by Maggie Ryan
“Do you think you can do that?” Ever asked when she was finished.
Ange nodded. “Yes, I’ll need to buy a few new pans but I love the square shapes. Set off center, the tiers will be dramatic and yet still traditional. Since you don’t want fondant, how about some pretty piping and fresh flowers instead? I know some brides are shying away from flowers these days, but I think they are so pretty when not overdone.”
“I think that will be beautiful. I trust you implicitly, Ange. I’m not a prisoner to current trends and your piping is fabulous. What do think, Rob?”
Rob agreed the cake would be lovely and placed his order for a rich chocolate cake for the groom’s table. The three stood and Ever gave Ange a hug and Rob gave her an order for a dozen cupcakes to go stating he couldn’t help himself after tasting the samples.
Ever and Rob, box in hand, had almost made it to the door when Ange asked about the dress. Ever ignored Rob’s groan as she explained there was no dress but that she was almost positive there would be one by the time she walked down the aisle.
“Well, I agree with Jenna and Char. You should talk to Tory. She is a marvel with wedding dresses. Every bride I know who has used her couldn’t be happier.”
Ever gave Ange another hug and promised she’d think about it. As they walked back to their car, she turned to Rob. “What is it about that woman? Everyone sings her praises and yet I didn’t find her the least bit friendly. I mean, you were there – did she seem excited about helping me?”
“Babe, I can’t say as I wasn’t there for the initial meeting. However, she did seem concerned and a bit frantic when I met her. I put it down to her shutting down her store. You’ve heard nothing but great things from your other friends. I’m thinking perhaps you two just clashed on a bad day.” When she started to speak, he held up his hand. “I’m not saying you have to go back, I’m stating you might want to seriously think about it or go ahead and find your dress so that you can close the subject.”
“Well, Vi and I are going to look tomorrow. We’ve got the invitations and cake ordered. Flowers and a photographer are next. Aren’t you sorry we didn’t just elope?”
Rob opened the car door and as she moved to slip inside, he ran his hand across the back of her jeans. “Nope, I’m thinking all this hassle is going to pay off when I bend you over for a proper Corbin’s Bend wedding spanking.”
Ever giggled as she took her seat and he handed her the bakery box. “Trust some man to come up with that idea. Where else does a man spank his bride instead of kissing her after they are pronounced man and wife?”
“Why do you think I insisted we get married here? I knew it would be the perfect way to start a proper marriage. I promise you’ll get plenty of kisses as well.” He started the car and turned to grin at her. “And, young lady, I fully expect to see some sexy lingerie under whatever dress you wind up wearing.”
She shook her head and felt her panties grow a bit damp. It had been a rough first week but having him home every day was catching them up on lost time. They made love at least once a day and yet she was ready to strip his clothes off and pounce on him right now. Evidently her thoughts weren’t as hidden as she thought because as soon as the box had been put onto the kitchen table, Rob scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. She giggled as he tossed her onto the bed. Now this was more like it. She quickly stripped off her clothes as Rob did the same. As he joined her on the bed, his mouth descending onto hers, she knew thinking of future plans could wait – she’d much rather think about all the delicious ways her future husband had to keep his bride content.
Ever tried to control her anger as she stared across the counter. “What do you mean brides are seen by appointment only? How in the hell can you run a business that way?”
“Miss, I just work here,” the teenager behind the counter said. “I don’t make the rules, I just follow them. Now, would you care to make an appointment?”
Before Ever could answer, Violet spoke. “Yes, please. When is your next opening?”
“Let me get the consultant,” Jenny said, hurrying out from behind the counter and scurrying away though Ever could swear she heard the word ‘Bridezilla’ being mumbled.
“Take a deep breath, Ever,” Violet said. “No need to scare her to death.”
“Vi, this is ridiculous. There are racks and racks of dresses in here. Why can’t we just pick out a few and try them on?”
