“Your mom’s doing it in three months and my mom would help.” He leaned toward her. “Or we could skip the big event and have a destination wedding. The Caribbean or Hawaii. Then have a giant celebration party in the spring. That way we could invite everybody.”
Because the four hundred he’d mentioned before wasn’t everybody?
“My head is spinning,” she admitted. “I need to think about this.”
“Take all the time you need,” he told her as he kissed her. “Or at least a week. This is going to be great. You’ll see. The third time’s the charm, Sienna. I just know it.”
* * *
“I’ve ordered the shoes already,” Maggie said. “So the dress is going to have to work with them.”
Betty Grable—no relation to the 1940s movie star—stared at Maggie. “You bought your shoes before your wedding gown?”
Courtney wanted to tell the transplanted thirtysomething that there was no point in trying to understand Maggie-logic. Easier to simply go with it.
“Wedding dresses always need alterations,” she said, stepping between her mother and the brunette salesperson. “At least that’s what I’ve picked up from my Say Yes to the Dress marathons.” She smiled at Betty. “You’d know a lot more about that than we would. Wouldn’t any pair of shoes work as long as the dress isn’t too short to begin with? If it’s going to have to be hemmed anyway, what’s the problem?”
“I suppose that’s true,” Betty admitted, still sounding doubtful.
“Mom, didn’t you bring a pair of shoes that are the same height?” Courtney asked. “Be sure you wear those when you’re trying on the dresses so we can all have an idea of the end look.”
Rachel leaned close. “Nicely done. You defused that potential powder keg beautifully.”
“Thanks. I’ve worked with a lot of fussy people at the hotel.”
They were at For the Bride, the only wedding gown shop for a hundred miles. Despite being in the middle of a small town, the store had a very upscale clientele. Betty was known for getting in beautiful samples and having tons of contacts in New York and San Francisco. Whether your budget was three hundred or thirty thousand, Betty provided a one-stop go-to bridal gown experience.
Maggie had made her appointment right after Neil had popped the question and several weeks before the engagement party. She’d informed her three daughters they were expected to be there for the full five hours. Yes, an initial consultation really could take that long, she shared. At least Betty would provide lunch, Courtney thought. And the hangover from the previous weekend’s margarita-fest was long over.
While the morning after—one spent with a massive headache and roiling stomach—was firmly etched in her brain, the evening that had caused it was a little fuzzier. She remembered the dinner at her mom’s, how Sienna had annoyed her and the unfortunate consumption of too many margaritas. It was the part after that had her confused.
She knew Rachel had driven her back to the hotel and that she’d met up with Quinn. The bits that followed were more of a blur. There had been water and Oreo cookies, and she was pretty sure Quinn had told her he’d written the lyrics she’d had tattooed on her back. But the rest of it... Not so much with the details.
She was hoping that her asking Quinn for sex had happened in her head rather than in life. Either way, she’d ended up in her bed. Alone. Which meant either she hadn’t asked the question or he’d been a gentleman. While she believed that he was a nice guy who didn’t take advantage of drunk women, she was really hoping that the topic had never actually come up. Only, she was kind of afraid it had.
“Based on our phone conversation and the Pinterest pictures you sent me, I’ve pulled several samples for you to try on,” Betty told Maggie. “You’re not expected to find your dress today. In fact, if you fall in love with one, I’m not going to let you buy it. This is the most important decision you’re going to make about your wedding. You have to be sure. You have to love it.”
“Now look who’s defusing the situation,” Courtney said in a low voice.
Rachel grinned. “Maybe this will be fun.”
“Don’t tempt fate with that kind of talk.”
They laughed.
“Let’s get started,” Betty said. “Maggie, you’re in this dressing room here.”
She led their mother through wide double doors. The three sisters settled into comfortable chairs in the waiting area. Sienna pulled out her tablet, opened the cover and then frowned. “There’s no Wi-Fi.”
Rachel pointed to a small sign on the wall.
There is no Wi-Fi available. Today is about the bride.
“I’m not sure if that makes me like Betty more or less,” Courtney admitted. “Either way, you have to respect her style.”
“I just wanted to check work emails,” Sienna grumbled. “Seth is contacting donors about the new property we want to buy. I have to be able to give him input.”
“You could call him,” Rachel offered.
“She probably has cell service blocked,” Sienna grumbled.
Rachel grinned. “I would have to agree with you.”
Sienna looked at Courtney. “Do you know Joyce’s grandson? The rich music guy?”
“Quinn?” Courtney hoped she asked the question with the right amount of polite disinterest. “He’s staying at the hotel, so I’ve seen him around.”
Not a lie, she told herself. She had seen him around. She might have asked him to have sex with her, but no one needed to know that.
“I wonder if he’d be open to hearing a presentation about what we’re doing,” Sienna said. “Getting another duplex would be huge for us. That’s at least two more families who’ll be safe. Or if we use one of the properties for women without kids, then three victims could stay there at a time.”
Courtney felt the familiar tendrils of guilt coil through her. While she wasn’t sure how to define her relationship with Quinn, she supposed she did know him well enough to introduce him to her sister. And it was for a good cause.
