“Wait, you’re here? In Arizona?”
“Yeah, Mom. I came for a work thing.”
“I can’t believe it. What a wonderful surprise.” She sounded so happy and excited it made me feel even worse about not calling her sooner. “Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?”
“Oh, well, um, I’m not sure what my boss has planned for this evening. I was thinking maybe we could get coffee tomorrow before I leave.”
“Oh okay. I guess I could meet you for coffee.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice. “What time do you leave?”
Mom guilt was her superpower. “No, Mom, on second thought, let’s do dinner. I can come to you.” Even though my mother’s house was the very last place I wanted to be.
“Oh, Riley, I’m so excited. I’ll make your favorite.”
“Pork chops and mashed potatoes,” we both said at the same time. Just the thought of my mother’s cooking had me salivating. She could definitely cook.
“Sounds great. What time should I come over?”
“How about five? If that won’t work, let me know. Do you need a ride?”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll just take an Uber.”
“That sounds dangerous. Let me pick you up.”
I laughed. “Mom, it’s fine. Uber is safe.”
“Oh, Riley, I’m so happy you’re here. It’s been too long.”
“I know, Mom. It’ll be good to see you.” I paused, realizing it was true. “I need to go meet my boss now, but I’ll see you at five.”
“See you then,” she said with obvious excitement before disconnecting.
I let out a sigh, glad the conversation was over but nervous about going back to the house I hated. I took just a moment to text Camden before going to meet Rose.
**Going to my mom’s house for dinner tonight. Happy?**
**Good girl.**
I smiled at his response, then tossed my phone in my purse and made my way downstairs to meet Rose.
I’d been in approximately one hundred wedding dress shops since I started with Rose and her company. You wouldn’t think there were that many dress shops in Portland, but factor in all the surrounding suburbs and one would be surprised how many establishments sold wedding dresses. This was definitely not my first rodeo.
The particular shop we were in that morning was fancier and more exclusive than most. You needed an appointment to get in, and champagne was handed out immediately upon arrival. You were also given a private viewing room with a personal shopper who handled every aspect of the bride’s needs along with anyone she brought along.
It became clear to me as soon as we arrived that Rose was there in more of a bridesmaid capacity than wedding planner, but I figured that was why she brought me along. I declined the expensive champagne and took notes as the morning progressed.
“Welcome to Paradise Bridal,” Amy, our bridal assistant, said with a bright smile after everyone was seated with their champagne flutes in hand. “Is your entire bridal party here?”
“Actually, not yet. Penelope is coming, but she’s running a little late. But other than her, yes. Everyone is here.” Lily was floating on a happy bride cloud. Nothing could wipe the smile from her face. Even if I hadn’t been introduced to her mother a few minutes before, I still could have picked her out of the group; she was the one wiping a stray tear every few minutes. It was everything wedding dress shopping was supposed to be.
“Shall we wait?”
“No, I don’t think she’ll be too long. I’m too excited to wait.”
“Great.” Amy smiled. “I’ve looked over the information you put on your initial interest form and pulled a couple of dresses that aligned with your vision.”
Interest form? This place is legit.
“If any of the dresses aren’t what you’re looking for, let me know and we’ll skip over it. But keep in mind, sometimes dresses look different on our bodies than on the rack.” She gave Lily a sweet smile and then motioned for her to follow her back to a dressing room. Everyone watched Lily disappear and excitement pulsed through the room. I had to hand it to this place, they seemed to have their shit together.
I pulled my phone from my purse and opened my Pinterest app, searching for inspiration for Lily’s rose-gold theme. I had to give her credit, everything looked beautiful. Soft and elegant, two words that perfectly described Lily herself. A light pink dress would be gorgeous surrounded by soft golden hues.
“Penelope!” I heard Rose excitedly call out and looked up to see a woman embracing Rose. When they pulled apart, my breath halted and my eyes shot open wide.
Standing not twenty feet away was Penelope Price. If I ever had an archnemesis, it was Penelope. Not only were she and her band of merry bitches from high school responsible for most of my torment, but it was her family my mother worked for and on her property I lived during those four years. She took particular pleasure in making my life miserable.
I watched and Penelope and Rose hugged again, both of them smiling and laughing. Eventually, Rose motioned to an empty chair next to her and Penelope sat, just in time for Lily to come out in her first dress.
Everyone gasped. Lily in a stark white strapless bridal gown was a sight to behold. She was glowing, smiling so wide I could probably count all her teeth. Her mother was crying full-on, and everyone was blown away. She was incredibly beautiful. Breathtaking, even. Stunning.
And that’s how the next two hours progressed. Lily tried on dress after dress and looked amazing in every single one. And that wasn’t even an exaggeration—she, quite literally, looked fantastic in every single dress.
I’d taken a picture of her in all the dresses she’d tried on from the back of the room, knowing that if she couldn’t make a decision that day, she’d be thankful to have visual reminders. Luckily, everyone in the room had been so preoccupied with the dresses and Lily’s stupidly stunning ability to look good in all of them that Penelope had yet to realize I was even in the room.
