Page 36 of The Perils of Pretending
“Let’s hope it fits since you didn’t give us time to try anything on.” I do my best to keep my tone normal, but my irritation, frustration, and impatience come through anyway.
Grandma scoffs. “I sent the stylist numerous pictures of you. She’s the one who guessed. Not me.”
I stop myself from rolling my eyes.Way to pass the blame, Grandma. I take the hanger, pulling the zipper down. The dress is a soft pink color with one ruffly shoulder strap. The skirt of the dress looks long as it pools in the bottom of the bag. I’m loath to admit it’s cute. “I didn’t bring any shoes that will go with this.” I have some dressier sandals, but they’re black. I’d prefer to wear silver, gold, or nude with this dress.
“You’ll find everything you need in the bottom of the bag.”
“Thank you for taking care of this for us, Alice. We’ll hurry and get ready and meet you at the lodge at eight.”
Grandma raises a finger. “Don’t be late.”
“We won’t be,” Mom assures.
I leave Mom to usher Grandma out. Annoyed, I race up the stairs, getting my toiletry bag from my suitcase and heading into the shower. If I’m going to wash and style my hair, shave, and apply my makeup in a way that I won’t look washed out in the photos, I need all the time I can get. I’ll wake up Brody after I shower.
For once, it would be nice if Grandma didn’t try to control everything.
We’re standing on the shore, facing the lodge, the bay behind us.
We’re all dressed way too formal, and, at least for me, with not enough layers for a beach picture this early in the morning. The men are in navy suits, the women in tan, white, and pink evening attire. Why do we need to be this fancy right now?
I shiver, my teeth chattering uncontrollably (it’s only fifty degrees, and with the breeze coming off the bay, it feels colder) and pull up the ruffle strap on my dress. It keeps slipping off my shoulder because—spoiler alert—it’s too big. I wish I at least had time to ask the front desk if they had a pin I could use to tighten the strap, but we barely made it to the lawn on time. I didn’t want to upset Grandma and give her another reason to scold me.
The heels of the strappy sandals Grandma provided sink into the sand. Goosebumps the size of mountains coat my arms and chest. The one-strap silk gown makes me feel like I’m naked and about to do a polar plunge.
I rub my arms with my palms. We better get this over with fast.
“Sadie!” Dorian walks toward me, smiling. He’s wearing the same attire as the rest of the men. Is he getting headshots taken?
I raise my brows. Why is he talking to me?
“You look nice.”
I run my hands down the front of my dress. “Thank you.” I don’t say anything else to him. I don’t want to encourage him.
“So about last night. Won’t you reconsider us hanging out as friends?”
My lips pull down. “I have a boyfriend, and if the roles were reversed and he hung out with someone his family really wanted him to marry without me there, I wouldn’t like it. Out of respect for my boyfriend, I ask that you give me space.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Your boyfriend doesn’t trust you? Seems to me you’re with the wrong guy.”
Does he think offending me is the way to win me over? “I didn’t say that.”
“Okay.” He shrugs. “Then why not hang out as friends?”
I don’t want to be mean, but I’m not sure Dorian will listen to me any other way. “Because I don’t want to.”
I look around at the rest of my family, seeing who I can go talk to. I really want to get away from Dorian.
Dorian reaches out to touch my arm.
I jerk away. “What are you doing? Don’t touch me. Ever.”
The trees to the right of the lodge start shaking. A low bellow, like that of a dying cow, echoes around us.
Is that a bear? Do they make that noise?
All heads turn toward the sound. My pulse quickens. Are we in danger?