“Because it would be a miracle to find one that fit you perfectly. You need someone to give you advice and to make sure it can be altered correctly and on time. Just calm down and let’s see what appointments they have available.” A few minutes later, Ever stormed out the door after learning that it would be a month before an appointment could be made and when the consultant learned the wedding was now less than three months away, her disbelief was obvious by her gasp. “Oh dear, I’m afraid that I would not able to assure you that even if we found a dress today, we’d be able to get it back on time. I mean, this is the most important dress you’ll ever wear and I know you want it to fit perfectly. Tailoring takes several weeks. Most brides come in at least six months before their big day.” She’d barely finished speaking before Ever had turned to leave.
After hearing basically the same thing in three additional stores, Violet wisely drove to the nearest Starbucks. “Come on, we’re taking a break. We need to rethink this whole process.”
Over coffee and sandwiches, Ever decided to explore a new option. “Come on, how hard can it be? I mean, I quilt so why can’t we just whip up a dress?” When Violet sat silently, her head shaking slowly from side to side, Ever grinned. “Think about it – we can work together and create something original. Besides, we are artists and people expect us to be, well, artistic.”
“Ever, there is a huge difference between quilting and making clothing. When you make a seam not quite straight or a bit smaller or larger than another in a quilt, it’s usually okay. However, if you make those same mistakes on a dress, not to mention that it’s your wedding dress, it will definitely not be okay. When was the last time you actually made a piece of clothing, and I’m not talking about taking a t-shirt and tie-dying it. I mean from a pattern; you know, from scratch?”
Shrugging, Ever finished her coffee and slid from her seat. “Not since middle school but again, how hard can it be?”
“Dare I ask what the dress looked liked?” Violet said, taking her final sip of coffee.
“Well, it wasn’t a dress exactly,” Ever said, “but I made a B.”
“Come clean, Everleigh Harris. If it wasn’t a dress, what was it? A pillowcase?”
Ever put her hand against her chest as if stunned at the implication she couldn’t sew. “Heavens no. It was a cute pair of boxers and I wore them until they fell apart.” Seeing Violet’s face, she just knew she would go to her grave before admitting they fell apart after only a few washes. “Violet, please. At least we can go look at patterns, right?”
Giving up the fight, Violet agreed. They drove to the nearest fabric store and sat together, flipping through pattern books. “Do you remember your exact measurements from when Tory took them?” Violet asked, running her finger down the tiny print under each pattern size.
“No, who cares about that stuff? I wear a size eight so we’ll just go from there.” Looking across the table, she saw Violet once more shaking her head. “You know, as my maid of honor, you don’t seem very enthusiastic, Vi.”
“Ever, I adore you. I promised to help you and I will, but, honey, this is just plain stupid. We don’t know a single thing about sewing clothes and, no, making one garment does not make you a seamstress. Hell, we don’t even know what fabric to choose!”
“That’s not true, there is a list of choices on each pattern,” Ever said, “look here – it says satin or silk but says you can also use taffeta or organza.”
“Okay, have you ever sewn on any of those?”
“Well no, the boxers were flannel but the robe Rob brought home is sil
k and it is luscious. Let’s go with that.”
Before Violet could protest, Ever had jumped up and was asking an employee where the silks were. The two spent the next several minutes running their fingers across various fabrics. When the employee asked what they were going to make, Ever explained she was making her wedding dress.
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Are you thinking mermaid or more like a ball gown? God, those bell shaped gowns look just like Cinderella at the ball. Or perhaps you are considering something more tailored, like a sheath. What sort of neckline? Sweetheart, scooped or square? Are you going sleeveless or are you going to need rolled piping for the straps if you choose spaghetti straps? You are so tall and thin that anything should look great. So, do you know how many yards you’ll need and what notions you’ll be using? You know, lace, thread, are you going to use any boning in the bodice? Are you planning on decorating with pearls or crystals?”
Ever could hear the woman speaking but the words were gibberish to her. “What?”
“Well, can you give me any idea at all? Have you chosen a pattern or a few to combine?”
“A few? Combine?”