After Lily had put on the last one, she was nowhere close to making a decision. She’d tried on a few blush dresses, but none of them had had the it factor. None of them had been the dress.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said after Amy had left us all alone for a few minutes to ponder the decision. “I tried on twenty dresses. I thought for sure I’d find one I’d want. What am I supposed to do now?”
“The third dress was beautiful,” one of her aunts chimed in from the front row.
“I really wanted a blush dress though,” Lily replied, more to herself than anyone else.
“Lily?” I said gently from my perch at the back of the room. Her eyes snapped up to meet my gaze. “I took a photo of you in every dress and you were stunning in all of them. But if you didn’t get that feeling you were looking for, that undeniable rush of knowing you’d just put on your wedding dress, then I would keep looking.” As soon as I spoke, everyone turned to look at me, including Penelope. I didn’t glance in her direction, keeping my eyes on Lily, but I could feel her gaze on me.
“Riley’s right,” Rose added from the front row. “You don’t have to choose a dress today.”
“I just feel bad. I tried on all these dresses and that woman spent so much time with us, and the champagne.”
“That’s her job, Lily,” I said gently, trying to ease her guilt. “She understands that not every bride is going to purchase a dress every time. I guarantee you that. There’s no rule saying you must buy today. Trust me.”
“Okay,” Lily said, still sounding unsure. “Thank you, Riley.” She gave me a small smile and then turned back to return to the dressing room.
I walked around the seating area and followed her back, acting on a hunch.
“Hey, Lily,” I called softly, catching her before she disappeared back into the dressing room.
“Yeah?”
“Would you like me to tell Amy we’ll need some time to think about it? I can totally handle that for you.”
“Really?” she aske
d, eyebrows tipping up, a hopeful expression crossing her face.
“Of course, that’s what I’m here for.” I reached out and patted her arm softly. “If you’re not sure about any of these dresses, we should walk away and think about it.”
“Okay. Thank you so much for your help.” She gave me another soft smile and then disappeared into the dressing room as I went to find Amy. I found her in the showroom hanging up some dresses that I assumed Lily had declined. She saw me coming and put on a very friendly smile.
“Amy, I don’t know if we got the chance to formally meet. I’m Riley. I’m here with one of the bridesmaids and we’re acting as event planners for the wedding.”
“Oh hi,” she said with a smile, shaking my outstretched hand.
“This is truly one of the nicest places I’ve ever been with a client. We’re based in Portland, so we don’t usually get to explore other areas and scope out their best shops. You’ve done a wonderful job with Lily too. Those dresses were amazing.”
“Well thank you,” she replied, clearly appreciating my flattery. It was sincere though; it really was the nicest shop I’d been in, and she had done a great job.
“Lily is expressing a little bit of regret because she’s overwhelmed by all the beautiful choices. I think she needs some time to let the dresses marinate, you know? She wants to make the best decision and she feels a lot of pressure.”
“Oh, no pressure,” Amy cried, her hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “No, she can take all the time she needs. I’m just a phone call away when she decides. Do you mind if I just go back there and let her know she doesn’t need to make a decision today?”
“Would you? I think she’d really appreciate that. You and me, we do this all the time, but she’s a first-time bride and she’s too sweet for her own good.”
“You’re so right. Thank you for letting me know.”
I watched as Amy disappeared around a corner to find Lily. Then I saw Rose appear from the same corner.
“That was smooth, Riley. I get the feeling you can sweet-talk anyone into anything.”
I shrugged. “It’s just now occurring to me that I might be a master manipulator.”
“There are worse problems to have.” She took a beat and her eyes swept over me in an assessing way. “The plan is to go get some lunch with the mother of the bride and bridal party, and then we all go tour two venues.”
“Sounds good. Although, if it’s not too much trouble, I made dinner plans with my mother, so if we run too late I might have to take off. I hope that’s all right.”
“Of course it’s all right, Riley. I’m glad you’ll get to see your mother while we’re here. Let’s go see if Lily needs anything else.”
I nodded and followed her back to where her friend was waiting. Right before we made it there, my phone buzzed in my hand. I looked down and saw it was Camden. I sent him to voicemail, figuring I’d call him back later, but when I looked back up, Rose was watching me.
“You can take a phone call, you know.” She laughed. “I know I’m usually a hard ass back in Portland, but hell, Riley, I’ve been drinking champagne all morning. This isn’t the normal workday.”
She said everything with a smile, and my shoulders lost a little tension with her words.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Call your man back. I’m sure Lily’s still getting dressed anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll just wait outside.”
She gave me another smile and then went to find Lily, so I made my way out of the store. They had a nice entryway with some benches in the shade and I took a seat as I called Camden back. He picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, I’m glad you called me back. I was leaving you a rather lengthy voicemail.”
“Is everything okay?” Camden and I weren’t really voicemail people. We either talked or texted—only creepers left voicemails.
“Yeah, I just had a lot to say and didn’t want to type it all out.”
He paused and I was quiet, waiting for all the words he supposedly had.
