by J. C. Reed
“If you say so.” Jude looked unconvinced but didn’t comment.
Twenty minutes later, we were ready to go. During the drive I recapped to Jude last night’s events, leaving out the vital details: that a man almost raped me, that Chase drove me to his special place, and that way too intimate things happened between us.
I omitted practically everything, which left Jude with the impression that Chase had picked me up, we had fast food at the drive-thru, and then he drove me home.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
There was something about Chase that I just didn’t want to share every moment we spent together—maybe because I wanted to keep it all to myself until I could tell for sure where we were heading.
Of course I felt bad about keeping secrets from Jude, but I made a mental promise to tell her everything once things became less complicated.
Chapter 9
The bridal shop was tucked between a dog spa and a hairdresser’s advertising quick barber’s cuts for five bucks. Not exactly the type of place you’d usually expect to buy your wedding gown from, but I was strapped for cash and so, I figured, this might just be the only place where I could find something affordable for the ‘big day,’ which was what I had told Jude when she offered to play the fake bridesmaid part by helping me find the best dress I could afford for my budget.
I cringed at the word. It implied I was frugal, strapped for cash, maybe even stingy.
Budget.
I hated it almost as much as the word poor, because it was associated with too many negative connotations, so I had settled for the word affordable.
“Are you kidding me?” Jude wrinkled her nose in obvious disgust. “Affordable is not the word you should be using in such a situation. It’s your marriage, not dry cleaning.” A few passersby turned to regard her, taking in her business suit and stilettos, the oversized sunglasses perched on her head, and the designer scarf tied around her flawless neck. My old business suit fitted her like a sheath, hugging her curves in all the right places and riding up her long legs. Needless to say, it suited her way better than it did me. She looked like a high-flying Californian lawyer that would soon be featured in Forbes, while I usually looked like a frumpy mess. Add that knowledge to the fact that I was about to get married to Chase in cheap polyester and I could already see a huge cloud of depression hovering over my head.
“How has your week been at work?” I asked, eager to draw the attention back to her. No matter how late Jude had arrived home the night before and how many margaritas she had downed, knowing her, she probably had gotten up at five as usual to check on her blog and entertain the gazillions of Facebook fans she had accumulated.
“You know me. I can’t talk about it.” She waved her hand.
She was being superstitious, as usual, and she wasn’t going to talk about it so she wouldn’t jinx it.
“Got it,” I said, pushing the door to the bridal shop open.
A bell above the door chimed in a pleasant tinkling sound.
“I’m Casey. Can I help you?” A shop assistant in her mid- to late twenties ambled over, a bored expression on her face.
“She’s getting married,” Jude said, pointing at me.
Casey’s gaze snapped in my direction and her eyes narrowed on me, probably taking my measurements already. “We cater to every bride’s need. When’s the big day?”
“In two, three weeks max,” I said, and almost toppled over from embarrassment as I caught the knowing expression in her eyes. Her gaze traveled down my abdomen, then back up to my face.
“I’m not pregnant,” I hurried to add.
Casey inclined her head and smiled sweetly, probably not believing a word I had said. After all, wasn’t an unexpected pregnancy the main reason why most people got married nowadays?
“They only met, like, a week ago,” Jude said, not really helping. “Literally.”
I shot her an irritated look but she just shrugged.
“Great,” Casey said, a little bit too excited. “We won’t have to worry about a bloated abdomen, then. Did you have anything in mind? Maybe a silhouette you’ve been dreaming of since you were a girl? Here at Wedding Bells I’m sure you’ll find the right dress.”
I shook my head, slightly intimidated by the sudden knowledge that choosing a gown was yet another step toward this marriage. Soon there would be no turning back.
Run, Hanson.
But instead of following my brain’s extremely wise command, I stood rooted to the spot, frozen in time and space, unable to utter a single word.
“She’s never been the marrying kind, you know.” Jude laughed. “It sort of jumped into her lap.”
