Page 47 of Never Let Go

With my full figure, I tended to shy away from form-fitting clothes but this dress didn’t show bulges and rolls. It showcased my curves in a way that made me look like a full hourglass, which was pretty cool. I’d never looked like that before.

Better yet, since it was baby blue, it made my eyes pop and my hair shine like gold. It made me itchy to be seen in this dress. By Tyler, preferably, but that meant I had to talk to him about the wedding.

After our date, I was still in my little rose-colored bubble about him perhaps being the guy that I was going to end up marrying. Between our chemistry and the ease of our connection, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that my soul knew his. I knew him—even if I didn’t know him know him.

It was just this weird doubt somewhere deep down inside, like maybe I’d known him in a previous life. I refocused on my reflection, smiling as I ran my eyes up and down and imagined how Tyler might react if he saw me in it.

Since I didn’t know what he looked like, it was tricky imagining a facial expression but I went with what I did know about him. I hadn’t felt any facial hair any of the times we’d kissed, so I knew he was clean shaven. I also knew from having touched his face that it was lean and strong, with no extra softness to it that spoke of fuller, rounder features.

While I had no way of telling the exact color of his hair, I knew that it was thick and long enough to run my fingers through, but not so long that it touched his collar or covered his ears. Using those details, I created a fuzzy outline in my mind of the man I was developing feelings for, a thrill traveling down my spine at the thought of his grip tightening on my hips when he saw me in this dress—just like it had while we’d been dancing.

Ashley came up behind me and grinned, her red hair glowing like a fire in the distance under the soft light in the changing room. “You look amazing. Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

She arched an eyebrow at me, her eyes boring into mine. “Are you sure? I know people are always telling brides how much they love the dresses, but then behind our backs, we get mocked for choosing something awful.”

“It’s not awful. I’d even wear this again.” When she rolled her eyes at me, I pursed my lips. “I’m serious. I am going to wear it again. I don’t have anything even remotely like this in my closet, it fits exceptionally well, and I’m even excited for my date to see me in it.”

“The date you don’t have yet?” she asked playfully. “Or have you spoken to him in the meantime?”

“Not yet.” I stepped away from the mirror and reached for the conveniently situated zipper along my side. “I’m going to do it, though. Are we still on for dinner after this?”

“Yep. Chase is meeting us there. Pizza and beer are what he lives for. He’s pretty excited that we feel the same way.”

I chuckled. “Most people feel the same way, even if they won’t admit it.”

Her eyes sparkled with laughter. She nodded and backed out of the changing room so I could get dressed. While I did, I heard her chatting to the bridesmaid in the room next to mine and I smiled when the other girl gave the same assurances I had about loving the dress.

I loved mine so much, in fact, that I felt a pang of sadness taking it off. It’d made me feel so good about myself, so sexy and desirable, that I even felt a little bit frumpy in the jeans and white cardigan I’d worn to come here.

I sighed. Between Tyler and Ashley, I was discovering all kinds of new things about myself in the run-up to the wedding. I also had a newfound confidence in my personal life that used to exist only professionally.

As I hung the dress back on the hanger and left it on the hook in the changing room, as I’d been instructed, I gave it one last, longing look. I’ll be seeing you soon, my pretty. Hopefully with a date who will appreciate you as much as I do.

I turned my back on it deliberately before I decided to steal it and take it home with me today. I strode out to meet Ash and the other girls who were already finished and waiting at the sofas outside the changing area. Ashley handed over the glass of champagne I hadn’t finished before we went to try on our dresses, and I sipped it as they finished theirs but stuck to the sidelines.

The bridesmaids were mostly Ashley’s friends from work and college, and I didn’t really know them too well. I’d spoken to them and they were nice, but when we were all together, I mostly let them do their thing with Ash without getting in the way.

When all our glasses were empty and our goodbyes were said, Ashley and I headed over to the restaurant where we were meeting Chase for dinner. It was a small, authentic Italian place around the corner from the dress shop, with framed landscapes of Positano and the Adriatic Coast against the walls, checkered tablecloths, and breadsticks on the tables.

Chase was already waiting for us when we arrived, and he grinned when he saw us walk in, rising to his feet and opening his arms to pull Ashley into them. She broke into a run to get to him and giggled when she slammed into his chest and enveloped him in a bear hug.

I laughed softly, making my way at a normal, much slower pace across the room. As I did, I watched the two of them together, trying to imagine what their dates in the dark had been like and what their thoughts were when they’d finally seen each other for the first time.

Ashley was gorgeous, but she wasn’t every man’s cup of tea. Between the full figure, the red hair, and the outspoken personality, it was always going to take a strong, self-assured man to make her happy, and he was it.

Chase himself wasn’t bad looking either, with rich, dark brown hair and eyes that were like pools of glittering onyx gems. His skin was on the pale side, features chiseled but not too much. At around six and a half feet, he towered over Ash, dwarfing her, but she said she loved it.

Ultimately, neither of them were supermodels, billionaires, or rock stars. They were just regular people who had found each other through the same process I was going through now, and that was comforting.

It meant that Tyler and I, regular people ourselves, stood a chance of being just like them. The thought made me smile. Chase noticed it when I finally reached them. He gave me a lopsided grin of his own in return and then released Ashley to give me a quick hug.

“Was that smile about the dress or the guy?”

I squeezed him before letting go. “What?”

He chuckled, took Ashley’s hand, and pulled her into the seat next to him. I sat down across the table. “Come on,” he said. “I know you’ve been dating through Sight Unseen, so tell me about that smile. Was it because you love the dress so much, or because you know you met the guy the same way we met and you’re hoping this is your future?”