“Cam, you’re making me nervous. What’s going on?”
“Oh, sorry, I’m packing.”
“Packing?”
“Yeah, my flight to Arizona leaves in two hours. I’ve got to hurry.”
“You’re coming to Arizona? Why?”
“Because even though you pretend to be all tough and unbreakable, I know you and I think you could use me around tonight when you have dinner with your mom.”
“Are you serious?” I cried, my hand coming to rest over my heart which was thumping away in my chest.
“Yeah. My flight gets in at three thirty. I’m gonna rent a car, and take you to dinner at your mom’s.”
“Camden,” I said, breathlessly, fighting back tears. “There are no words. I don’t even….”
“I know, babe. It’s okay.”
“I wish you were here so I could hug you,” I said, half crying and half laughing. He was so right too. I didn’t realize how much I needed him until he made himself available. “How long are you staying?”
“All weekend. You’re gonna have to tell Rose to fly home alone tomorrow, because we’re relaxing at the resort.”
“Really?” Camden and I had never been away together, and spending a weekend with him in the sun and by a pool sounded incredible. “How in the world did I get lucky enough to brainwash you into loving me?”
“It’s your ass, babe. Grade A.”
“Shut up,” I said with more laughter, wiping tears from my cheeks. “So you’re coming to the resort? Or picking me up? What’s the plan?”
“I’ll text you when I land and then you tell me where to go and when.” He sounded excited, but then his next words were softer. I could picture him standing next to his bed, a duffel bag open in front of him and a pair of socks in his hands. “I know it’s only been one night, Riley, but I can’t wait to see you.”
“Me too,” I managed to say, even while my breath was stopped in my lungs, throat stinging with tears.
“I’ll text you in a few hours. I love you.”
“Love you too. Be safe, all right?”
“You got it.”
He disconnected and I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my emotions. Most likely I never would have admitted it, but I did need Camden there with me. Sure, I could get through the dinner on my own, but having him there would make everything so much easier. Plus, he needed to meet my mom sooner or later. It was important to him, and to me too.
I heard the door open behind me and Rose emerged with Lily, Penelope, and the rest of the group. I pulled my shoulders back, trying to steel myself for my first encounter with Penelope since high school.
“You ready to go?” Rose asked me, smiling widely.
“Definitely. Lily, I’ve got photos of you in all the dresses if you’d like me to email them to you later.”
“Oh my gosh, that would be great.” She sounded grateful.
“Lily and Penelope are going to ride with us to lunch. Penelope, this is one of my best employees—ˮ
“Riley Smith,” Penelope finished for Rose. “I thought that was you in the back. Wow, what a surprise.”
I had absolutely no time to process before she pulled me into a hug.
“You two know each other?” Rose questioned, curiously.
“Know each other? Riley lived with her mother and brother in our guest house all through high school. Her mother still works for my parents. She’s like an honorary aunt to me.” She said the words as if she hadn’t been personally responsible for most of my unhappy memories there.
“What a small world,” Lily said, her voice happy and light.
“How bizarre,” Rose added. The black SUV pulled up to the curb and all four of us climbed in. Once seated and buckled, I pulled out my phone, swiping through Pinterest, trying to look busy in hopes the other three would ignore me.
No such luck.
“So, Riley, what have you been up to since high school?”
“And how’s your brother? Your mom talks about him all the time.”
“Tripp is doing well. I don’t see him much as he’s super busy all the time.”
“Gosh, how long has it been since you’ve been back? Nine years?”
“That sounds about right,” I replied and turned back to my phone. The polite thing to do would be to ask her about her life, but I just couldn’t. I was hanging on by a thin thread as it was.
“Were you guys close in high school?” Lily asked with all the innocence of a lamb.
“Not as close as you’d think,” Penelope answered thoughtfully. “We kind of ran in different circles.”
I pressed my lips together at her response. Then I prayed whatever restaurant we were going to for lunch had a full bar. Working or not, I was going to need a strong drink.
A half hour later and we were seated at a very trendy restaurant with an impressive brunch menu. Everyone had mimosas, even me. I might have asked the waitress to add extra champagne to mine. I took a sip, practically moaning at the effervescent tingling of the bubbles in the large dose of champagne. Clearly the bubbly-to-orange-juice ratio was in my favor.
My phone pinged in my purse and I read a text from Camden.
**Just got to the airport. Going through security. I’ll text you when I land and have a car. Love you and can’t wait to see you.**
His words made an enormous smile spread across my face.
“Looks like Riley got a message from her man,” Rose said, not unkindly, but catching me off guard.
My eyes snapped up to her, my smile faltering slightly. Was I that transparent?
“Oh, do tell,” Penelope said, eyeing me. She wasn’t the only one either. Everyone at the table was staring at me, waiting for a response.
“My fiancé surprised me and bought a plane ticket to Arizona. He’s coming to spend the weekend here with me.” I looked at Rose. “I was going to tell you. Looks like I’m staying here, so you’ll be flying solo tomorrow. I hope that’s all right.”
Riled Up (With A Kiss #2) Page 5
