by Jenny Rabe
“And I wouldn’t want them here anyway.” She took Emilie’s hand. “I need someone supportive, not crazy.”
Emilie cringed at the word. Ava didn’t have a clue what crazy meant. Gathering all the enthusiasm she could muster, Emilie pointed toward the dressing room. “Let’s get you fitted.”
Carly motioned for them to follow her down another hallway into a spacious dressing room. A beautiful dress hung on a hanger in the corner. It had lace cap sleeves, a beaded bodice that fit tightly around the waist, and poofed out in a taffeta-full train. Fashionable and chic.
“It’s beautiful,” Emilie breathed, touching it gingerly. “It’ll be perfect on you.”
Ava beamed at the dress. “Worth all of the salads I’ll have to eat for the next month?”
Ah, it made sense. Still, it was crazy to diet for so long for a dress. That was what girdles were for, right?
Ava’s lips curled into a pleased smile before she tugged Emilie close. She turned to Carly, her face instantly all business. “All right, let’s see if you have the magic touch.”
Carly gave Ava a polite smile and pulled down the dress. For a few minutes, Emilie turned around to give her friend privacy and took care of emails on her phone. The familiar sound of a zipper caught her attention. Emilie peered back and stared in awe at the delicate lacing in back, tied at the nape of Ava’s neck with a silken ribbon.
Ava turned side to side, checking her hips. The bottom of the dress swished as she moved.
“Oh, I love the back,” Emilie said. “It’s so—”
“Elegant?” Ava said. “I love it, too.”
Emilie studied her waistline. Ava wasn’t overweight, but the sides of the dress hugged her too tightly. Just as Emilie was about to point it out, Ava inhaled sharply.
“I’ve got to talk to Carly, and then I’ll be out. Will you wait for us on the couch?”
“Sure.” Emilie gave Carly a sympathetic glance before heading back to the waiting area. Even if brides were notoriously picky, no one deserved to be treated like a doormat. Walking past the couches, she went around to the side of the store where the dresses hung.
She lovingly touched a few, each more beautiful than the last. Such stunning gowns made to fit their potential bride’s dream. A wistful sigh escaped before she checked a price tag. Expensive. More than she’d willingly cough up. People really paid that much for a wedding dress only to wear it for less than a day?
Her gaze stopped on a more traditional style, exactly what she preferred. Simple yet elegant. Emilie liked the full bodice and the three-quarter sleeve. It reminded her of the elegance of a previous era. And to find such a gem in the summer when there weren’t many… However, she wasn’t looking for herself.
After a few minutes, Ava called to her and Emilie scooted to the couch just in time to see her step up to the mirror.
Ava’s sour face smoothed as Emilie came into view. “Thought you abandoned me like everyone else.”
Emilie shifted on the couch, moving so she wasn’t in Ava’s line of view. She was used to Ava’s testiness, but also smart enough to let it roll off her shoulders. Maybe some things never did change. “Nope, just looking around.”
Ava’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yes. We have to make time for you, too.”
Carly stopped spreading out the train long enough to look Emilie in the eye. “You’re getting married, too?”
“Uh, yeah. We haven’t set a date or anything.”
“Sometime this fall right, Emilie? Winter at the latest? So, there’s not a lot of time. As soon as we’re done, I’m sure we’ll have time for you.”
Carly stood, but didn’t meet Emilie’s gaze. Ava was enough client for her at the moment.
“But for now, let’s focus on me,” Ava snapped. “I’m paying gobs of money for this perfect dress.” Emilie watched the skirt flare out when Ava spun in a circle, silently admiring how it moved and settled with ease. Then her friend lifted her arms and shoulders. Huh, the dress clung to her in all the wrong places. It was clearly a size too small.
“Are you sure it’s not too tight?” Even when Emilie chose her words carefully, Ava flinched.
“It wasn’t like this last time I tried it on. Carly, aren’t you supposed to tell me about these things before the final fitting?”
One glance at Carly’s face and it was clear she was equally annoyed. “I’ve told you several times this dress comes in larger sizes.”