“Okay,” Casey said, drawing out a paper pad. “In that case, I’ll ask you a couple of questions to determine what you’re looking for as we go along. Sound good?”
“Absolutely,” Jude exclaimed for me.
Wow, she really did want me to go through with it.
No pressure, at all.
“Can you please follow me to the showroom?” Casey ushered us along, her voice oozing pride. “You’ll find we store almost all brands in all sizes for each and everyone.”
We followed her through the showroom to the back, where the shop seemed to extend into a warehouse. I had never seen so many clothes. Rows and rows of white and cream fabric seemed to stretch on forever. To my right was a selection of gowns in colors raging from pastels to bold red and black. Some were short; others cascaded onto the floor in a multitude of ruffles. All I could do was stare—and not out of excitement. I was completely and utterly overwhelmed. I never thought a wedding dress would come in so many variations.
Where the heck would I even begin?
“Not bad,” Jude said, nodding appreciatively. “We should be done in half an hour. An hour tops.”
Casey smiled politely. “Let’s get started, then.” She opened her notebook and looked up at me. “Do you want short or long?”
“Ah—” I opened my mouth to speak, but Jude cut me off.
“I was thinking long. But—” She drew a sharp breath and let it out in a loud huff. “She has nice legs and it would be a shame if she didn’t show them, so short would work for us, too.”
Casey jotted down every word. “Long but we’re not ruling out short.”
“Exactly.” I nodded.
“Okay.” Casey peered around the warehouse and then began to move racks around, all the while asking more questions. “What about the color? Do you want to go with traditional white? Off-white? Cream? Or something bolder? Some brides like red for good luck.”
I hesitated as I tried to imagine myself in a wedding gown. White always washed me out. Anything pastel only managed to emphasize the tiny freckles on my face. But I couldn’t possibly go with a bright color. Not if I wanted Clint and everyone else to buy my bluff.
“We like white,” Jude said. “And off-white.” She held a piece of fabric up to my face and squinted. “Cream, too.”
“So, nothing too bold.” Casey scribbled furiously, her gaze focused on the notepad.
“Actually—”
I cut Jude off. “No. It has to look like a real wedding. I need to have a traditional white dress.”
Casey looked up sharply, and for a moment I thought I saw suspicion in her eyes. Jude let out a shrill laugh.
“You just made it sound like you’re only marrying to get a visa,” Jude said, patting my back with a hint of nervousness. “You’re hilarious.”
Oh my God. I could have killed her. Casey’s gaze darted toward the door, and for a second I thought she might just dash out and call the immigration office. Trust Jude to say something that might just get me arrested.
“Funny.” I smirked. “Can we finish, please? What other questions do you have for me?”
“Sleeves, cut?” Casey said after a long, hesitant pause.
No idea.
I looked at Jude for help, but she kept her mouth shut.
“Well, I think I’ll go with sleeves,�
�� I said. “Long sleeves made of chiffon or organza.”
“Bad idea, Laurie. It’s too hot. Better go with short,” Jude cut in, turning to Casey as she smiled and stepped forward, ready to take over again. “She has a problem with her upper arms, so, naturally, she tries to hide them with sleeves. But straps would look good on her, too. Maybe even backless. Or halter top.“ She eyed me up and down. Her eyes narrowed knowingly, then she scanned the racks.
“Something sexy that isn’t too old-fashioned. Something like…” Frowning in concentration, Jude began sifting through the racks furiously, pulling at the plastic covering most of the dresses. “Empire waist to emphasize her cleavage. Or a corset.”
As Jude continued her chatter, Casey’s pen flew over the paper effortlessly. At some point I tuned out, realizing Casey had stopped writing and was just nodding politely, wide-eyed. Eventually, Jude stopped and Casey asked us to wait in the showroom while she put together a possible selection of gowns that I might like.
To be honest, I was surprised Casey had not thrown us out yet, what with Jude’s pointing at countless dresses and not able to make up her mind on what we really wanted.
