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I looked up at the ceiling.
“Afterwards,” Dane said, “you leave her your phone number. She doesn’t call you. And you’re mad about it for four years.”
“That is not what I said.”
“That’s what I heard.”
Lex snickered. “What’s this girl’s name?”
“Julie,” I growled, before Dane could say another word. Then I turned and walked out.
ChapterFour
Jolie
“Iam so not wearing this.”
I stepped awkwardly out of the fitting room and, at my mother’s urgent gesturing, up onto the platform. To model a dress that I would most definitely not be walking down the aisle in.
The color scheme Mom had chosen for her wedding was white with touches of gold, and classic red accents. And apparently her bridesmaids’ dresses were the bulk of these accents. It wasn’t something I’d normally wear, but I didn’t mind the bold red color on me. I’d seen photos of my aunts in their dresses and they all looked beautiful.
But this dress was a whole problem.
Thank God Mom’s face agreed. She was looking at me sideways and poking at the layers of tulle that puffed out around me. “It really did look better on the hanger…”
It really didn’t.
“Let’s not even pretend, Mom. I look hideous in this.” I was already turning around and heading back into the fitting room.
Mom went back to sipping her champagne while she waited for me to wrestle myself into the next dress. The two of us were alone for a private fitting in some fancy boutique, pop music was playing softly, there was champagne on ice, and Mom had already made it clear we’d be here all day if we needed to be. There was a whole rack of red dresses in here that she’d had the boutique staff pull for me.
Hopefully, one of these would do the trick. Mom was already annoyed with me that we were buying off the rack. She’d wanted to have a dress custom made for me, but because I was “being difficult”—in other words, living in another country—she said there wasn’t enough time for that. So, she wanted to make sure there was ample time to have whatever dress we chose today altered and accessorized properly.
AndIwanted to make sure that I looked goddamn amazing when Shane saw me at this wedding.
I was definitelynotwalking down the aisle with him. Mom was absolutely delusional about that. I’d find a way to stop that from happening if I had to fake a broken ankle.
But after that little run-in at family brunch yesterday, the gloves had come off. He wanted to be an asshole? Fine. That was his prerogative, and apparently the guy had the manners of a barn animal. But no way was he getting the last word on this.
The last word on this was going to beme, absolutely killing it at this wedding in a dress that would ruin his life.
Or, you know, at least make him think,Huh, she really is cute.
I’d take what I could get.
Either way, the man was not winning this ugly little battle he’d waged with me.
Weak comeback. Work on those, so we can fight properly.
Oh, I’d work on them, alright.
Get ready for a comeback, asshole.
I plumped up my cleavage in the corset-style bodice of the dress I’d just squeezed into. Then I stepped out of the fitting room in the fifth dress I’d already tried on today and basically hated.
Mom’s face brightened a little. She came around to cinch up the back for me, and I could barely breathe. “Well, this one is better,” she said, stepping back as I floated onto the platform, trying not to trip on the giant skirt.
I wriggled, trying to get comfortable. “It’s digging into me…” I tried to take a deep breath and one of my boobs almost popped out. I slapped a hand over it.
