Page 127 of No Rings Attached
I slipped away to the cluster of bridesmaids while Mom’s attention was on her audience of one.
“Hey, Ellie,” Angie said the moment I sat down. “You did great last night.”
“Thanks,” I responded.
“Have you had a chance to see the bridesmaids’ dresses yet?” she asked.
“Not yet. I guess it’s just another surprise,” I joked weakly.
A few of the other bridesmaids flicked their eyes toward me then away, silent. Were they Celia-loyal, or just afraid of crossing her? Hard to tell.
Angie leaned closer. “They’re a pretty fuchsia color. Straps for us, strapless for Jenna as the maid of honor.”
“I thought you were the maid of honor,” I blurted out.
The air in the room seemed to freeze.
Angie flushed, eyes darting. “No. She didn’t ask me.”
My gut twisted. Celia had cut out her childhood best friend for the notoriety of having Jenna by her side. “I’m so sorry.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine. So you really didn’t get the email with the dance moves?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“What about the other ones?”
“What other ones?” My stomach sank. What else had I been missing that was going to be thrust upon me? But that was Celia, and I should’ve expected she would keep me out of the loop.
Angie dug out her phone. “Let me see if I can find them and forward them to you.”
“Thank you.”
A woman in her fifties emerged from the back and smiled warmly at us. “Hello. If we haven’t met, I'm Sally, the owner of this shop. Our bride is just about ready. We had to make a few adjustments, and she can’t wait to show it off to you.”
Our mother took the seat closest to where Celia would be walking out and Jenna sat in the chair on the other side of me.
“This is so exciting. I get to see my baby in her wedding dress.” Mom dabbed at her eyes with a linen handkerchief. When had she started using one of those? Then I saw one of the cameramen discreetly off to the side.
“Did you all make appointments at Curl Up and Dye for the day of the wedding?” I asked Angie.
My mother sniffed delicately and interrupted before Angie could respond. “I’d definitely die if I got my hair done at that podunk salon. There is no way they could handle the caliber of Celia’s wedding. We’re flying in a stylist.”
Ooookay.
Celia peeked her head around the corner with a huge smile on her face. “Are you ready?”
Everyone cheered and I tried my best to yell along with all of them.
Then Celia stepped out in her gown …
… and my world tilted.
My lungs seized, like someone had violently punched the air from them.
Cream lace overlay.
Heart-shaped bodice.
