The Sweetest Fling (A Stupid Cupid Book) by Amber Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

strategy was going according to plan. The target hated her, so find another way in. The sister. A fellow TV shopper. Who knew?
“I’m leaving, Ashley,” Jace called out.
“Don’t you dare!”
“Don’t freak out. Mom roped me into lunch. I’m just grabbing a quick Starbucks.”
    Tolerating one more boob tuck from her latest BFF was a little demanding on Millie’s nerves today, though. At least she knew for a fact that Jace and Tyler would be getting fitted any day now for tuxedos. Made her feel a little better. And Helen, Ashley’s mother, was next in line for the dressing room once Ashley decided which of the four Millie would wear.
    She had an in. Now to find Jace a mate. Short of locating a time machine on eBay, she didn’t know what she could do to match him, though. A wedding shop certainly was the last place on earth she’d land him with love. And. . .
    Millie slipped out of the brown dress and into the coral concoction Ashley held in front of her.
    “Well, dear me, I can hardly believe my eyes,” Helen said from outside the door, sounding aghast. Please, not another dress. They’d never get out alive if Helen didn’t stop throwing more dresses over the door. The woman was psycho for taffeta.
    Millie and Ashley exchanged looks. Ashley shrugged.
    “Claire Byron!” Helen’s voice was farther away but the words carried distinctly through the thin dressing room door.
    Millie froze, half-zipped into a dangerously ruffled dress. Few words felt like a quick smack to the face, but those two did it. Millie blinked. Had she heard right? No. She couldn’t have.
    But her heart thumped up into her throat, and her mouth went dry. The only thing she could think of was getting the zipper up so she could leave the fitting room and see for herself. Claire?
“Careful, Millie. You’ll rip it,” Ashley scolded and took over. “There.”
Without a backward glance, Millie turned to leave.
“Hey, where are you going? I didn’t even get a chance to see it.” Ashley’s voice trailed Millie.
    She lifted the skirt’s layered edge, faintly aware of her gaping mouth. At the end of the short hall, she spotted Helen, her back to her, sporting an enormous dress of her own and animatedly talking. Listening. Claire’s voice? It couldn’t be. It had to be.
    It was.
    Millie almost peed herself. Shit! Crap! Claire . The match she had royally screwed up how many years ago? Six. What was Claire doing in Arizona? She was a California girl. The room got a little blurry. Claire was here, Jace was her target, and ... no way.
    Did she get to fix her total and complete foul-up? Oh, frack! AJ was going to be so happy. Millie stepped around Helen, trying not to beam too damn much. Claire might not hate her after all, though in truth, if she knew all that Millie’d messed with, she would. “Claire?”
    Helen turned, revealing the slightly older, intelligent,,and sweet face all dressed in… what the hell? White? The air in her lungs hitched tight.
    “Millie? Oh, wow. What a small world,” Claire said, her voice a tad higher than normal.
    “Hiiiii.” Millie took in Claire’s dress. The veil. The ring. And the tinkle of the shop doorbell. Oh no. Jace!
    “And Ashley? Look at you.” The two rushed into a hug. “When are you due?”
    Millie spun on her heel. She had to get to Jace before he came around the second aisle, before he headed to the dressing room. Before he saw—no!
    She stopped short, and all the years of wondering whether she could have done something differently in Claire’s match came tumbling down right on top of her heart. She was too late.

~~
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
     
    Jace would be the first to admit he didn’t like Millie. Never had. Not six years ago. Not now. But she looked as though she was about to pass out. Jace set his coffee on the nearest counter and hurried over. “Hey,” he asked, taking her elbow. “You okay?”
    Millie looked so pale she was almost gray.
    “You need some air?