“This is exciting and so much fun,” Jude said as we took our seats patiently.
I wasn’t convinced, not least because my head was throbbing and I couldn’t picture myself dressed in a wedding gown, let alone walking down the aisle. It all seemed like a surreal dream—pleasant, but a dream nonetheless. However, I was thankful for Jude’s help, so I smiled and watched her type on her smartphone, probably tweeting to the whole world about her experience.
At least twenty minutes passed before Casey returned pushing in a rack with gowns, and then another, and one more—all based on the questionnaire she had filled out for me.
“Didn’t she say she was going to pick just a few dresses for you? I guess someone’s having a tough time making decisions,” Jude whispered to me, and stashed her phone back inside her handbag, ready to give the dress her entire attention.
“Well, since you couldn’t really give me any pointers,” Casey said, shooting me an exasperated look, “I had to choose something from everything.”
“That’s not true,” Jude said defiantly. “We know exactly what we’re looking for, don’t we, Laurie? And we’re in a hurry, so if we can’t find anything here, we’ll have to look elsewhere. And that would be such a shame, because…” She left the rest hanging in the air. Poor Casey’s face turned ashen. I could almost see her thoughts written across her forehead. Trying to find the right dress for me, she’d messed up the entire warehouse and now she feared we’d leave without purchasing anything.
“All right,” Casey said, pointing to a rack. “This one caught your attention right from the beginning.” She gave Jude an exasperated look as she pointed to the other racks. “The rest is supposed to match your questionnaire. I suggest you go through them, and pick out what you like so we can narrow your choice down a bit.”
“These look great. Thank you,” I said, scanning the selection of gowns, and stood to inspect them closer. My fingers brushed over chiffon sheaths and countless yards of tulle, and settled on a cream silk dress with a ribboned embroidered bodice. No tulle. No ruffles. No trail. Just a pure, clean silhouette that I could wear anywhere, which, for some reason, mattered.
“It’s beautiful.” I nodded slowly, astonished by how soft the fabric was.
“Good choice, Laurie. It’s absolutely stunning,” Jude whispered behind me. “You should try it on.”
While she took a seat outside the fitting room, sipping the glass of champagne Casey had offered her, I slipped on the dress. The moment I stepped outside, I could her Jude swallow down a huge gulp of champagne, and for a moment I feared the worst.
“What?” I asked anxiously, my hands brushing nervously over the silky fabric. Both Jude and Casey had become quiet as they stared at me. After what seemed like an eternity, Jude stood and inched closer, pressing her hand against her chest.
“You have to have it, Laurie,” she whispered. “It’s perfect.”
I knew that tone and the slight tremor in her voice. She was mesmerized, just like I was. Completely sold. And she wouldn’t stop talking about it until one of us purchased it.
Chapter 10
“It really is,” I agreed. Even though I wasn’t exactly an expert in fashion, I could tell this was no ordinary dress. I had never seen such extravagance in something so simple. I could already see myself in it, walking down the aisle with Chase waiting at the altar, giving me the ‘wow’ look and then kissing me in that dress.
Holy cow!
Where did that come from? For a bride who didn’t want to get married, I was getting way too much into this. But I didn’t mind. This dress would be mine for one day and I’d feel amazing in it. It might not be the wedding of a lifetime, but it would be my first wedding, and while fake, it would be with the first man who proposed such a sordid idea to me.
“When people fall in love at first sight with a dress, it’s usually meant for them,” Jude said in delight when I returned, the dress wrapped over my arm. “It’s absolutely perfect, Laurie. You have to buy it.”
“Okay. I’ll take it.”
“I agree. It’s perfect for you,” Casey chimed in, reaching for it. “Don’t wait, or you’ll regret it. You’ll look like a million dollars.”
From all the things she could have said, this was the most clichéd…but I didn’t mind. The dress was beautiful, and I had no doubt it would look amazing on any woman of any shape and on any day of any season. I reached for the cream material, marveling again at how soft it felt between my fingers, and then the tag caught my eye.
