“MELANIE, CAN I skip this necklace? It seems like overkill to me.”
“Mel, you don’t really expect me to wear these shoes, do you?”
“Melanie, this dress is way too short for a grandmother.”
“Mel...”
Melanie Lowery closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath.
If this was Paris or New York City, this type of fashion-model rebellion would never be tolerated. But Mel wasn’t in Paris. And while technically in New York state, she was nowhere near the fashion district. The three women in front of her were not professional models. They were her cousins, and they had volunteered to help her market this collection.
They were doing her a favor.
She could not scream at them.
One more deep breath.
“Amanda,” she said—as calmly as possible—to the petite blonde in the blue sheath, “it’s not a necklace, it’s an extension of the dress that happens to fasten around your neck. That jeweled bib is what makes the dress special. So please. Just. Put. It. On.”
The tall redhead standing by the door wore a flowing floral gown. Bright orange stilettos dangled from her fingers. Bree’s face said it all, but Mel stopped the inevitable flow of opinions before it began.
“Bree, I picked those shoes specifically for that dress. They match the clutch you’ll be carrying. It’s almost like I planned it that way.” She tried to keep the sarcastic edge from her voice, but failed.
“Pull in your claws, Mel. It’s not the color I’m worried about, it’s the crazy heels. I can’t walk in these things.”
“Seriously? I’ve seen you walk Hollywood red carpets in higher.”
“That was a lifetime ago. There’s not much call for stilettos on the farm.” Bree patted her protruding belly. “And don’t forget my passengers. Twins, babe. Twins. They’re wreaking havoc with my balance, not to mention my ankles.”
“Okay, Bree, I get it. Twins.”
Her business partner and best friend, Luis Alvarado, was already digging through a tangled pile of accessories in the corner of the room. These were his dresses her cousins were wearing to the charity gala tonight. Well, his with a little influence from her. Actually... Bree’s dress was nearly all Melanie. It had been her idea to go old-school with a beribboned empire waist and the flowing organza to accommodate Bree’s pregnant figure. With her dark red hair falling free and her sun-kissed skin draped in the colorful poppy print on ivory, Bree looked like an exotic goddess.
“Here we go!” Luis stood triumphantly. “Wear these nude flats, honey. Just watch the length of the dress. I don’t want you to trip over it.” Mel bit back a smile when Luis held out the delicate shoes in his meaty hand. His muscular build made him look more like a linebacker than a fashion designer. Of course, with his long, dark hair and that milk chocolate skin, he could also be the cover model on some romance novel. But the man was a genius with fabric. He was already respected in smaller circles, and soon the entire fashion world would know his name.
“Nora.” Mel turned to face her eldest cousin, who was frowning at herself in the mirror while tugging at the hem of the dark red cocktail dress. “You may be a grandmother, but you’re forty, not eighty. That length makes your legs go on forever, so please stop yanking it out of shape!”
Amanda slipped her arm around Melanie’s waist. “Mel, you’re not even dressed yet, and dinner is in half an hour. We may not be models like you, but we’ll be fine. Go get your dress on, and we’ll all meet outside the ballroom in thirty, okay?” Amanda turned