With a quick turn on her heels, Ava stared into the mirrors. She gritted her teeth as she smoothed out the wrinkles in the dress. “This one fits me fine. I just ate too much for lunch. Don’t you think, Emilie?”
She had no idea what Ava ate for lunch, but salad was a safe bet. No wonder she was eating light. “It wouldn’t hurt to go up a size so you could be more comfortable.”
The soon-to-be bride stomped her foot like a toddler. Ava took her time stepping down from the platform and glared at Emilie. “I don’t want a bigger size. I can fit in this one just fine.”
Rip.
A tear in the fabric started at her hips and travelled up to her waist. Ava looked down and gaped. “My dress! What did you do?”
Carly shook her head while stepping forward. She leaned closer and squinted, inspecting the damage. “I can fix it. Probably.”
Black streams of tears and mascara streaked down Ava’s face. Emilie ran and grabbed a tissue and shoved it in Ava’s shaky hand.
“Thank you.” Ava’s voice was small as she turned away from the two of them. She whimpered as she studied herself in the mirror. After another moment of composure, she glowered at Carly in the mirror. “Okay, I’ll take the dress in a... different size.”
A heavy sigh came from Carly’s direction, though Emilie wasn’t sure if it was from relief or frustration.
“Get me out of this dress. Now!” Right there in the waiting room, Ava made Carly untie the bow, unzip the dress, and then help Ava climb out of it as if it was covered in ants. She twirled around in her dress slip. “Don’t tell anybody I couldn’t fit in it.” She faced Emilie and Carly with a glare.
Emilie looked at her nails instead of Ava’s angry face. The situation was getting out of control, and she would’ve sat there and stayed silent, but she wasn’t the old Emilie. “Ava, we’re not you. No one’s going to say anything. Stop getting mad at Carly for something you decided.” Oh, that felt good. She should’ve spoken her mind a long time ago.
Ava seemed as surprised as Emilie. “But... Emilie, you’re supposed to—”
“Support you. That doesn’t mean getting upset at the people who are helping you.”
Ava sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. “If I’m paying top dollar for this, it has to be the best, but you’re right, Emilie. Everyone here’s trying to help. Carly, let’s go.” She gripped the sides of her slip and headed to the dressing room.
Keeping her gaze on the floor, Carly grabbed the ruined dress and mumbled to herself all the way down the hallway.
Emilie sighed and sat on a bench in front of a row of bridesmaid dresses. They blurred into a fuzzy cloud as she stared straight ahead. Could she back out without hurting Ava? No, that was sure to ruin her attempt at closure. Why did she need it so much? Couldn’t she move on without mending every broken relationship?
Someone tapped her from behind, making her jump. Carly, and she was smiling brightly.
“Emilie, can I help you find something for your own wedding?”
“Oh, no.” Emilie’s fear of being caught rose in her throat and strangled her voice. “I-I’m not ready.”
Carly’s hopeful face turned into desperation. “Please. Please let me do this for you. Just try one.”
Emilie felt sorry for the younger girl. The job was probably her first one, and after dealing with Ava, she needed a boost. It wouldn’t hurt to try on a few dresses.
“Okay, but just a few. How about the one with a three-quarter sleeve I liked.”
After she gave Carly a few guidelines of what type of
dress she liked, she waited in another dressing room.
Ava’s voice carried through the thin walls. Emilie didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but her voice was hard not to hear.
“I can’t believe it either.” Ava’s screeches made Emilie’s back muscles tense. Couldn’t anything be easy with Ava? “I fit in that dress a few weeks ago, and I haven’t broken the diet once. Do you think she’ll charge me for the rip? I don’t think I can afford any more.”
Emilie clucked her tongue. Of course. If her money was on the line, she’d be stressed, too.
It was quiet for a second before Ava spoke again. “Finn, I really don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re my lifesaver.”
After another minute of hearing Ava gush, Emilie heard the thunk of her phone hitting the floor. Seconds later, Ava started crying.
