I make your wedding dress. You insist that it’s too much work, and that it breaks tradition, but I convince you it would be fun for YOU to be the one who doesn’t see your dress until the wedding day, and for some reason you’re up for it. It looks a hell of a lot like the one you’re wearing right now, actually.
I looked up from the note, then leant over the railing, searching for a familiar face;anyfamiliar face. What the fuck was going on?
I finally found Morgan in the crowd, just as she ran up to the stage. She tapped the emcee on the leg and said something to her before running back towards the stairs, where she started shooing people off of them.
The emcee signalled for the DJ to stop, and the room went suddenly quiet, collective gasps rising from the dance floor as people wondered what was happening. The heavy groan of the doors sounded, and I looked over to see Jack pulling one open. Every head turned to look.
Through the door walked a knight. And not just someone dressed as a knight, though obviously it was– it looked like one of the suits of armour against the wall had come to life. The silver plate mail was covered in gold filigree, and pops of purple showed through at the arms and waist. A plume of gold feathers flowed from the back of the helmet, and a purple cape almost the same colour as my underdress billowed behind him as he walked– nay, strode– across the stone floor. The string ensemble started up again, this time playing “Symphony” by Clean Bandit, and the knight stepped forward almost perfectly on tempo with the music.
“As is our tradition,” the emcee said, “we’ll now join in one of the choreographed dances we like to do. So if everyone could watch our demonstration, you should be able to follow along. Feel free to join in from the second round if you know the steps.”
The knight reached the centre of the dance floor just as she finished speaking. And when he pulled off his helmet, combed through his beard, and looked directly up at me at the top of the stairs, my stomach dropped, even though I’d known who it was the moment I’d seen him walk in.
Chapter38
Phil
Five years ago, I’d nearly kissed Amy Evans for the first time. This summer, I’d finally closed the deal, and it had been better than I’d ever imagined it could be, but I’d stupidly let her slip away. So now, I watched her descend the stairs and walk towards me, vowing to never let her go again if she could forgive me.
The dress was even better than I’d dreamed, but I could barely look at it. All I could focus on were Amy’s green eyes and the way they shone brighter and brighter the closer she got to me. Maybe it was the lighting, or maybe… no, I didn’t dare let myself hope yet.
“You’re here,” she said, stopping just a couple of feet away. It was still too far.
“I couldn’t miss it,” I said. “And thank god, because you look incredible. Not seeing you in that dress would have been the worst mistake of my life.”
She narrowed her eyes. “The worst?”
I shrugged. “Second worst. Maybe third.”
The music paused for a moment, and the ensemble started the last section over again, and I remembered that I’d promised the emcee, via Jack and Morgan, that I’d demonstrate the dance. So I stepped towards Amy and raised my left arm. She met it without hesitation, stepping around me just like we’d practised.
“Well, I’ve got a few things I wouldn’t mind doing over,” I said.
I had to tear my eyes away from her so I could walk to the edge of the dance floor and deposit my helmet and gloves, but the moment I could spin around, I was admiring her again. How had I ever let myself stop doing that? It turned out I could be both a knightanda fool.
“Where did you scrounge up a suit of armour?” she asked as we moved towards each other again.
“Lauren’s friend. But they’re a bit shorter than I am, so I’m not sure how long I’ll last to be honest.”
I brought my hand to her waist and guided her in a circle around me. I hadn’t touched her like this in weeks, and I let myself press into the dip in her side.
“You look heavenly,” I said as we pulled in closer, our faces just a few inches away as we spun.
“It’s the dress,” she said, smirking. “It’s rather well made.”
My cheeks burned. “I mean, I’m pretty sure it’s you. You could be wearing a bedsheet and you’d still be beautiful. Actually, come to think of it…”
I trailed off suggestively, but I wished I could take it back when I saw her smile falter.
“You can’t say things like that to me anymore,” she said as I grasped her right hand with my left, bringing my other hand to her waist.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
The round ended, and we stepped apart, and she lifted her skirts and dipped in a curtsy as I bent forward in a bow. The crowd clapped, and several people, including Grey and Fatima, stepped onto the dance floor to start the next round.
This was the moment– this was why I was here. I looked over Amy’s shoulder as we danced to see Ethel in her wheelchair by the door, Chloe stood dutifully behind her. She and Ethel were both giving me identical thumbs-up.
Amy stepped forward with her arm raised, ready to dance the next round with me, but I couldn’t do it. We’d danced the same steps so many times over the years, and it had gotten us nowhere. So I swallowed hard and stepped forward, ready to lay it all on the line. I shook my head, and she dropped her arm.