“Um, have you ever made a wedding dress or anything before?”
“Well, not exactly unless you count one pair of boxers between us. We aren’t having much luck and Ever thought it couldn’t hurt to at least think about making her dress ourselves,” Violet answered when Ever just stood silent and unblinking.
“Well, that’s mighty ambitious, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend you start with something as special as your wedding gown. I’ve sewn my whole life and was still too inexperienced to work with satin and lace. Forget the fabric, it took over a month for my seamstress to handbead the gown and my veil. I hate to seem unhelpful, but, are you sure you don’t want to buy a gown or have someone make it for you?”
“Why is this so freaking difficult?” Ever asked, finally finding her voice. “No one wants to help me. How is any store in Denver staying in business when all they do is turn customers away! Just forget it – I’m wearing my little black dress or better yet - just a freakin pair of Rob’s boxers!” Throwing up her hands, she turned and stomped away.
Violet apologized to the clerk. “Ever is just...um, stressed. She’s normally so sweet.”
“Oh, she must be one of those brides,” the clerk said. “Maybe you should call up that Bridezilla show – she would make a good one.”
Violet went to her friend. “Come on, let’s try another shop. There’s a couple more that I wrote down.”
Ever sighed and shook her head. “Violet, I can’t. I honestly feel as if I’ve been hit by a truck. All I wanted was a simple wedding, a white gown, a cake, a few flowers, and my friends and family. I never thought it would be so hard. How in the hell can you be so calm?”
“Honey, you’re just emotional. I should have thought about the timing long before now. But, there is still time. We’ll find a dress and we will not have to make it. Now, head up and repeat after me. ‘I will have a beautiful wedding.’” Violet had to repeat it twice more before Ever finally mumbled the phrase. “Good, now onward!”
Ever grumbled under her breath, but followed Violet from the store. Entering the next shop, they discovered that a bride had just cancelled so the consultant, Margo, was glad to help them. Ever and Margo disappeared into one of the many fitting rooms after the consultant had chosen a few gowns, leaving Violet outside in a plush armchair flipping through bridal magazines.
Rob pedaled into the driveway and swung off the bike. It felt great to get in some of his favorite exercise. After putting the bike away, he went into the house. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, he drank it down on his way to the bathroom. After taking a shower, he decided to give his girl a call and see how the dress shopping was going. Settling into a chair, he smiled as he dialed her number. When it was answered, it took him a second to understand Violet was speaking.
“Hi, Rob. Ever is in the dressing room.”
“Hi, Vi, so has my girl found a dress as gorgeous as she is?”
“Um, not yet. We’ve hit a few snafus. The good news is I think we can forget about trying to make one. She looked like a deer in the headlights when the saleslady started asking about our experience – which I can tell you is basically nonexistent. Ever was ready to quit but we finally found a shop that had an opening and she’s in the room now trying on dresses. I haven’t seen her yet but I’ve got my fingers crossed.”
Rob rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He hated to hear that Ever was having such a difficult day. He wished he could help but besides being there to support her, there wasn’t much he could do at this point.
“I’ll keep mine crossed as well. Thanks for going with her, Vi. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Okay, we shouldn’t be too much longer. Oh, I think I hear her coming. Gotta go.”
Rob shook his head at the abrupt end to the call but understood the cause. He did offer up a quick request that her day would improve. They had more than weddings to consider and it would make the coming evening far less stressful if his fiancée came home happy. If she didn’t, maybe he should reconsider his participation in the wedding planning. If this was going to turn his bride into a nervous wreck, hell, it might be time to suggest they just get Father Michaels to perform a quick ceremony with just a few friends as witnesses. He didn’t need a huge wedding – he just needed to marry the woman of his dreams.
The drive back to Corbin’s Bend was a quiet one. Whereas the two normally chatted non-stop or sang along to the radio, today their spirits were low. Pulling into their neighborhood, Violet drove Ever to her house. When Rob opened the door, Ever started crying again, ranting that she wasn’t meant to be married, that she would never walk down the aisle. Violet gave him a look that expressed her sympathy and left when Rob assured her that he’d take care of Ever.
