Page 10 of Something Borrowed
“Really?” she asks, hope shining from her terrified eyes. Almost every bride is the same. No matter how well planned today is, no matter how calm they think they’ll be, more often than not they look exactly like Tessa does right now.
“Yes. Just try to enjoy the morning. It’ll be over before you know it.”
Nodding, she turns back to her drink and downs what’s left in the glass.
“You look beautiful, honey,” Mom says, taking in my dress. I usually try to look anything but one of the wedding party, but seeing as I’d already refused point blank to be one of Tessa’s bridesmaids, I didn’t really feel like I could also refuse when she expressed her interest in me at least color coordinating. I swiped a fabric swatch from her dressmaker and took it shopping. I was going to make sure it was something that was as different as possible from what the bridesmaids were wearing.
I eventually found a gorgeous black fitted dress with a floral print in the exact burgundy color Tessa had selected as her theme. It’s got a high neck, no sleeves, and sits just above my knees. It’s the exact kind of thing I would wear when working. Team it with my black court shoes and I could almost be at anyone’s wedding.
Almost.
“Thank you. Are you excited?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.” She’s buzzing with excitement and I can’t help my laugh at her. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Shaking my head, I look down at my clipboard to remind myself of the timings for the day, even though I know them like the back of my hand.
“Are you sure you don’t want this?” Mom nods over to where Tessa’s standing and admiring her dress.
“What? A custom, made-to-fit-my-body like a glove, designer dress? Yeah, I’d love one. Would be a bit much to go to the store in, though.”
“Bryony,” she warns and my smile falters. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. All you did as a kid was talk about your wedding day. Are you sure you really don’t want your own?”
“Yes. I’m very sure.”
Her eyes soften and the sympathy on her face has my fists clenching. I don’t need anyone’s sympathy because of a decision I’ve willingly made.
“Who was it, Bry? Who broke your heart so badly?”
My chin drops. She’s never once made me think she was aware that my sudden one-eighty on the wedding thing was because of a man—a boy, really.
“It wasn’t—” My words get cut off when there’s a knock at the hotel room door. Looking over Mom’s shoulder, my chest constricts like I’ve just been hit with a baseball bat when I find Freddie standing in the doorway. Glancing around the room, his eyes find mine and widen as he takes me in.
“Oh, wow. I did not see that coming,” Mom mutters, forcing me to rip my eyes from Freddie, who’s already fully dressed in his charcoal morning suit.
“What? No…no…” Her eyebrows rise as she looks between me and Freddie, and I know that nothing I can say right now is going to convince her.
“I’m sorry. Bryony, can I borrow you for a minute?”
“She’s just coming, Freddie.” Mom’s warm fingers wrap around my forearm as she leans into my ear. “You could do a lot worse than Freddie Bison. Whatever it is, whatever happened, let it go. Give him a chance.”
Pulling back in surprise, I look at her, my lips parted to say something, but I’ve got no words.
“Love’s complicated, Bryony. Never say never.”
She removes her hand, but I don’t move. Her words of advice repeat over and over in my head until Freddie says my name again.
Looking up, I suck in a breath at the concern on his face as he stares back at me. He’s attempted to style his hair, but really, it still looks a mess. He’s freshly shaven and the morning suit Tessa chose is the perfect color to compliment his green eyes.
“Hey, Freddie,” Megan, one of Tessa’s bridesmaids, sings when she spots him. The smile that spreads across her face and the way her eyes drop to take him in has a fire burning in my belly.
Forcing my legs to move, I walk towards him. The closer I get, the harder it gets to breathe. It doesn’t help that he’s basically stripping me naked with his eyes. My skin burns, my mouth waters, and it’s only made worse when his scent fills my nose.
“Hey, beautiful,” he breathes when I’m right in front of him.
Fighting the desire coursing through me, I snap, “What do you want? We’re kind of busy.”
“Have you seen Mac?” His voice is barely a whisper and my stomach drops.
