Page 42 of When Stars Collide
“Okay, here’s the first one.”
“Oh, you look like a princess, Elle,” Kirsten said in awe.
I turned my head to look at my phone, seeing nothing but a black screen. “Earth to Kirsten. I know you’re probably on your third glass of free champagne right about now, but you have to turn the phone so that I can see what you’re looking at.”
“Oh, yeah.” After a couple more seconds of complete darkness, Elle’s image appeared on my screen. Her dress, a simple strapless number with beading around the bust, screamed class.
“Yeah, the free champagne wasn’t offered this time, after we obliterated three bottles the last time.”
“Cheap bastards.”
“What do you think about this one?”
“I think it’s elegant, tasteful …”
“But?” Elle knew me too well.
“But when I think about you as a bride—and don’t get all choked up on me for saying this—I envision you in something that will take Luke’s breath away. When you come out and I see you in your dress for the first time, I want to be wowed.”
Elle stood in silence, contemplating what I’d just said. “You’re right. This isn’t the one.”
“I mean, if you have your heart set on that one …”
“No, no, let me put on the other one. I think your assessment is spot on, and this won’t be as hard as I thought it would be.”
Elle hurried out of view of the phone, once again leaving me alone with Kirsten on the other end. My mind turned over different categories of small talk to make with her while we awaited Elle’s next grand entrance.
“So, where’s Dandelion today?”
“Oh, she had to work.”
“Did you have today off?”
“No, Elle and I are on our lunch hour.”
That’s right, she and Elle work together.
“Long day at the library?”That was when I learned that one question could lead to several minutes of pure regret.
“My gosh, let me tell you. We had one guy come in today who was upset because we wouldn’t let him check out any more books without paying his fines, and …”
I sat at my computer, reviewing our latest query submissions as Kirsten spoke passionately about all the inefficiencies present at the Roanoke Public Library.
“And then our system crashed, and no one but Elle knew how to use the antiquated card catalog we keep around as a back-up, and— Whoa.”
“What? Whoa, what? Kirsten, turn the phone around.”
“Oh crap, sorry.”
I could have turned over a million mental images of Elle in my mind and none of them—
Not. A. Single. One.—would have held a candle to the Elle standing before me. The dress, a vision only seen in fairy tales, was a long-sleeved, A-line dress with an illusion neckline and beaded embellishments around the bodice. From the waist down, chiffon flowed down to the floor in ripples.
“Wow.” The response was so organic that it came out involuntarily.
“I know, right!” Elle beamed, doing a quick turn, which revealed the back of the dress secured by a row of buttons that went down the length of her back.
“Why didn’t you break this one out first?”
