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I nodded. “Is there a theme? Colour scheme?”
“The flowers will be antique pink roses, I believe. She believes in fairytales.”
My heart flip–flopped in my chest. Pink roses? Just like the one that had been left on the coffee shop table? Again, that uneasiness swept across my skin, making me shiver. I pushed the unease away, forcing myself to smile because it had to be a coincidence. Pink roses were probably one of the most popular flowers for weddings. It didn’t mean anything that the staring stranger had left one behind. My imagination was just working overtime since the conversation with Annie.
“Miss Lawson, are you ok?”
The light touch of his fingers on the back of my wrist made me jump. But it did bring me back to myself. “Yes, of course. I have quite a few dresses that might be perfect. Shall I bring them out for you to look at?”
“We would like you to try them on. Any that you think she might like. We are looking for something she will love and are going to need your help, Miss Lawson.”
* * *
“Idon’t think any of these are quite right.” The male voice said from the small sofa, almost making me groan. I didn’t. Of course, I was a complete professional, but after two hours and countless dresses, I was beginning to tire. It was a continuous stream of dresses, hair up, hair down, veil. Pose for a photo that they took on their phones, sent to someone, and deleted in front of me. I might have felt strange about them having photos of me, but with their unlimited budget, I was willing to overlook it. The commission if they purchased one of the designer gowns would pay my rent for a month.
“The last one was very beautiful, but if you don’t think it’s the one...”
He cut me off. “Yes, it was stunning, but it didn’t make you glow. Tell me Miss Lawson,” he leant forward, his eyes appraising every curve I had, “if you could pick any dress in this shop for yourself, what would it be?”
Self–consciously, I crossed my arm over the plunging neckline of the gown I was wearing. It was a fit and flare number that sported more sheer panels than I would have personally chosen.
I didn't have to think about it because I had always known what dress I would choose. I would never be able to afford it, but it was still my dream dress. I hesitated. I had worked as a bridal consultant since school, and no one had ever chosen my dress as far as I knew. I was unusually protective of it because deep down, if I saw another woman wearing it, it would no longer be mine. “There's…” with a sigh, I moved from the pedestal, "one that might be suitable.”
“Is it pretty?”
“It’s the most beautiful dress in the world,” I said before I could stop myself. And cursed myself for saying it out loud. I didn’t want anyone else to get their happily ever after in my dream dress. I wanted to keep it for myself, for the time I met my prince charming. But it was too late to backtrack now. And anyway, I was being selfish. I didn’t even have a man, let alone a fiancé. It wasn’t fair for me to hoard a gown when it could bring so much joy to someone else. I wasn’t that selfish. “I will get it for you.”
It took more than five minutes before I stepped out of the changing room. Not because it was a particularly complex dress to get into, but because I couldn’t stop looking at myself in the mirror. It fitted me like it had been made for me.
“Oh, honey, that dress on you.” My boss stuck her head into the cubicle. “It's just…”
I nodded, because I felt it as well. How perfect it was for me. Romantically simple. Elegant. I sighed because if anyone could be in love with a dress, it was me.
“You don’t need to show them, Taylor.”
“Yes, I do.” Lifting the skirts, I made my way back out to my waiting group of gentlemen. And the look on each one of their faces told me what I had seen in the mirror hadn't been my imagination. I looked good. Better than good. I looked like a bride.
The older one pulled out his phone, his eyes never leaving my face as he snapped a photo just like he had done before. The phone in his hand rang almost instantly. I waited, my fingers smoothing over the delicate lace as he spoke in rapid fire Italian. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear him call my name until he repeated himself again. “Miss Lawson?”
Shaking away the remnant of my daydream, I smiled down at him.
“Our friend thinks this dress would be perfect, but he has one last favour to ask of you. As he likes your eye for style and detail, he has asked that you pick out the shoes and accessories you would pair with this dress. Is this ok?”
Swallowing back the disappointment in my throat, I murmured something in the affirmative. I didn’t want to be jealous of the woman who would get to wear my dream dress, but I was. I couldn’t help it. “Does she want or need a veil or…?”
“Would you have a veil?”
“Well, yes, but this isn't my big day and…”
The older one stood, and the two younger ones followed his lead. They didn’t need to tell me that the appointment was over. I could see it in their faces. They had found the perfect dress for their bride to be. It didn’t matter to anyone but me that I was in my dream dress as well,
“We will take everything you think we will need to make her day special, Miss Lawson. And we will take it today.”
JUDGE
The moment she sat in her designated seat, I knew she recognised me. She tried to hide it, but it was there in the slight widening of her eyes. They darted over my face, over my suit, and then back to my face. Taylor Lawson looked shell–shocked. Like she couldn’t believe her eyes. I couldn’t blame her for that. In her position, I would have been shocked as well. But what did surprise me was her composure. She recognised me, but she managed to keep her expression relatively neutral. In fact, apart from the slight widening of her eyes and her plump bottom lip disappearing between her teeth so she could chew nervously at it, there was little change to her demeanour.
Taylor's eyes skirted away, almost like she had realised that she was staring at me and the chewing on her lip became painful to watch. Not taking my eyes off of her, I pressed my own fingers to my lips. If she didn’t stop doing that to her lip, which was in reality my lip now, then she was going to hurt herself. I couldn't stand the thought of that plump deliciousness having anyone's teeth marks in it but mine.
