Page 30 of A Class of Her Own

Ruby clapped. “You’re beautiful in pink.”

I took a closer look at myself. “Really? I never saw pink as my color.”

“You actually have curves in that dress,” Aryn teased.

I ran my hands over hips that had appeared out of nowhere. And my chest, usually so ignorable, didn’t look like it would need padding. My eyes grew larger, and I blinked a few times. Okay. This was a surprise.

“It’s so pink, though,” I said with less bite.

“Lizzie’s right; it suits you. Or do you want to try on a couple more?” Hailey asked, and I could tell by the way her eyes gleamed that she knew exactly what my answer would be.

“Nope,” I hopped down. “Unzip me, and let’s call it good. Onto the next victim.”

Lizzie tugged the zipper down. “No victims here. Just my best friends participating in my dream wedding.”

Cold water would have felt better than that statement. I turned and grabbed Lizzie’s hands before she moved away to the next dress.

“Liz,” I said genuinely, “I’m so happy you want me in your wedding, and I’m sorry to be a brat. Forgive me?”

She actually teared up before wrapping her arms around my waist and giving me a hug. “I knew you’d be a pain, but I also knew you’d come through. Thanks, Meredith.”

I patted her back and shared a look with Aryn. “She knew I’d be a pain?”

Aryn shrugged and grinned. “Come on, even you knew you wouldn’t go down without a fight.”

I frowned as I thought about it and then nodded. “Guess so.”

I moved into the dressing room with the frown still on my face. I hated that my friends assumed I’d fight them on everything. Yes, fighting was as natural as breathing to me. I’d always had to fight for every scrap in life, and, I guess in my strange way, I’d come to think of fighting as a communication style. I vowed to work on it, and by the time I was back in my regular clothes—hello, blue blouse and black slacks—I was determined to be better.

Ruby was dressed and up on the pedestal when I rejoined the group. The dress she was wearing had floating layers and big puff sleeves. It was the lightest shade of pink, and Ruby looked like a princess. Something she mentioned no less than twenty times. Aryn and Hailey, both being pretty easygoing and matter-of-fact, were a breeze to choose dresses for. By the time we were all finished, my stomach was growling, and I was ready for some alone time.

“Tomorrow is my bridal shower,” Lizzie squealed as we made our way to the parking lot, tugging on coats and thin driving-style gloves. “The wedding is getting so close.”

“Only fifteen days,” I supplied.

“Mrs. Elizabeth Duncan Walker,” Lizzie sighed, a hand to her chest. “Has anything ever sounded more perfect?”

Aryn smiled as she unlocked her car. “It’s all coming together, Lizzie. It’ll be a beautiful wedding.”

“See you tomorrow,” Hailey waved. “I’m off to have dinner with Ford and the kids.” She offered Lizzie a hand squeeze. “I love the dresses.”

“I looked like a princess,” Ruby preened.

“Yes,” I laughed along with the others. “You really did.”

“Now I need to find me a prince,” Ruby added, gliding to where her car was parked. “He’ll sweep me off my feet and carry me into the sunset.”

“You’ll find him,” Lizzie responded.

“I know,” Ruby nodded. “I’m sure the universe has someone especially for me.”

Funny, I thought as I started up my car,I’d always figured the universe had no idea where to find the kind of man I would need.

CHAPTER NINE

“What I don’t understand, no matter how many times we discuss this, is why you ever wanted to be the HOA president in the first place,” Lizzie said to me around a mouthful of cheese the next night. “You’ve got your hands full teaching school and helping out your dad. Why do you want to get involved with more things?”

She took a seat on the warm gray couch in my little family room and tucked her legs up under her. The“I’m the Bride” sash she was wearing slipped off one shoulder, and Hailey leaned over to tug it back into place. Today was Lizzie’s bridal shower, and we were all gathered in my house to celebrate. The other guests would be arriving soon, but for these blissful moments it was just the five of us. The dress fitting the night before had been a wake-up call in a way, and I tried not to get overly sentimental as I looked at each of them, understanding that the little band would be breaking up as Lizzie moved in a few short weeks. The five of us were so different, but together we’d formed a well-rounded unit that had taken forever for me to find, and I had no interest in goodbyes.

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