“Talk to Joyce,” Rachel interjected. “Get her on board, then let her go after Quinn. He adores his grandmother and I suspect he would do anything for her.”
“What makes you say that?” Sienna asked.
“The way she talks about him when I see her. They’re close.”
“She’s right,” Courtney said quickly, mentally apologizing for throwing her boss under the bus. “She could really go to work on him.”
The double doors to the dressing room opened and Betty came out.
“Your mother requested dresses that weren’t white. So cream, ecru and ivory are our main choices. We can do a special order in blush, if that’s what she prefers. Time is tight, but there are a couple of designers who can be pushed a little. For a fee, of course.”
Betty stepped aside and Maggie walked into the main part of the salon.
Courtney hadn’t known what to expect. She’d seen pictures of her mother’s first marriage to Courtney’s dad. Maggie had worn a long-sleeved gown with a full A-line skirt. There’d been a bit of lace, but for the most part the dress had been plain. This dress was anything but.
The strapless champagne-colored dress clung from bust to knees. It was completely covered with a beautiful lace that had a slight sparkle. From the knees to the floor was a huge pouf of rippling champagne-colored fabric. Courtney didn’t know enough about wedding dresses to know if it was satin or something else that was shiny. The pouf formed a bit of a train.
The sisters stared as Maggie walked to the dais and stepped up in front of the huge mirror. As Maggie studied herself, Courtney saw that the dress dipped low in back.
“That’s got to be one amazing bra,” Rachel murmured.
“It’s doing the job,” Maggie said, turning to the left, then the right. “But it’s not comfort
able. I don’t know. What do you three think?”
“You’re stunning,” Courtney said, telling herself that she came from a really good gene pool. She might be freakishly tall, but at least she would most likely age well.
Sienna walked closer. “It’s pretty, Mom, but the color is wrong. Champagne isn’t in your palette. I doubt this dress can be special ordered in time. There’s a lot of custom work in it.”
“She’s right,” Betty informed them. “You would have to take it in this color. You could, of course, adjust your wedding palette.”
“No,” Maggie said firmly. “I won’t do that. I like this, but I worry it’s too young for me.”
“You have the body,” Rachel told her. “I’m seriously bitter. You’re in great shape, Mom.”
Courtney took in the amount of bare skin and had to admit her mother was right. While she could physically carry it off, it didn’t seem...appropriate somehow. Not that she was going to walk through that minefield. Still, it was her mother’s wedding and she should be happy.
“Let me try on something else,” Maggie said and stepped down.
Two hours and several more gowns later, Maggie came out in a simple lace gown that had thin shoulder straps and a U-shaped neckline. The heavily beaded fabric followed the lines of her body until the hips, where it fell to the floor in a gentle flare. Beadwork and lace covered every inch, and the beads had a distinct pink cast.
The bodice wasn’t particularly low, and in the back it more than covered a regular bra strap.
“That works,” Sienna said. “It’s really nice, Mom.”
Courtney nodded in agreement. “I like the way the skirt forms a train. It’s not too long, but it makes a statement.”
“The color’s right, too,” Rachel added. “Well within the palette.”
“One to consider.” Maggie turned in a slow circle, then stopped and pointed out the window. “Oh, my.”
They all looked. Courtney moved to get a better view, then felt her mouth drop open when she saw a familiar blue Bentley pull up at a red light by the store.
She wasn’t sure what was more eye-catching—the convertible with the top down, the handsome man driving it or the blonde poodle sitting next to him in the passenger seat.
As if sensing their attention, Quinn glanced in their direction, then waved. Pearl turned as well, showing off her pink, sparkly Doggles.
“You know,” Maggie said slowly, “it takes a very secure man to pull that off, but damn if he doesn’t do it.”
Courtney had to agree. Only Quinn, she thought with a smile as the light turned green and he drove away.
Maggie walked over to the mirror, where they all studied the gown.
“It’s a contender,” she said after they’d discussed various ways to bustle the train for the reception. “Would I be able to buy the sample?”
“Of course. We’d have it cleaned, then fitted to you. I’ll put it aside for you, but you can’t buy it. Not on the first day.” She smiled. “Now, you must all be exhausted. Let’s break for lunch. I have a few more gowns for you to try on after you rest for a bit.”
The store had a small patio, where a table was set up. There were box lunches offering different salads, along with some cut-up fruit and cheese. Maggie put on a white terry-cloth robe Betty provided and joined them.
“That last dress was the best,” Rachel said as she passed out the lunches. “What did you think, Mom?”
“It’s beautiful, but I’m not sure it’s the one.”
“On the shows I watch, all the brides say they know when they’re trying on the right dress,” Courtney said. “If they’re right, you have to wait for the feeling.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m too old for that kind of thing to happen.”
“Mom, you’re not old,” Rachel said. “You look amazing and you’re in love. You’ll know the dress when you find it.”
“You’re right. It’s too early to be discouraged.” Maggie picked up a fork. “Courtney, I have a few more ideas for the wedding.”
“Of course you do. Go ahead, frighten me. I can take it.”