Rob held her as she sobbed against his chest, his arms holding her tight. “Shh, honey, it’s going to be okay. There’s no reason to cry. “He led her to the couch and sat, pulling her onto his lap. It was several minutes before she stopped crying long enough for him to hand her a tissue. Blowing her nose, she took several deep breaths and then sank exhausted against him.
“Talk to me, honey,” Rob said. “I can tell it didn’t go well, but, babe, I promise you’re meant to be my bride. Ever, we can get married anywhere – I just want you to be my wife. If you don’t want a big wedding...”
She began to cry again. “I want a damn wedding! I know nobody thinks I care but I do. I want a freakin’ white wedding gown. I want a veil and sexy lingerie. I just don’t want everything to be so fucking hard.”
Rob took his own deep breath. “Everleigh, calm down. You’re going to make yourself sick. I’ll get you something to eat and then we’ll sit down and discuss this like two calm, mature adults.”
He slid her off his lap onto the couch. He made omelets and toast, sliding them onto plates and calling her to come eat. He had to call again and she didn’t look much calmer as she took her seat.
“You know, food is not the answer to everything, Rob.”
“I’m well aware of that, Ever, but you tend to get emotional before you have a sugar drop. Eat and then we’ll talk.”
“I’m not hungry, and I don’t want to eat and there’s nothing to talk about.”
“Do you want your spanking first?” Rob asked, putting down his own fork and looking to where the paddle was hanging on the wall.
“What? You’re going to spank me? For what! Paddling my ass for nothing is like forcing me to eat – both are stupid and neither one is fair!”
“Ever, that’s enough. This is exactly what I’ve been worried about. You keep all your emotions bottled up until you explode. I’ll cut you some slack as I know you’re stressed, but I suggest you watch your tone.” He sighed when she rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You know good and well that we’ve set aside Saturday nights for your weekly maintenance spanking. I didn’t k
now that I might have to add a round or two for your disrespect and cussing. Now, eat while your omelet is hot because I guarantee if you want your paddling first, you’ll still be eating afterwards.” Ever picked up her fork and stabbed at her eggs, shoving a huge amount into her mouth as she continued to glare at him. Rob didn’t react other than to finish his meal and sit until she finished her last bite. “Thank you,” he said as he stood and took her plate. “Go on and get ready.”
“Fine!” Ever shouted as she shoved back her chair. “I’m sure spanking my ass until it is purple will help me find my fucking dress!” She pushed past him, ignoring the stunned look on his face as she stomped from the room and down the hall. The house echoed with the sound the door made as she slammed it closed.
Rob shook his head and rinsed the dishes to put them into the dishwasher. He didn’t immediately go to the bedroom. Instead, he opened the front door and slipped outside. Walking was what he needed. Time to calm down and think. What the hell had happened to his carefree, spirited, sweet and loving Everleigh? When exactly had she turned into a shrew? Christ, is this what he could expect as the wedding date got closer? For a bride, she was miserable. If this was what the next few months was going to entail, he’d be pushing for a quick trip to City Hall, regardless if that meant skipping the special Corbin’s Bend signature move to start a marriage.
Pushing thoughts of their wedding aside, he focused on her behavior just now. How could she sit on his lap only days ago and agree that weekly spankings would benefit her – would assure her that Rob was there for her and then react so violently? She had agreed that they would help reinforce that he wasn’t in some foreign country and that he was home for good. Tonight was to have been that first maintenance session. Had she truly forgotten or had the knowledge been building up all day, the tension increasing as the dress shopping went downhill? This was exactly what he had feared. Ever was such a creative woman and so open and sharing with those she loved and cared about. However, she also tended to keep all her deeper emotions locked inside until she exploded. And, God, when she did explode, she did it completely as evidenced with her screaming, cussing, blatant disrespect and the slamming of the door - every one of those actions coming with consequences.