Emilie paced the little stall. If she said anything about money, Ava would be embarrassed. Still, she couldn’t say nothing. Finally, she tapped on their shared wall.
“Ava, are you okay?”
It was painfully silent before Ava’s voice sounded through the walls. “Of course, I’m okay. Are you trying on dresses?”
Emilie sighed. Why was she putting on a brave face for her? “Yeah. Carly talked me into it.”
Ava mumbled something she couldn’t hear.
“I can help if you’re having”—Emilie lowered her voice to a quiet whisper—“money issues.”
Ava coughed and tapped the walls a few times. “What? No, I’m fine. I mean, if you have a couple of thousand dollars it wouldn’t hurt.”
Emilie paused, the silence deafening in her ears. So this was about money, and not just a small sum. Before she could answer, Ava laughed. “But I would die before taking from you. I’ve done enough harm already.”
Emilie wasn’t going to argue with her on that point. “Do you want to come in here?”
“Ah, I really shouldn’t. In fact, I’m late meeting Finn.”
Somehow she had to get Ava to stay. Trying on dresses alone was no fun. “You don’t want to see me in white before you leave?”
It was quiet again for a few seconds. “It’s better to be surprised. How about if I go to your final fitting?”
Blood pounded in her ears when she heard keys jangling and Ava’s dressing room door opening. “You’re leaving?” Despite how she felt, her voice sounded desperate.
“I’m sure you’ll be beautiful. I’ll see you tonight at the whale watch. Don’t forget. Five o’clock at South Pier.”
“Right. Okay, I’ll see you there.” Emilie worked to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Modeling dresses by herself was an even worse idea than trying them on in the first place.
“All right.” Carly knocked and then opened Emilie’s door with an armful of dresses. Her cheeks were red and her expression alive with excitement. “Let’s start.”
16
Dean
After work Dean took a shower, fixed a quick snack, and checked on a few things around the house. Even if his parents were visiting his sister and her kids in South Carolina, Dean would make sure they returned to an orderly house. Whenever that was. His parents had been in South Carolina for three months with no signs of returning.
His parents went wild for kids, and Dean couldn’t blame them. They were older when they married and had struggled to even have two kids. He looked forward to the day when he could start his own family.
In case the tour boat didn’t provide a sufficient dinner, Dean packed drinks, cold chicken, and chips in a cooler. Then, as an afterthought, he added some candy bars for dessert. Lastly, he grabbed two light jackets and packed everything in the bed of the truck. Ocean breezes could be cooler during summer nights.
He’d never admit it to Emilie, but he was more excited for the night than he should be. Thoughts of her had run wildly through his mind all week. He restrained himself whenever they were together, but he couldn’t do it anymore. If he didn’t tell her soon, he’d explode.
When he drove by her house to pick her up, her jeep wasn’t in the driveway. He looked at the time. She couldn’t still be at her wedding appointment with Ava, could she? Poor girl.
Sure enough, when he pulled up to Belle Bridal around three thirty, he saw her jeep parked in front. They had an hour to get to the right dock on time, though if they were left behind, Dean wouldn’t mind. A later tour with just the two of them sounded perfect.
He couldn’t help smiling as he walked into the dress shop. No one was up front, so he explored the shop on the way to the back where the dressing rooms must be. He prayed Ava was done with her dress fitting. Seeing her in white would make him gag.
Instead of finding Ava in front of the mirrors, he saw Emilie, head to toe in a white dress. She hadn’t seen him yet, so he covered his mouth, backed up, and hid around the corner. Emilie. His knees weakened as he thought about how the veil covered her silken hair and fell along her blushing cheekbones. Mysterious, innocent, attractive, beautiful… The most incredible creature in all her stunning glory. He didn’t want to startle her, but he couldn’t hide forever.
Dean took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself before creeping from his hiding spot. She was… He swallowed before he stepped forward. “Amazing.” The words left barely enough air in his lungs.
Her dress swished when she turned around. “You’re here?” He loved the way the red in her cheeks deepened.