“Vera Wang?” Jude and I exclaimed in unison.
Of course it had to be by one of the most expensive fashion designers in the world.
My mouth dropped open as I glimpsed the price, and for a moment I thought it might be a joke, because no dress could possibly be so expensive. Silence ensued in the room as a lump suddenly rose in my throat. For a few moments I could barely breathe.
The gorgeous dress would never be mine. Not in a million years, because I couldn’t afford it. Chase would never see how good it fitted me.
I stared at the dress until Jude’s words pulled me out of my mounting depression.
“I thought it was a bargain shop,” Jude said half accusingly, turning to Casey, her face a reproachful mask, as if she was to blame.
I peered at Casey, who stood rooted to the spot, a tight smile on her lips.
“It is.” She nodded slowly. “It’s fifty per cent off. We could even arrange a loan for you.” Her expression was unperturbed, as though she had experienced such a reaction before. Given the price tag, no surprise there.
Her gaze traveled from Jude and settled on me questioningly, as she waited for my answer. Did she really think that women who couldn’t afford such luxury would take out a loan to get it?
Probably—if it were a real wedding.
For a moment I felt almost tempted to do the same.
But it wasn’t a real wedding in my case. I had to keep that tiny detail in mind.
“I cannot afford it,” I said. “Do you have something more affordable?”
Oh, how I hated the word.
“You heard the bride-to-be. We cannot afford it,” Jude said. She sounded so stressed out that I turned to her.
“It’s just a dress, Jude. I’m sure there are others that will fit me just as well,” I remarked weakly, even though I knew nothing I could possibly say would make Jude feel better. When she knew there was something I liked, she had to have it for me. There simply was no other way.
“But you said it’s the perfect dress,” Jude whispered, and turned to Casey with a scowl, grabbing the dress as if it was the holy grail of marriages or the only path to redemption. “We need to have it. Give me solutions. Give me something I can work with. Maybe another fifty per cent discount?” She laughed, even though I could hear the gravity in her voice.
&n
bsp; “Maybe your parents or the groom’s parents would like to pay,” Casey suggested, oblivious to Jude’s pleading glance.
I shook my head and shot her a warning glance. There was no point in getting upset over a dress, was there? And yet Jude’s eyes darted across the shiny floor as her mind searched for possibilities. I had no doubt she’d soon come up with some absurd idea. I could even imagine her just grabbing the dress and simply walking out of the shop without paying.
I laughed inwardly. It was the last thing I needed.
“Can we maybe rent it?” Jude persisted. “I mean, it would be just for one day.”
Casey smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry. We can’t because it’s a designer dress. That would break our company policy, but we have other, cheaper gowns, which might be to your liking. We have imports from China, which unfortunately all come in one size fits all, but that doesn’t mean you won’t look gorgeous in one of them.”
“What crappy policy is that?” Jude asked. “You should offer the option of borrowing. People with little money should be able to wear designer clothes.”
“It’s not that kind of shop,” Casey said, keeping her cool.
Jude scowled and opened her mouth, then shut it again.
I pulled at her arm. If I didn’t manage to stop Jude anytime soon, Casey might just throw us out. I figured the faster we got out of here, the better. Because soon I’d have to pry Jude off this dress with a screwdriver.
“We’ll think about it. Thanks.” I yanked at Jude’s arm again, without much success, then tried to force the dress out of her hand, but Jude’s grip remained surprisingly firm.
“You could charge it to your credit card,” Jude said, turning to me, desperate for any solution.
“It’s maxed out, Jude.” I must have mentioned that countless times, together with the fact that I could barely make my minimum repayments, and yet she still grimaced.
“So is mine this month. Dammit.” She tapped her fingers against her lips in thought. “Let’s charge an entrance fee, then. Everyone who wants to attend the wedding ceremony is required to make a down payment toward the dress.”