“Nothing that should be scary.” Maggie paused, then grinned. “All right, that might not be true. I was thinking we could get a hot air balloon to take people over the ocean.”
“Like parasailing?” Sienna asked. “What if people are afraid of heights or get motion sickness?”
“Then they don’t have to go.”
Courtney met Sienna’s gaze and nodded. “I’m with you. I think that might be a bit much. But if you’re looking for a way to make the day special, what about a different kind of guest book? Instead of having people simply sign a book, we have cards made.”
She held up her hands so her index fingers and thumbs formed a circle about six inches across. “They’re about this big. We’d use a good quality card stock that we have cut into a jigsaw puzzle. People write their messages on the puzzle, break it up into pieces and put them in an envelope for you and Neil to assemble later. It’s fun for them and fun for you.”
Maggie clapped her hands together. “I love that. Yes. I want that for sure. What else? Oh, did I tell you I want to use that photo table runner at the wedding?”
“Actually, the place where I got it can also make it as your runner, so you could use it down the center aisle for the wedding.”
“Perfect,” Maggie said. “Now, what about a video confessional booth? People could share their deepest, darkest secrets.”
The sisters exchanged looks.
“Maybe not,” Rachel told her. “There’s a little too much drinking at events like this.”
“I know,” Maggie said with a grin. “That’s the best part.”
* * *
Lunch passed quickly. Sienna listened more than she spoke as the others made plans for the wedding. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested so much as she was terrified of having the conversation shift to her engagement. She still hadn’t come to terms with what had happened and she sure didn’t want to talk about it.
Maggie sighed. “Neil’s a good one. I got lucky when I met him.” Her expression was thoughtful. “I’ll admit I almost didn’t go out with him because he’s shorter than me. Isn’t that silly?”
She reached for a strawberry. “Your father was just so handsome. I was totally smitten from the first moment I saw him. Neil took a while to grow on me.”
“Were you always happy with Dad?” Rachel asked. “I don’t remember much, but I feel like you fought a lot.”
Maggie looked startled. “We had our issues, of course, but...” She paused. “I never know what to say,” she admitted. “About your father. He’s been gone so long. He was a good man, and he loved you, but he wasn’t all that concerned about taking care of us. The lack of life insurance for one. I still can’t believe we lost our house.”
“You took care of us,” Rachel said quickly. “Look where you are now.”
“I know, but it was so hard. I was terrified every second of every day. I was just a secretary at the company. He was the accountant. When he died, nearly every client left. The bills piled up. If Joyce hadn’t taken us in, I don’t know what we would have done. It was horrible.”
Courtney reached for Maggie’s hand. “For what it’s worth, I don’t remember much about that time. So I wasn’t traumatized.”
“I loved the hotel,” Sienna added. “It was so much fun. Everyone looked out for us. You didn’t fail, Mom. It wasn’t your fault.”
It had been their father’s fault, Sienna thought. Although she’d heard bits and pieces of the story all her life, she’d never much thought about how hard everything must have been for Maggie.
David wouldn’t do that, she told herself. He wouldn’t leave her destitute with three children. He would take care of her.
Ma
ybe she should learn from her mother’s story. The fact that Neil hadn’t blown her away at the beginning of their relationship. That love at first sight had turned out to be, if not a mistake, then problematic.
She glanced down at her engagement ring. The ugly setting was growing on her...at least a little. Maybe she would learn to love it.
Courtney looked at her phone. “We should get back to the dresses, Mom. You want to have as big a selection to choose from as possible.”
“You’re right, darling. Let’s head back to the salt mines.”
Maggie stood and motioned for Courtney to lead the way. Sienna thought about how Courtney had had so many ideas for the wedding itself. As if she was handling everything. It wasn’t bluster, either. Courtney seemed to know exactly what she was doing. How strange.
“Sienna?” Betty put a hand on her arm. “Your fiancé called this morning and talked to me about dresses.”
Sienna honest to God didn’t know what to say. “David?” she asked weakly. “I told him what I was doing, but...” She swallowed. “I’m sorry. What did he say?”
“We talked ideas.” Betty looked pleased. “He’s very interested in your wedding plans. That’s so unusual. Most grooms simply want to show up. You’re a very lucky bride.”
Was that what they were calling it? “Ah, thank you.”
“There’s one dress in particular he would like you to try on. I happen to have it, so if you’re game...”
“This is my mom’s day,” she said quickly. “I don’t want to take away from that.”
“I’m sure your mother will enjoy sharing the fun. I’ve put the gown in the other dressing room. If you’ll follow me.”
She didn’t know what to do. Saying no was the obvious solution, but then when David asked, what was she going to tell him? Knowing her mother, she knew that Maggie would be delighted to have company. As for what her sisters would think, well, she had no idea.
She walked into the dressing room area. Rachel and Courtney were already sitting together on one of the love seats. For a second Sienna felt a familiar stab of envy. They’d always been the closest two. Despite their age difference, or maybe because of it, they were the ones who looked out for each other. She was the odd sister out.
Daughters of the Bride Page 15
