Even though the ride into town was uneventful, Ginger was chewing her bottom lip. As if Kayla had eyes in the back of her head she said, “Ginger, Evan won’t appreciate your bottom lip being chewed off unless he’s the one doing it. Stop it.”

Ginger giggled. Her friend knew her so well without even looking at her. “How did you know?”

“Are you kidding me? You do that every time you’re nervous. Is it because you’re out without Evan, or because you’re going to look at wedding dresses?”

“Both.”

“Mitchell isn’t going to let anything happen to you, and we’re just looking at options. We’re not buying anything today. Having said that, it’ll be all over town you’re looking for a dress before we get home. Even if the store keeps the secret, someone on the street will say they saw you walk in there.”

“Good. Maybe his phone will get blown up. Too bad it’ll be with something he wants to know,” she said with a smile on her face. “We could always say I’m with you.”

Arriving between the breakfast and lunch crowds, Mitchell parked right in front of the doors to the dress shop. “Ladies, do you think we could keep this to a half hour? We’d probably do well to get home before Evan.” Mitchell looked in the rearview mirror before he turned to Kayla.

“Are you coming in with us?” Kayla asked.

“Do you want me to?”

“No, I may see something I want to look at.”

“Then scoot. I’ll be right here.” He gave Kayla a quick peck on the lips.

The girls rushed inside, moving straight toward the back of the store where all the white dresses were hanging. While they flipped through several, a middle-aged lady who Kayla knew as the owner of the store walked up to them.

“Is there something, in particular, you’re looking for?” she asked.

Both girls froze as if they’d been caught taking candy from a candy jar. “No, ma’am. We’re just looking,” Kayla said.

“Well, I heard you and Mitchell finally got engaged. I’m honored you’d look here for a dress.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kayla tucked some blonde hair behind her ear then quickly added, “Ginger and Evan are engaged, too, so she’s also looking for a dress.” Ginger shot Kayla an evil look.

“Oh, you’re Evan Riverton’s fiancée. I’ve heard so much about you. I sure hope this means he’ll stay away from that Ruby Johnson. You need to know that he’s been seen with her twice,” the lady said in a conspirator’s whisper.

Ginger’s mouth fell open, and her face turned red, but before any words came out, Kayla said, “Well, look at the time. Mitch was expecting us five minutes ago. I’m sorry, Ms. Morris, but we need to get going. Thank you for the chat.” Kayla ushered Ginger out quickly.

As soon as they walked outside, Mitchell pushed off the hood of his car and met them at the door. “What happened? Y’all were only gone fifteen minutes.”

“I’ll tell you in the car.”

Mitchell opened Kayla’s door as she all but shoved Ginger inside. When she got in, he closed the door and jogged around to the driver’s side. Opening his door, he caught Ginger in the middle of a rant.

“Can you believe she said that to me? When will it stop? Evan needs to handle this soon because my hormones can’t take much more.”

“What the hell happened? Do I need to go in there?” Mitchell’s brows were furrowed. Kayla explained what Ms. Morris said to Ginger and why they left. Mitchell shook his head. “Ginger, you know not to listen to that shit, right?”

“I’m trying, Mitchell, but it’s hard when cheating is the one thing that will drive me to the edge. I know he’s not a cheater. I trust him, but at some point either he’s going to have to do or say something, or I will. I’m new here and don’t want to piss everyone off, but if they catch me on a bad day, I may not care.”

“I’ll talk to Evan.”

“No, I’ll talk to Evan,” Ginger said.

“Are you sure? It’ll be better if he gets mad at me. Think of the baby.”

Ginger leaned forward and kissed the back of Mitchell’s head. “Thank you, but you can’t fight all my battles for me. Me not having my phone with me, you can handle that argument,” she said with a slight smile as Mitchell turned out of the parking place.

He glanced in the rearview mirror and nodded with a smirk on his face. Ginger wondered what he was coming up with to drive Evan over the edge.