AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tell me everything. How you met. What he’s like. Do you have a picture?” She laughs. “Of course, you do. We’ll have to do a double date. Barrett is excited to meet him.”
“I’m sure he is.” I think about the unanswered texts and voicemails I have from Barrett. How I’ve been avoiding calling him back. If there’s anyone besides my parents who would be concerned about my sudden nuptials, it would be Barrett.
“I’ve assured him that if youmarriedthe guy, he’s got to be great.”
“Griffin’s the best. Everyone will love him.” I nibble on my nail. The uncertainty behind my words causing my anxiety to spike. What else can I say? I have no clue who my husband is. At this point, all I can do is mold Griffin into the man my friends and family will approve of and hope for the best.
Chloe pulls back the curtain, and turns so I can zip her up.
I help her out to the three-sided mirror and alteration box. I kneel to help her put on her heels. She was adamant about wearing four-inch heels to help offset the height difference between her and Barrett.
When she turns to face me, I take in a deep inhale. Everything else moves to the background, it’s just this moment with Chloe, a beautiful friend and soon-to-be bride, trying on her wedding gown.
For Chloe’s dress, we chose an A-line design, the front with a plunging neckline and one inch gathered straps attach at the waist for an open back. The sides and front are connected by sheer tulle. The dress is gauze with a under layer of tulle, with a cascade of small, three-dimensional flowers on the bust and skirt.
Chloe spins to get the full effect of the flowy, yet structured skirt.
“It’s perfect. I’m biased of course because I designed it, but it’s absolutely gorgeous on you.”
She’s glowing. A sense of pride rushes over me that the dress I designed for her is bringing her that much joy. That she’ll walk down the aisle toward Barrett in this dress and the moment he sees her, the moment their eyes meet, it will be everything.
I attempt to replay that moment at my wedding to Griffin, but it’s fuzzy. Fragments of a wild night that I don’t remember clearly, but as evidenced by the man sleeping on my bedroom floor now, also one I can’t forget.
“Everything happened so fast,” I say, more to myself than to her.
Chloe sighs. “It sounds like a fairy tale. Or the plot of a romance novel.”
“Something like that.” I give her a small smile.
“And there are pockets!” Her face lights up when she finds the discreet pockets I had sewn in.
After Chloe’s fitting, I return to my office to catch up on emails I missed while in Las Vegas last week. As I work through my inbox, it feels like business as usual.
While I’m going over a client’s design notes, Leo brings in a large arrangement of flowers.
“Oh, wow.”
“Aren’t they gorgeous?”
I pluck the card out of the holder and open it.
“Who are they from?” Leo prompts.
Congratulations on your elopement. We are hopeful to be working with Emma Belle Bridal on a Bergman’s exclusive collection.
“It’s from the Bergman execs.” I ignore the dip of disappointment my belly. There was a moment right before I opened the card that I wondered if they were from Griffin. It’s so silly. Why would my accidental husband be sending me flowers? There’s nothing between us but a wild night and one headache relieving orgasm. Now, we’re just friends.
“Oh, honey.” Leo drops his nose into the extravagant bouquet. “They are courting you something fierce.”
After Leo leaves, I arrange the flowers on my desk. I know Jess is right. This thing with Griffin should be treated like a business transaction. I even offered to pay him for his time, but he insisted he didn’t need anything from me, only his roundtrip ticket. I need to remember that whenever I start to think about him. Three weeks of pretending, then he’s on a plane back to Las Vegas.
CHAPTER14
Griffin
After using the building’s gym, I took a hot shower, trying to ease the tension in my neck and shoulders. The stiffness there not from my workout, but from sleeping on the floor. I can’t be mad at anyone but myself, it was voluntary, but after snuggling up next to Emma when her mom brought breakfast in this morning, it was confirmed to be one hundred percent necessary.
I roll my shoulders out. I’m going to need a chiropractor when I get back to Vegas.