It took a moment to calm himself, and when his heart wasn’t racing, Dean walked to her and captured her small hand. It was warm and clammy despite how cool the room was. “It’s time to head to the whale watch tour. Your car wasn’t at your house, so I came here.”
She glanced at the dresses scattered around the room. They were beautiful, even on the floor, but his favorite was her current dress.
“This is Carly,” Emilie said, introducing the sales clerk.
Carly’s cheeks were flushed with color, but she beamed up at him. “You must be the fiancé.”
Emilie met his gaze again and winked.
“I am. Have you ladies had fun today?” he asked.
“I think we found the right dress, sir.”
He silently agreed, but raised his eyebrows. “The one?”
Emilie shrugged. “We haven’t set a date, honey, but when we’re ready...” She gave him a pointed look.
“Right, honey. It looks great.” He focused his attention on Carly to keep from smiling too widely. “Is there a way to remember which one she wants?”
“I’ll keep it on file,” Carly said. “I don’t like to rush people, so please take your time.” She grabbed an armful of dresses and swept out of the room.
“She’s really nice.” Emilie turned back to the mirror and ran a hand down the satin skirt. “It’s pretty, huh?”
“It’s the best-looking dress I’ve ever seen.” His eyes followed her hand while it slid down the satin skirt.
“It’s just... it’s every girl’s dream to try one on. I like all of them, but this one fits perfectly.”
Dean shoved his shaky hands in his pockets. Being Emilie’s fake fiancé was more real to him than any relationship he’d had, and he wanted to tell her, only he wasn’t sure how. That evening he needed to tell her everything. Seeing her in that dress in front of God and loved ones would be the best thing that could happen to him.
“It was fun.” Her voice distracted him from his thoughts. “I only wish Mom could’ve been here.”
“Me too.” He helped her down from the step and gave her hand a squeeze before she returned to the dressing room.
As he waited for Emilie to change, he leaned back against one of the couches and closed his eyes while images of her dancing in the white dress played across his eyelids.
Mere minutes passed before something brushed his lips. He barely opened his eyes and grinned up at his girl.
She grinned, only inches away from his face. “Time to go, Sleeping Manly.”
He tried to grab her, but she escaped his hands. “What kind o
f kiss was that? We need more practice.” He laughed.
“That was only to wake you up.” She giggled and led the way out of the store.
He took a few steadying breaths to calm his racing heart. Maybe tonight’s talk would be easier than he figured.
She turned. “Shouldn’t we go? We have a long drive.” She flitted toward his truck, her sundress swinging as she walked.
He shook his head. Head out of the clouds, Dean.
Before stepping into the cab, he grabbed the food in the back and took an extra minute to calm down. The next few hours would be spent with Emilie. In the eyes of everyone else, they were engaged, and he had every right to hold her. But he couldn’t, not yet. Every time he touched her, his desire to do it again increased. Until he knew how she felt, holding back was a better idea.
He made the firm decision to keep a safe distance until they talked. “Here’s some food so you don’t starve.” He passed the cooler over and then crawled into the cab.
Emilie’s eyes lit up. “You are my hero.” She unzipped the cooler, pulled out a soda, and downed half of it before he’d even started the truck.
He pulled onto the street and headed toward the coastal highway. “Trying on dresses took it all out of you, huh?”
“Mmm.” She dug into a bag of chips.
Dean grabbed a chicken leg, and the two of them ate in silence, listening to music and occasionally pointing out something new that’d popped up in the small towns that lined the coast.
Curiosity got the best of him, and he finally asked. “How was the dress fitting with Ava? I thought she would’ve stayed longer.”
Emilie huffed. “I thought she would, but she was too upset.”
She spent the rest of the drive reviewing every detail. None of it surprised Dean. Not the fact that Ava was snappy with the dressmaker, had asked Emilie to be her maid of honor, or was worried about money. He should’ve figured Ava would ditch Emilie before she even had a chance to try on one dress.
Instead of speaking his mind, he kept his thoughts to himself. He’d be the dutiful friend, nodding and agreeing at all the right times, all the while hating that Emilie made the decision to reunite with such a selfish person.
