Page 108 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

The vibe had changed so abruptly, she’d had no idea what happened.

And it scared her. Because she’d begun to buy into the idea of a family. Of Slick being a father. A real one.

He was a natural with kids. Noa told her how he hadn’t hesitated to help Stevie with a puzzle. That he was patient and thoughtful. And that was before he’d known she was his daughter.

He’d even said he wanted to be in Stevie’s life.

But the moment he got a work call, he took off. Left town.

To be fair, he’d told her countless times that work came first. But somehow, she just kept spinning some stupid fantasy about them as a family.

He was never going to be the kind of dad she envisioned for her girl.

God, and to think she’d fantasized about sleeping with him in one of those cabins.

“This is designed for waifs.” Noa stood in front of a mannequin. “Fairies.”

Lorelei snapped out of it. Noa deserved her full attention. She’d be here for her friend. “I don’t know if that means you love it or hate it?”

“Shh. Oh, my God. Don’t let her hear you.” Noa glanced around the bridal shop.

“Don’t worry. Knox is in the backroom finding shoes in your size.” Lorelei touched the fabric. “Do you like it or no? I think it’s gorgeous.”

The stunning tulle dress had a draped corset bodice with off-the-shoulder straps, a tiny little waistline, and a floral-print skirt. The back plunged low.

“I couldn’t put my little toe in this. I wasn’t this size when I was Stevie’s age.” Noa cupped her hands at either side of the dress’s waist. “Girl, I was born with a woman’s body. But yes, I love it. It’s just too much material for me.”

“I can see that.”

Noa eyed it wistfully. “I don’t want to look like a parade float.”

“What about this one?” Lorelei gestured to a fit and flare gown with a plunging neckline and illusion sleeves. The dress looked transparent but had a skin-colored insert and was decorated with three-dimensional flowers.

“It’s stunning. But I want to dance. I want to eat. And I don’t want to spend my night thinking about my belly or my ass or thighs. You know what I mean?” Noa sighed. “I loved my dress so much. It took me a full year to find just the right one.”

“Oh, trust me. You’re not leaving here until you find one you love just as much—if not more.” Knox Holliday breezed out of the backroom, a pair of white satin pumps dangling off her fingers. “That’s a promise you can take to the bank.” She set the shoes on a dais. “Okay, so you don’t like a ton of material, and you don’t want the fit and flare.”

“Yes.” Noa looked worried, like she’d insulted the designer. “It’s not that I don’t love this dress. It’s stunning. It’s just?—”

Knox held up a hand. “We’d be here all week if you pretended to love everything. I promise, the only thing I care about is finding the right one for you.”

As the designer moved around the purple velvet chaise, Noa mouthed, “How is she so perfect?” Lorelei could only laugh. Knox was a beauty, no doubt. But her real beauty came from deep within. She was a genuinely nice person who seemed happy with where she was in life.

Throughout Lorelei’s entire career, she’d been striving. No level of success had ever been enough.

Even while raising Stevie, she was driven to be the best mom, to learn how to be self-sufficient. When would she ever reach a place where she stopped trying so hard?

“You showed me a picture of your gown.” Knox led them to the back of the store. “But since it was custom-made, I can’t recreate it. It’s entirely the designer’s vision. So, let’s start with the basics. What do you love about a wedding dress?” She stood in front of a row of cubbies, each one housing a different style. Mermaid. A-line. Sheath. Ball gown. Fit and Flare.

“Wow.” Noa’s voice was full of awe. “I’ve slipped through a portal and entered a magical world. I love everything here. But, okay, you want me to narrow it down. I know I want ultra-feminine. I want tulle and froth and lace—all the fantasy wedding gown stuff—but I don’t want to look like a frosted doughnut. Do you know what I mean?”

“Of course, I do.” Knox squeezed the bride’s hand. “I’ve dressed every body shape you can think of, and you won’t leave here until you feel perfectly comfortable and as feminine and gorgeous as you are.”

Lorelei wanted to hug the designer. As a performer, her friend had encountered too many stylists and designers who were so used to slender women that they didn’t understand the frustration of feeling your belly stick out under a belt or waistline, or your shoulders strain against fabric. Noa had been embarrassed countless times by dresses and shirts that were too tight in the sleeves.

“What do you think about empire waistlines?” Knox pulled a gown off the wood rack.

“I love them, but they make me look pregnant.”

---