Page 32 of Love's Bloom
“We would let just a few people know ahead of time. Otherwise, we’ll announce a picnic at his house. The surprise is mostly for his parents. As a senator, his father wants a showy wedding. His mother would prefer a quiet one with no alcohol. We’re doing our best to do what we want for ourselves without hurting anyone else. What do you think?”
“I believe you should have the wedding of your dreams, and if that’s a small, intimate one with a picnic reception, it’ll be perfect. Emmett has purposely stayed out of his father’s political life, and you’ve both helped his mother with her addiction issues. You deserve to have the ceremony you want.”
Crystal clasped her hands with a joyful expression. “Okay, then. Emmett is going to ask Nick to be his best man. I’ll wear a simple white dress. You can choose any summer dress you want, but I think a floral pattern would be nice.”
“Excellent!” Misty got up and hugged her sister.
Sugar saw them, bounded over, and growled until Misty said, “It’s okay, girl.”
The dog backed away and then came to Misty’s side.
Crystal shook her head with amazement. “She’s protecting you. I’m very impressed.”
Misty picked up the dog and hugged it to her. “She and I chose one another. She’s perfect for me.”
They walked Crystal to the front door.
“See you later,” said Misty. “I’m going into town for a certain dress I saw at the Wild Flower Boutique. I normally allow myself only to look at all her beautiful clothing, but I’m going to splurge for such a happy occasion.”
“Poppy Browning has such excellent, fun taste. No matter what it is, it’ll be fabulous,” said Crystal. She beamed at her. “I’m getting excited. Thanks, sis.”
“Thank you for asking me,” Misty replied, fighting tears. She loved Crystal so much.
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That afternoon, Misty decided to do a test run in town with her new dog. She didn’t want to leave Sugar home while she went looking for a dress, and taking Sugar with her would be a smart way to introduce the dog to the area. The small town was very dog-friendly.
She put Sugar’s leash on and told her they were going for a ride. The dog responded with a lot of tail wagging and tugging on her leash, anxious to leave.
“You understand what I’m saying,” Misty said, laughing. “Okay, then, you can help me choose a dress.”
Downtown, Misty got Sugar out of the car and headed to the Wild Flower Boutique. Painted yellow, the store front was attractive, with sunflowers in tall brown pots beside the steps into the shop. Hopefully, the dress she’d seen earlier was still there. And if she was very, very lucky, it might be on sale.
She was excited by the thought of seeing Poppy, who was in her late 30s and was always a pleasure to talk to. Though she kept up on what was going on in town, she wasn’t a gossip, and she was friendly to everyone.
Misty led Sugar to the door and paused. “Poppy, is it all right if I bring my new dog into your store? She’s very well-behaved.”
Poppy looked up from behind the jewelry counter. “Of course. What a cute dog.” She headed toward them. Not trim, Poppy was a brunette who had chocolate brown eyes and a ready smile.
Holding out her hand, Poppy bent to greet Sugar, who wiggled with pleasure at the attention. “What’s your name, sweet dog?” Poppy cooed.
“This is Sugar. I got her this morning. She’s a trained therapy dog and a real sweetheart,” Misty said proudly. “Her former owner is at The Woodlands.”
“Oh, how nice. Will you take Sugar to see her from time to time?” Poppy asked, straightening.
“That’s my plan,” said Misty. “I don’t know much about the woman except she had to find a home for Sugar.”
“Are you browsing today?” asked Poppy, and Misty couldn’t help smiling. Browsing was all she usually did.
“I’m here to find a sundress. I saw one here a couple of weeks ago that I liked. I’m hoping you still have it.”
“I’ve put some in the back. Let’s go check.” Poppy led her to the back of the store, where a rack of clothes was marked on sale.
“Oh, I don’t see it. The dress was white with bright, colorful flowers. Simple but sweet,” said Misty.
“I think I know which one you meant. It’s gone. But let me show you something similar. It’s in a pale pink that would look great on you.”
Poppy left her and returned with a simple A-line style dress with a V-neck and capped sleeves. Misty knew it would be perfect.
