Page 49 of Ardently Yours

I turn and look at our reflections in the mirror. Our sage green maid of honor dresses complement Nic’s ivory gown, along with the sage green flower pins in her hair and her matching jewelry.

“I believe in fairytales,” Jane says, teasing me right back.

“Lizzie does too, even if she doesn't want to admit it to herself,” Nic says, nudging me with her elbow.

“Ow.” I rub my arm, acting like she actually hurt me. “I don’t know if fairytales are really my style, but I love that for you.”

“Okay, that’s it. Once I’m out of this dress, we’re going back to your house, having a fun dinner, and forgetting about fairytales for tonight.” Nic heads off to change out of her wedding dress with the help of the bridal shop attendant.

“What did I do?” I ask, my eyes wide.

“You seem happy and sad all at once, and I think you just need some time to chill with us,” Jane says, gently pushing me toward the dressing room next to hers. “Go change so we can get out of here.”

I pause outside my dressing room, wanting to explain that there’s a reason for my sadness. I am happy for Nic. I do believe in love. I have a boyfriend, for crying out loud.

Well...I have a fake boyfriend. One that I haven’t actually told them about. And now it’s too late.

I’m the last one to step into my dressing room and close the door behind me. I quickly change back into my soft black leggings, my oversized black Try Jesus, Not Me shirt, my black baseball hat with the same phrase stitched across the front, and my black-and-white fashion sneakers.

I pull my curls back into a ponytail beneath my hat. I glance down at my outfit and wonder if I should’ve worn something different.

I’m supposed to be hosting dinner at my place tonight for all my friends. I’m supposed to be announcing my fake relationship. Or... I was supposed to announce it already. But no.

I won’t make a big deal out of it. Will already saw me when we came here together after work, so he won’t care. Right?

He’s wearing a white T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. I’d assume this outfit is fine. But why do I care what I’m wearing? I sigh, shaking my head at myself in the mirror.

Still, I make sure I’m wearing cocoa-flavored lip gloss, not a single curl is out of place, and my outfit looks casual but put together. Then I spray on a little floral perfume before leaving the dressing room to meet the girls by the front counter.

“The dresses are paid for! It’s my way of saying thank you both for standing beside me on my special day,” Nic says excitedly as I approach. “Plus, Jay paid for the guys’ suits, and I can’t let him outshine me.”

We all laugh. Jane and I thank Nic profusely. As we leave the shop, Nic glances down at her phone.

We’re standing outside the shop, about to walk over to meet the guys next door, when she slips her phone back into her pocket and gestures for us to walk with her.

“Jay just texted. The guys need a few extra minutes at the tailor shop. Want to walk a little?”

Jane and I fall into step beside her, enjoying the warm evening weather compared to the hot, humid day we had earlier.

The sun is hiding behind the clouds, hanging low in the sky in that mellow yellow way it does when it’s getting ready to say goodbye to our small town for the night. The streetlights begin to flicker on, lighting the streets with a golden glow that blends with the fading sunlight.

We walk past the bridal shop and the tailor shop. Nic points out the florist across the street that she’s using for the wedding. It’s closed now, but we’ll visit another day.

We watch the townspeople milling about, soaking up the summer evening as they head in and out of the local ice cream shop on the town square strip. The restaurants at the Falls Food Court are starting to fill up with the dinner crowd.

Then I see George Wickham across the street. He’s holding an ice cream and handing another one to Charlotte Lucas. I slow to a stop, looking over at them and how close they’re standing. Close like they might be dating.

I blink slowly as our eyes lock. She comes into the coffee shop with him all the time, but it never seemed like they were a couple because he was always flirting with me. The realization settles over me as I watch them.

It sinks in even deeper when I turn to my friends and say, “I’ll be right back.”

“No way we’re letting you face them alone,” Nic says firmly.

Jane looks at the couple and nods. “We’ve got your back.”

My girls walk silently beside me as we cross the street, watching for cars. The buzz of Selah Falls fades into the background as we approach George and Charlotte.

“Hi, guys.” I cock my head as I look between them, assessing. “How long has this been official?”