—and pleased that he was using his phone. Sean should be able to track him now.

“Is it him again? He’s sending you adorable texts, isn’t he?” Carly asked.

“No. It’s Judah.”

“Judah Pratt?”

“You know Judah Pratt?” the shop owner asked.

“Yeah,” Katie admitted. “He’s a friend.”