Read Catching Claire for Free Online

Janie, Alicia,
and Tanya’s two petite younger sisters surrounded Tanya at a
brightly lit mirror. Meanwhile, a red-faced Mrs. Helms adorned in a
tailored skirt suit attempted to corral Teacup, Tanya’s airheaded
Yorkie. Teacup’s rhinestone barrette bounced as the dog yipped at
the hem of Tanya’s beautiful wedding gown.
    Tanya sobbed into mirror, “It’s all wrong, it’s all
wrong, it’s all wrong!”
    Ridge’s face whitened. “This is nuts,” he
whispered.
    Claire lifted her eyebrows. “ This is estrogen
overload.” She sat him on the velvet bench closest to the door. As
he placed the helmets on the floor, she said, “My advice? Don’t
breathe a word.” Dropping her purse and jacket onto the bench
beside him, she bee-lined for her best friend.
    Tanya caught Claire’s reflection in the mirrors.
“Claire! Finally!”
    Tanya’s perfectly coiffed mother snatched up Teacup.
Mrs. Helms whirled on Claire. In the next instant, the woman’s gaze
winged to Ridge.
    “Who’s that ?” Mrs. Helms demanded.
    Claire smiled. “My friend, Ridge.”
    Janie’s eyes popped. “The stripper!”
    “From my party!” Tanya hooted.
    Mrs. H. shrieked, “You brought a stripper to
my baby’s fitting?”
    The sisters gasped. One whispered to the other, “No
wonder we weren’t invited to the second shower. It was a
tacky-fest.”
    “The party was just supposed to be Tanya’s friends,”
Janie explained.
    Mrs. Helms stormed toward Claire. Alicia, lifting
her goldenrod skirt, intercepted the woman. Gripping Teacup, Mrs.
H. heeled around so sharply she would have done a marching soldier
proud. She strode to Ridge.
    Alicia murmured to Claire, “Sorry about the ride.”
She glanced at Ridge. “My assistant screwed up the cupcakes for a
thirtieth anniversary party tonight. I had to re-do them.”
    Mrs. Helms deposited the excited Yorkie on Ridge’s
lap. “Make yourself useful.”
    His mouth firmed, but he held the squirming dog.
    Mrs. Helms’s sharp gaze landed on Claire. “At least
tell me you brought your sandals.” She planted her hands on petite
hips.
    Claire’s heart sank. In the flurry of throwing on
her clothes after Tanya’s frantic phone call, both she and Ridge
had forgotten her footwear. But she wasn’t five years old. She
wouldn’t allow Mrs. H. to treat her like the insecure child she’d
once been.
    She squared her shoulders. “I left the sandals in
Ridge’s apartment.”
    “But I gave your stuff to Lacey,” Alicia said.
    “Ridge fetched the bags for me while I took a
shower.”
    Tanya’s youngest sister smirked. “You showered with
a stripper?”
    Claire glared at Tammy. “No.” She’d rectify
that soon enough—if Ridge wanted her.
    Mrs. H. sighed. “You forgot the sandals. How will we
know the proper length to hem your dress?” She beckoned the stylist
hovering in the background. “Alberta! Plan B.”
    Alberta selected a coral gown from a rack by the
wall and pressed the garment into Claire’s hands. The shiny fabric
scrunched.
    “Get dressed,” Mrs. H. ordered Claire. “You can
borrow Tammy’s sandals.”
    “But my dress is purple.”
    “Not anymore.” Mrs. H. collected the sandals from
Tammy. “I doubt you’d fit the purple, dear. You were supposed to
lose ten pounds for the wedding, not gain five.” She piled the
sandals atop the coral dress.
    Claire’s face burned. She hurried into the dressing
room. Ridge called after her as she slammed the flimsy door.
    She couldn’t face him. Couldn’t face any of
them.
    But she had to.
    Steeling herself, she changed in record time and
turned to the mirror.
    Blech. The coral made her skin look sallow,
and the cut of the dress mismatched the others—it had no waist.
Plus, the yards of fabric could easily clothe Tanya, Claire, and Tanya’s mom.
    The nerve of Mrs. H.!
    Claire clomped out of the dressing room in the
pinching sandals. “This damn dress is three sizes too big!”
    Tanya’s face caved in. “Now you know my problem.