Brynn grinned and wiped her hands on a white dish towel. “’Kay, thanks.”

Allie followed Brynn out of the kitchen and into the foyer. “What’s up, Al?”

“Dad wants you home tonight.” Allie winced as Brynn stomped her foot.

“What? That’s not fair. I want to stay here.”

Well, Brynnie was certainly breaking out of her shell. She would have run to her room and sulked a week ago. Today, she behaved like a toddler. Allie reached out to pat her shoulder, but Brynn slapped her hand away.

“So Monica gets to stay here, but I have to go? Why? Why does she do the bad stuff and I get punished? I’m making straight As, you know. Maybe I didn’t mention that?”

“You did mention it, and you’re not being punished, Brynn. You have to live at home and go to school. Just like everyone else.”

“At least I go to school. What does Monica do all day? She’ll get to lounge around by the pool and take tea with you and Trevor. I want to take tea.”

“There’ll be no tea taking, okay? I have a feeling Mon’s not going to be here for long.”

Brynn shook her head. “This is so unfair.”

“I know, honey. If I could keep you here with me, I would.”

She frowned at Allie. “Really?”

Allie pulled her into a hug. “Really.” When she kissed the top of her sister’s head, Brynn didn’t pull away this time. “Still want to go find a dress for the wedding?”

“Uh, yeah,” she mumbled against Allie’s shoulder.

“Mags wants to leave in twenty minutes.”

Brynn pulled out of Allie’s arms. “I need to go wash the flour off my hands.” She spun on her heel and ran up the steps.

Chapter 17

“What about this one?” Brynn ran her hand over a silver metallic cocktail dress with a plunging neckline.

“I think it’s amazing. If you were thirty.” Allie took the dress and hung it back on the rack.

“Darlings, how about this?” Mags held up a red satin dress by the hanger. It was ruched on one side and would barely cover Brynn’s underage butt.

“Absolutely not. That’s totally inappropriate. Brynn’s only fifteen, Mags.”

“No, sweetest, it’s for me.”

It was totally inappropriate for someone Mags’s age as well. Allie took the dress and handed it to the hovering saleswoman. “We are shopping for Brynn today, not you. You have bought approximately sixty-two dresses in the last few days.” Trying to keep these two on track was next to impossible.

“You’re a spoilsport, Allison.” Mags jutted her lower lip.

“Yeah, I’m a real buzzkill. Now, let’s try to remember why we’re here, ladies. Brynn needs a dress.” She turned and looked at her sister. “An age-appropriate dress, one that hopefully will not break my bank account or get you arrested for indecent exposure.”

“Allison, my pet, don’t be ridiculous. You’re not paying.” Mags whisked up a glass of sparkling cider from the tray. “Nigel is.”

Brynn grinned as she sipped from the champagne flute. “This is so cool. I want to shop here all the time.”

Brynn was headed for a rough landing once she collided with reality. This wasn’t the real world. This was like Disneyland for really rich British people or high rollers. Eventually, she and Brynn would return to their normal lives. Their normal, Trevor-less lives. Allie’s landing was going to be bumpy too.

Mags grabbed dresses left and right while Allie made herself comfortable in what was becoming a very familiar chair. Then Mags thrust an armful of garments at the saleslady. “Fashion show time. Try them all on, Brynn, my pet, and then come out so Allie and I can see.”

A few minutes later when Brynn stepped out in a red halter dress, the realization that her baby sister was almost grown hit Allie over the head. In a couple of years, she’d be off to college, their dad would probably be remarried, and Monica would be a jaded twentysomething. Where did Allie fit in?

“No, I don’t like the red. Allison?”

Allie reined in her thoughts. She stared at Brynn then scrunched her nose. “No, not that one.”

“Next,” Mags said and sipped her sparkling cider. She winced slightly. “Not the same as Dom, is it darling?”

“Thanks for doing all this, Mags. Brynn’s loving every minute of it. Sometimes she gets lost in all of Monica’s drama.”

“Well, I never had any daughters of my own. Unless you count my three stepdaughters, and I don’t. This is quite fun.”

A few hours later, Brynn had narrowed it down to four dresses—one deep blue, two black, and one white. She lined them all up on a rack and with her hands on her hips, stared at them. “What do you two think? I just can’t decide.”

Mags raised her brows. “No, it’s quite impossible. We should just get them all.”

“Mags, no,” Allie protested.

But she couldn’t be heard over Brynn’s whoop of excitement. The girl ran and threw her arms around Mags’s shoulders. “Thank you so much.”

“No, Mags, it’s too much,” Allie said.

“Nonsense. I’ve decided to wear seven dresses on the big day. Four seems almost paltry.” She smiled at the saleswoman. “Ring them up, dearest.” Then she walked to the front of the store, leaving Allie and Brynn alone.

“I can’t believe I get four dresses.” Brynn grinned and took another sip of cider. “I’m so excited.”

“And ready for your next dance. Or three.”

“She’s so nice, Allie. When you and Trevor get married—”

Allie held up her hand. “Whoa, what? Trevor and I aren’t getting married, Brynn. I have no idea where you came up with that.”

“Sorry, Al. I didn’t mean anything.” Brynn looked a little wounded.

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. But Trevor and I aren’t a couple.”

“You guys live together. I know you don’t really work for him, Al.”

Allie scrambled to come up with something. “But I do. I’m his assistant.” It sounded false to her ears, but she was sticking with it.

Brynn looked at the floor. “I’m not a little kid. You don’t need to keep lying to me. It’s kind of insulting.” Pressing her hand to her stomach, she trailed after Mags.

Allie glanced up and saw her reflection in the three-way mirror. She was such a liar. But how could she admit the truth when she could hardly look herself in the eye?

“Darling, come along,” Mags called from the front of the shop.

In the limo, Allie rode to the mansion in silence as Brynn and Mags chatted about the wedding. Staring out the window, she watched the throngs of people walk along the strip, mostly tourists with cameras and phones in hand, but some had the weary air of crash-and-burn gamblers. She could relate. Being in debt to Trevor made her feel like one of those desperate souls who risked their last chip on the roll of the dice. And came up snake eyes.

“You’re very quiet, dearest.”

Allie pasted on her best customer service smile. “No, I’m fine. Now, we have to think about shoes for Brynn.”

Mags slapped a hand over her chest. “How silly of me to have forgotten.” And she was off, discussing the merits of various designer shoes.

Allie stared out the window once more.

As soon as they reached the house and stepped inside, Monica, who’d been gripping the rail on the second floor, pounced on Allie. “Where have you been?” Her hair flew back as she jogged down the stairs. “I’ve been waiting for you for like, hours.”

Mags patted Allie’s arm as she left the foyer.

“Hello to you too.” Allie glanced at Brynn. “Get your stuff together and I’ll run you home.”

“Seriously, Al,” Monica said. “I need to talk to you.”

“So talk.” She watched Brynn meander toward the staircase.

Monica threw her hands up in the air. “My life is shit, Al.”

Yeah, this was familiar. Crisis time. She turned her attention to Mon. “Tell me what happened.”

“Never mind. You don’t care. You’re too busy hanging out with Mags.” She reached out and tapped on the suit of armor, causing the hollow ring to fill the room. “This is your life now.”