Page 14 of The Bad Boy's Fake Wife

Mia pauses, frowning. “Why not? It’s still a wedding. You’re getting married, so your dress will be in all the photos, and your loved ones should see you in something beautiful.”

“I could count my loved ones on one hand,” I mutter, barely audible. But Mia hears. She always does. Her smile turns soft, tinged with sadness.

“I love you, Emma, and I wish you could just make the best of what you have and enjoy this! Think of it as a rehearsal for your real wedding.”

I smile. That does make the whole thing sound better. “I think I really wanted a huge, puffy ballgown when I was younger, but now I’d rather have a slender one that fits like a glove.”

Mia grins, happy that I’m finally leaning into her vision. I let myself pretend that I’m marrying the love of my life instead of Jonathan—a mysterious, handsome man. I can’t imagine his face, so for now he looks just like Jonathan.

I imagine how he would look at me when I walked down the aisle. Would he cry? I don’t like being emotional during weddings, but if he cried, I wouldn’t be upset.

“Earth to Emma! Are you having second thoughts or something?” Mia asks as she rifles through a rack of wedding dresses.

“Do you ever randomly just feel very lonely?” I blurt out without really thinking.

“What do you mean?”

I sigh, my eyes going misty. “Do you ever have this huge hole in your heart that can only be filled with the presence of a loved one who isn’t alive anymore? And suddenly you’re inconsolably sad and you don’t know what to do?”

Mia knows exactly what I’m talking about. We both lost our parents around the same time, and we leaned on each other for support. That kind of loneliness never leaves you, even after years pass. And when a huge moment in your life occurs and you realize they aren’t here to see it, it makes you want to cry.

“Oh, Emma,” Mia coos as a tear slips down my cheek. She rushes to me and pulls me into a hug. “You’re thinking about your parents, aren’t you?”

I laugh hoarsely despite myself. “I know I should grow up. It’s been ages since they…you know. I should be over it, right? It’s just that moments like these remind me of my parents. My mom won’t get to see me in my wedding dress, and my dad…my dad won’t be able to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day.”

Her hug is tight as I begin to cry silently, just letting the tears out. I know this wedding is fake, but I wish my mother and father were here for it anyway.

“Reed will walk you down the aisle,” Mia says, and I smile. “And I know they’re looking down from heaven, proud to see their baby girl getting married.”

“Oh, I hope not, or that means they know it’s all fake,” I say, causing us both to laugh.

“They would be appalled,” Mia points out, face red with laughter.

“Absolutely,” I agree. Just then, a dress on a mannequin catches my attention. It isn’t a traditional white wedding dress, but it’s gorgeous.

It’s a floor-length emerald green dress, with sleeves that look like vines wrapping up the arms. I stare in awe at the dress, loving every little detail, from the shine of the fabric to the sequins. It looks like a gown straight out of a fairytale.

“It’s beautiful,” Mia comments, and I nod. “Do you want it?”

I shrug. “It’s not white, so I’m not sure I can get it.”

Mia stares at me incredulously. “You’re the bride! You get to pick whatever dress you want! Besides, this dress will make your eyes pop. And combined with your gorgeous red hair? There will never be another bride as stunning as you!”

I smile. “You’re right, I should totally get it! It feels too perfect not to.”

“Exactly.” Mia grins.

Jonathan has given me his black card, which doesn’t have a limit, so I don’t have to worry about the price. To my shock, when I try on the dress, it fits like a glove.

“Just perfect.” The woman attending to us smiles widely. “It looks like this dress was made just for you! You wear it so well.”

“Fits like a glove,” I mutter while smiling at my reflection. Mia is giggling next to me, too happy to even articulate her thoughts in words.

We find Mia’s dress next, but it doesn’t take long to find what she wanted: a gorgeous red dress that simply screamsher.We spend the rest of the day shopping for other things and going out for dinner.

“Is it crazy that I want to see you walking down the aisle and just pretend it’s real?” Mia asks, and I groan.

“I wish I could just pretend, but it’s Jonathan. I can’t stand him, and he feels the same way about me. The universe is playing a cruel joke on me by bringing us together for this fake marriage.”

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