Gracious.
Lifting a shaking finger, I point. “I’m…supposed to wear that?”
“Yes.”
Gracious.
She continues, “I’m to aid you in your preparation.”
“Right. Yes. I…would appreciate that.”
Giggling, December drops the act and begins shuffling the thing inside. “Isn’t itpretty? I helped him pick it out, and—oh my word, August—it’s literally over ten thousand dollars. Custom made.”
“Custom made?” I blurt. “It’s beenseven days.”
“Iknow.” Delirious delight sparkles in December’s lovely navy blue eyes. “He knew someone, contacted them immediately after getting your permission, got all the details and your size from me, and had someone fly across the country to pick it up on time.”
My stomach flips as my flesh prickles. “That’s insane.”
“I know.” December’s rose-red smile stretches. “Justyour type.”
Swallowing a fragile breath, I attempt to calm the shake in my hands as I lift my fingertips to the silk. It’s the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in my life. I say, “W-well…we shouldn’t keep him waiting, right?”
“Oh no.” Suddenly quite severe, my darling friend says, “We should absolutely not keepanyof them waiting.”
If that’s not terrifying, I hardly know what is. Nevertheless, I let December help me into the dress and a veil, then I step out with her into a moonlit night. “How in the world is this whole thing going to fit in a car?” I ask moments before lifting my gaze past my vehicle and my driveway.
To.
My father.
Who is sitting rigid in the driver’s seat of a horse-drawn carriage.
“Dad?” I whisper.
Face drawn with grey veins, the dark-cloaked man I’m certain raised me turns. The blood red of his eyes softens, then the dire expression on his face melts. “Oh, Augy. You look beautiful.”
It hits me then, as my father steps down from the dark vehicle decorated with black and white flowers occasionally broken by a yellow bud, that I’m getting married.
I’m actually getting married.
I’m in a ten-thousand-dollar dress about to ride in a carriage to my wedding.
Understandably, my mouth goes dry.
I’m not even wearing makeup.
December barely got a few brush strokes through my hair.
But this…this is happening, isn’t it?
I’m about to marry my boss, Alister, who doesn’t even know that I know who he is yet. Probably. I mean, he did assume that I’d suspect him at some point, otherwise he wouldn’t have started littering his schedule with fake meetings. But.Still.
I can hardly believe this is happening.
I can hardly believe my father is in a distressed dark suit and red contacts as he helps December and me up into the velvet seats of the covered carriage.
Once the wheels turn, I snap out of my shock and meet December’s ecstatic gaze. I whisper, “You suggested he was going to beplain old Dominicfor this, yet both you and my father are clearly enthralled under a vampiric spell.”
