“Really?” Tears sting my eyes.
“Yes really. I’m partly to blame for why you and Cole eloped.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, I engrained in that pretty head of yours, all my conservative mannerisms and as much as I love that you listened to me, I think it caused you to jump into marriage.”
I sigh, “oh Mom. Well, it’s true I waited, but I married Cole because I love him.” I tell my mom all about last weekend, especially Sunday. I tell her about Olivia and Preston, how Cole and I fell in love, and how it felt right the way things have ended up. “It’s been a bit of an adjustment for us. We should be sitting on a beach somewhere planning our future, but instead, Cole’s having to fix his company’s future.”
“I had a nice conversation with him yesterday. He seems to have your best interests at heart, and he told me repeatedly how much he loves you. I’m still not so sure about everything, but I’ll trust him and accept him because you do, and in time, hopefully, I’ll be able to make that judgment for myself.”
“Thank you, Mom. How’s Dad handling everything?”
“He’s still brooding about everything. I think he is most upset that he didn’t get to walk you down the aisle and give you away. That was something he cherished with Annie.”
“Oh, yeah.” More tears slip down my cheeks.
“But don’t worry, he’ll come around.”
“That’s good; tell him and Kurt, I love them.”
“I will. I love you, Katie, never forget that.”
“I won’t. Love you too.” I disconnect with my mom. It makes my heart hurt. I wish that I could have done things differently. Looking back on everything last week, it only seemed right the way Cole, and I got married. I don’t regret it. But a part of me wishes I could have had a beautiful wedding dress with all my family there. Plus, it would have been nice to have people who actually wanted Cole and me to get married at our wedding, instead of everyone showing up and trying to stop it. Maybe my mom is right, and it was too fast, that Cole and I fell too fast and we let it carry us away. Women still look past me like I don’t exist when it comes to Cole. Like the kickboxing instructor Lydia, or Libby—whatever the hell her name is—I don’t really care, except that she was willing to come on to Cole right in front of me.
I give up on trying to figure out my predicament. I’ll just take it as it comes. I get dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, and then spend the morning going through the closet, hoping I can find something to wear tonight. I have a few choices. My gray slash wedding dress has been laundered and is in the closet. I would love to wear it again, but I think that would be throwing something, I’m not sure what, in Preston and Olivia’s face, so I decide against it. I lay Olivia’s peace offering dress on the bed. I never thought I’d wear it, but it will show Olivia that I’m not afraid of her and her tastes. It will also show Preston and Cole, I’m willing to wear a gift Olivia bought me. Maybe it will score me a point or two with Preston.
The only problem is I don’t really have shoes to wear with it. I pull out my nude Jimmy Choo’s. I really love these shoes, maybe somehow, I will get seven hundred dollars’ worth of wear out of them. I can only hope. They will have to do. I don’t have any desire to call the personal shopper, Cole suggested. With what to wear out of the way, I glance at the clock. It’s only 12:15. I’m exhausted and need a nap. I shake my head, never in a million years did I think this would be my life. Married to the man of my dreams, but having to deal with so much family drama. I blow out a frustrated breath and fall asleep.
I wake up to my phone ringing. I don’t recognize the number, but answer it anyway.
“Hello,”
“Is this Kate Holt?”
“Yes.”
“Mrs. Holt, I’m Becca Howard, from the shops at Crystals.”
“Um—okay.” I do not know who this woman is, or why she’s calling. “What can I help you with, Ms. Howard?”
“Your husband’s secretary called, saying I should expect a call from you, that you need an outfit for this evening. I haven’t heard from you, so I thought I would call.”
Oh, the personal shopper. I feel a tinge of anger. Cole knew I wouldn’t call her. We need to have a serious conversation about the clothes situation. “Oh yes, well, I went through my closet and found something to wear. Thank you for calling, though.”
“Well, since I didn’t hear from you, I took the liberty of sending over a few things.”
I roll my eyes with annoyance. “Okay, well, thank you for that.”
“Not a problem, anything you don’t want. Let me know, and I will pick it up in the morning.”
“Sounds good.” Sorry to break it to you, lady, but it will all be waiting for you tomorrow morning.
“Enjoy your day.”
“You too.” I hit end on my phone and lay back on the bed. Not ten minutes later, the front desk calls saying they have a delivery, and that it’s on its way up. What happened to asking if I wanted it?
I walk out into the living room as the elevator dings. Three bellhops exit the elevator with a luggage rack full of dress bags and boxes. Two of the bellhops both have their hands full of bags. A few things—sheesh—she sent over an entire store. It takes the three boys a good fifteen minutes to bring all the bags down. I feel bad for them because they’re going to have to cart them all out again. I should have told them to take them back down, but my curiosity has the better of me. They don’t linger for a tip, that’s good, because I have no money. Hopefully, Cole will take care of it.