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“She fell, Tish, and April’s freaking out. Her grams is basically like her mom to her. She offered to send her guy in her place. He’s smokin’ hot, but you know, I didn’t think he’d fit in her dress.”
I grinned. “Probably not. But what does this have to do with—no.” Horror dawned. “I just shimmied into this dress with considerable difficulty, and now you want me to wiggle into another?”
“Please? I can’t ask anyone else, and the vibe will be all off. And the pictures will be uneven. Besides, you and Lucky are like such matched bookends.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re both so tall, and you look amazing together. Not that I’m insinuating you are together. Or have been together, probably amazingly. Which might be why you try not to stand too close to him so no one else gets burned by the sparks you two keep throwing off.” She coughed delicately into her fist. “Or something.”
I wasn’t blushing. In fact, I was almost sure I didn’t even have the capability despite my hair color. I was immune to such shows of embarrassment.
“You’re seeing things, Blondie.”
Yeah, yeah, so he’d been spending most nights here until we’d had that stupid fight. Not a fight exactly. Dammit, he shouldn’t have touched my sanctuary.
“Even that. You adopted his nickname for me. You two just fit. Everyone says so. But Caleb says—”
“Who is this ‘everyone’, and what does Caleb say?”
The polished blond dude who was probably Lu’s brother or cousin twice removed moved forward and laid his hand on her shoulder. “Caleb says you’re lovely in that dress, so why have you exchange one lovely dress for another? Right, Lulu?”
She mumbled under her breath before brightening. “You’re right, X. He’s right. Why not buck tradition? Every part of this wedding is different from the norm. I’d be honored if you would stand up for me and not only because you and Lucky belong together—”
“She can’t help matchmaking.” X put his hand over her mouth and she giggled. “Damn these in love people who assume all the rest of us should be as happy.”
She pried off his hand. “I haven’t given up on you, X.”
“Tell me about it.”
Watching their sibling teasing made me hunch my shoulders. My brothers would be here soon, and normally, I’d be excited. I was now too, but I was also worried. Seeing Co when I was keeping stuff from him about his best friend made everything so much more difficult. But I didn’t want Jimmy to cause me to lose anything else.
Like, oh, your sense of trust? Your faith in men? Your belief that a man could just want you for you and not for some ulterior motive?
“I’ll do it,” I said suddenly. “I’ll even wear the stu—stupendous maid-of-honor dress. Assuming it fits me. Is April short?”
“No, she’s almost as tall as you. Ish. It’s perfect.”
“Sure, if you don’t mind me flashing some leg at a family event.”
“Don’t worry. Caleb’s sister-in-law is attending too, and she’s already here so she can’t get stuck in that snowbank like the others. She’ll make any needed alterations.”
“What others? Snowbank? My beater car can’t make it through any heavy-duty snow, Lu.”
She waved me off. “Already taken care of. Your chariot awaits. Just hurry up and finish getting dressed. Thank you, love you, see you soon.” The screen went black.
“What the hell? What kind of chariot could make it here in this weather?”
Since I was alone, I did not get an answer.
With a sigh, I clomped over to the window, hiking up my dress so it didn’t drag across the floor. I hadn’t put on my torture device heels yet. Why did women insist on tormenting poor innocent toes that were so much happier in Chucks or my perfectly broken-in boots?
Outside, white obscured my vision. There was so much snow that it was starting to cling to the windows themselves, never mind pile up on the sills.
Normally, on a night like this I’d be curled up, remote in hand, watching something schmaltzy I probably wouldn’t admit to in mixed company. Or any company.
Hell, it was the holidays. I was allowed to watch some cute 90s teen queen meet her small town’s mysterious innkeeper who was the only one who could help her make five-hundred centerpieces for the Christmas charity craft fair in two days.
More than that, I was entitled. Holiday spirit, dammit. I had it too. Sometimes.
