Kit and Ivy: A Red Team Wedding Novella Read Online Free

there was a lull in the modeling.
    Val was seated in a green sateen chair that swiveled. He turned and looked at her. “I’m not sending them back. They know when they come out that it’s not quite the right dress. I’m not deciding anything for them. I can see in their eyes if they love what they’re wearing. And when they do, I will, too. I only mirror their thoughts.”
    Ivy came out in a stunning floor-length dress. The design was classic and feminine. The outer shell was a sleeveless ivory lace from the V-neck to the hem, with a solid ivory sheath beneath that fell only to mid-calf. Light sifted through the lace by her ankles. A simple white sash banded her narrow waist.
    Val pulled in a long breath. “That’s it. It’s perfect.”
    “You like it?”
    “Oh, yeah.”
    She smoothed her hands down her hips. “I love it. It’s elegant. Understated.”
    “It’s perfect. Kit won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
    The other girls came out in their final outfits, all in complementary shades of ivory and beige and cream. Casey’s had a faint print of dusky roses and champagne satin straps. Eden’s was a simple dress of lined eyelet lace with short sleeves and a scooped neck. It hit mid-thigh, making her short legs seem longer than they were. Mandy’s was a flowing muslin dress with a wide sash that was laced at the waist. Her sleeves were cut away at the elbows. Fiona chose a sundress with a skirt made from three layers of different types of lace, ending above the knees. Very different dresses for very different women.
    Val looked from one woman to the next. He shook his head. “You’re breathtaking independently, but together you look like a bouquet of women. So beautiful. I’m lucky I got to spend this day with you. What about shoes?”  
    “We’ll do that next. Selena hasn’t selected her outfit yet,” Ivy told him.
    Val turned in his chair and looked at Selena. They all were looking at her. Jesus, that was uncomfortable. “I’m not coming to the wedding.”
    Ivy frowned. “Why not? Do you have to be somewhere else?”
    “No.” Selena braced herself for the arguments that would be lobbed at her.
    “Don’t you want to come?”
    She frowned at the women, seeing their expectant faces. “I’m not in Wolf Creek Bend for social reasons. I’m there to work.”
    Ivy shook her head and came forward. “That’s nonsense. We’re all there for work. And we’re all coming to the wedding.” She took hold of Selena’s wrist and led her back into the dressing rooms area. They were surprisingly neat given how many different outfits the girls had tried on. The staff had worked hard to keep everything organized. Two outfits she hadn’t yet seen on any of the women were hanging on one of the dressing room doors.
    “Val picked these for you,” Eden told her.
    “He doesn’t know my size.”
    Ivy opened the dressing room door for her. “I bet he figured it out; he did with us. Try them on. And he said Owen was paying for your outfit, so you don’t have to worry about the cost. Just see if you love it. You’re coming to the wedding, Selena.”
    “Do you want help changing?” Fee asked.
    She made a face, glancing around at each of the women. “No.”
    “Then we’ll go get your shoes. What size do you wear?”
    “Eight.”
    Fee hurried off. “We’re on it!”
    Selena removed her gun from its holster and set it on the table, then sat down and removed her boots and socks. What a pain in the ass this was. Far easier to just stay in her room and avoid the whole wedding thing. She was hoping she’d have been able to return to regular duty by now, but Owen had had her tour extended for some reason.  
    She stripped to her bra and panties, then looked at the two outfits Val had chosen. She was surprised he’d picked pantsuits for her. Maybe he’d guessed—correctly—there was no way in hell she’d wear a skirt.  
    The first outfit was made of a taupe linen. The pants were high-waisted and