Sexy and sleek.
Cleavage for days.
Mel’s eyes went wide the second she saw me. “Oh my god, that’s the one.” She pointed at me in glee.
I turned to look in the mirror.
God, it really was stunning.
“Turn a circle.” Mel whirled a finger in the air.
I obeyed. It wasn’t like I was about to argue with her.
“That’s it.” She looked at Emily. “What do you think?”
“It is so perfect. Beyond perfect. I think you all should wear this one. Forget the mismatched look.”
Emily turned to Maggie. “What do you think?” she asked, hopefully, but with some kind of concern that I didn’t understand.
“I think I would be honored to wear that dress in yours and my brother’s wedding.”
Melanie squealed. Threw herself at Emily. Hugged her tight. “I can’t believe you’re actually gettin’ married. For real this time. And not to that fucknugget, Nile.”
Emily scowled but let go of a barking laugh. “Wow. Thanks for bringing up my ex.”
“Hey, just a friendly reminder that sometimes when you think your life is falling apart, it’s actually shaking you up and setting you on the right path to get you where you’re really supposed to go. I.E. Royce’s bed.”
Emily smacked her arm. “God, Mel.”
Mel laughed. “What? We all know that’s where you want to live. Pretty sure that baby in your belly is proof of that.”
Maggie smiled a shy grin. “I can’t wait to be an aunt. I hope a ton of times. You just go on living there.”
“Um, okay you two. I think Maggie is going to have to stop hanging around Mel.”
Melanie swatted at her. “Not a chance. I love her. She’s mine,” she breezed as she carried the dress over to Letty. “We’re actually going to go with this dress for everyone. I’ve sent everyone’s sizes over to you via email. Except for Violet. She needs to be fitted. You’re sure you can get these expedited in time?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great. Now…on to the dress.”
Letty smiled wide. “The dress.”
She pulled the garment bag from the hook where it waited. The name of one of those uber famous wedding dress designers embroidered down the side.
“The dress,” Emily wheezed, biting down on her lip.
Emily was ushered into one of the larger rooms with Letty to help her, and a few minutes later, she came out wearing the most gorgeous dress I’d ever seen.
Mel was right—these pictures were going to be incredible.
Emily stepped onto the round riser with mirrors angled all around it. The satiny white single-shoulder dress clung to every curve of her body. Fitted from top to bottom with a slit running up one side.
Her baby bump was just beginning to show.
She set her hand on the tiny swell, and I could see the tear slip from her eye.
A joyous, awe-filled tear.
I met her gaze through the mirror, mouthed, “You are so beautiful. I’m so happy for you.”
She shifted just a fraction to look back at me. “Do you remember when we were doing this for you? How beautiful you were standing up here?”
Her words struck me like an arrow. A stake that pierced all the way through. I’d been trying to forget. Not to make these memories about me, just like I’d been trying to do at the tree and failing miserably.
I was pretty sure my face showed it.
“Oh, Vi…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
I waved her off to stop her from continuing. “It’s fine.”
She frowned.
Just like my daddy, she didn’t believe me a bit.An hour later, we were all under an umbrella in front of a cafe drinking iced lattes.
“Why is shopping so exhausting?” Emily groaned as she slumped back in the chair and took a sip from her straw.
“Uh…because you never have to do it. You have a personal shopper. Hello, remember me?” Mel gestured to herself.
“Thank God.”
“Um, yes, thank God. Could you imagine if I let you get on a stage left to your own devices? The band would’ve had to kick you a long time ago.”
“Hey,” Emily whined with a smile.
“What? You’d probably try to get up there without a lick of makeup and the pajamas you were wearing the night before.”
“Call me a trendsetter.”
“I would think slob would be more fittin’.” Melanie grinned.
Emily laughed, then sighed, her mood shifting to serious as she glanced between each of us. “Thank you for doing this, for bein’ a part of my wedding. This is the most important day of my life, and I couldn’t imagine a single one of you not being there to share it with me.”
That disquiet rumbled. The feeling I’d been fighting all day. The unease of standing up there in that same spot with Richard so near.
I’d grown accustomed to it with the other weddings we hosted. Was able to block it out. Make it a part of the job on our land and nothing more. It wasn’t like the tree wasn’t sitting in that very spot day after day, anyway.