I wanted to, more than anything else.
“I’m working on that too,” I confessed, the memory of what Rett had said after he’d saved me from Kyle’s men lingering in my thoughts. “Rett?”
His hand was on the doorknob, yet he craned his neck, bringing his sexy dark eyes my way. “What?”
“What about me? Will you ever trust me?”
His lips formed a straight line and he made a quick nod. “No one said marriage didn’t have hurdles. I’m working on that, too.”
My question scared me, but I had to ask it. “Tell me that I didn’t ruin it...forever...when...”
“No, Emma. Nothing is ruined forever. We have our whole lives to work on all of this together.” His forward motion stopped. “Oh, I almost forgot. Miss Guidry is bringing you a dress. You don’t need to wear it, but she insisted that you deserved the option. She’ll be up soon.”
Running my fingers through my long hair, I knew that there was no way I’d be ready for my wedding in thirty minutes. I didn’t care if it was only a judge; it was my wedding. “Rett, give me an hour.”
He looked at his wrist and back. “Not a second more.”
As the door closed, I realized his last proposal was what I needed, a reminder of what we’ve shared. Every night since the night I followed him to his room, we’d ended up in his bed. There have been other locations such as the back of the sofa, on the rug in front of his fireplace, and against the wall to name a few. It was as if that night opened a floodgate that neither one of us was ready to close.
Hurrying to the bathroom, I started the shower and began opening drawers and pulling cosmetics and hair supplies to the counter. For only a second, I caught the blue eyes of the woman in the mirror. There was no confusion as to who she was, unlike the night Dr. Dustin had been with me.
I spoke to her. “We’re getting married.”
We both smiled as I stripped my casual gauze skirt down my legs and pulled my t-shirt over my head.
Emma
The knock came only minutes after I’d stepped out of the shower. My body was dry, but not my hair. I hesitated, wondering if it was Ian. There was no way it had been an hour. What if Rett had changed his mind on giving me more time?
With a large towel wrapped around me, I went to the door and opened it a crack.
Miss Guidry’s smile was infectious. “Oh, Miss Emma. This is the answer to prayers.”
In her hand and draped over her other hand was a long bag, containing what I assumed was the dress Rett had mentioned. While I couldn’t see it, I had the feeling it was a real wedding dress. I opened the door wider, “Please come in.”
She stepped in slowly, her eyes darting in all directions.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
Miss Guidry nodded fast as her hazel eyes glazed over. “I haven’t... you know this was Miss Marilyn’s suite. It holds so many memories.” She took a deep breath and turned toward me. “I’m sorry, Miss Emma. The voices are loud.”
Gently, I laid my hand over her arm. “May I look at the dress?”
The change of subject worked. Miss Guidry’s smile was back as she hurried toward the bed and laid out the bag. “Now, I know you must think I’m a loony old woman...” She spoke as she unzipped the long bag. “You see, there’s no greater honor than having your daughter wear your wedding dress.”
Crossing my arms over my breasts as my hair dripped down my back, I bounced on my toes, waiting to see what she was unveiling. It was like an unexpected holiday surprise.
“Your momma never married, but planning a wedding was another of her dreams.”
“That makes me sad,” I confessed.
“No, don’t be sad. That’s not what today is about. You see, Miss Marilyn never had a daughter and well...” Miss Guidry turned and looked at me. “...she would be right honored if you’d consider wearing her dress.”
Rett’s mother’s dress?
I fought an onslaught of emotions as I asked, “Do you think it will fit?”
Miss Guidry left the bag and walked toward me. Her hazel gaze scanned and calculated as she did one circle and then another. Her voice lowered to a whisper. “You are a bit more endowed, if you know what I mean, but I promised her we’d try. May we try?”