to be a bridesmaid. They get all the action.” She pulled out a dress and held it in front of her. “What do you think? Does it say do me ?”
“It says put me back before your grubby fingerprints rub off.”
“It’s too bad you’ll be paired up with Pete, but I’ll deal. You think Riley’s other groomsman will be as hot as Pete?”
“Chloe.”
She gave me a sly smile. “You know Pete’s hot.”
“Shut up, Chloe.”
“I’m not sure why Nell dumped him for Riley. I mean, Riley’s handsome and all, but Pete”—she rolled her eyes in ecstasy—“Pete’s got bad boy appeal.”
“He does not.” I didn’t know a nicer guy. He was sweet, caring, and considerate.
“Oh yeah, he does. He plays the good boy, but underneath he’s a seething mass of badness. It’s in his eyes.”
Pete does not have bad boy in his eyes. I would have noticed. “Put the dress back before you mess it up.”
“You know, Gracie, if you don’t be careful, you’re going to end up a shriveled old spinster living with your cats—”
“I don’t have cats.”
“—darning Daddy’s socks for entertainment.” She shoved the dress back on the rack before whirling around and pointing at me. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I rolled my eyes. Why was I the only sane one in this family?
Fortunately, Nell and the Mistress emerged right then. They walked slowly, as if in procession, Nell in front.
Nell looked like she was wrapped in whipped cream. It fit tightly in the bodice but the skirt floated in fluffy layers around her. She seemed to float as she walked toward the platform. They’d done something to her hair so it was all up with a veil trailing down her back.
“You look like a princess.” Chloe wiped her eyes.
“You look like Mom,” I corrected.
She did. The style of the dress was different, but Nell was the spitting image.
Tears started running unchecked down her cheeks. “Oh, Gracie. That’s the nicest thing you could have said.”
Devon magically produced a Kleenex and handed it to Nell. “This dress meets your approval.”
Nell nodded, blowing her nose. “I think this is it.”
Thank goodness. I wilted in relief. Usually Nell had to check out every store on her list before making a decision.
The Mistress turned toward me and Chloe and I had the insane urge to run for my life. “Now for the bridesmaid dresses. Did you have any particular style in mind?”
Nell was all business again. “I think something short would look good on both of them.”
Something short would look great on Chloe. Anything would look great on Clo. But on me? I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
The next thing I knew Nell was the one reclining on the couch with a mimosa and Chloe and I were being hustled to the fitting rooms with a rainbow of dresses to try on.
The first one was short, strapless, and shimmery gold. I didn’t think it was going to look good on me but was surprised when it turned out to be okay.
I studied myself from different angles in the mirror. Actually, it was better than okay, even if I did look like I had stilts for legs.
Chloe was already on the platform, preening like a peacock, as I walked out to show Nell and Devon. She had the same dress on and, of course, looked stunning. It accentuated all her curves. My baby sister looked lush.
I frowned at that thought. “I’m not sure about this dress.”
“I think it looks great on both of you,” Nell said.
I glanced at Chloe. Every plan to seduce the men at the wedding was evident in the mischievous glint of her eyes.
“No,” I said, shaking my head vehemently. “I think we need something with more coverage. Maybe something long, with a turtleneck.”
Mistress Devon gave me a queer look.
Nell didn’t bother to reply. “Go try on the next dress.”
Sighing, I trudged back to the fitting room.
An hour and a half later, we were no closer to deciding on the bridesmaid dresses.
I stood on the platform, watching everyone behind me bicker
“It says put me back before your grubby fingerprints rub off.”
“It’s too bad you’ll be paired up with Pete, but I’ll deal. You think Riley’s other groomsman will be as hot as Pete?”
“Chloe.”
She gave me a sly smile. “You know Pete’s hot.”
“Shut up, Chloe.”
“I’m not sure why Nell dumped him for Riley. I mean, Riley’s handsome and all, but Pete”—she rolled her eyes in ecstasy—“Pete’s got bad boy appeal.”
“He does not.” I didn’t know a nicer guy. He was sweet, caring, and considerate.
“Oh yeah, he does. He plays the good boy, but underneath he’s a seething mass of badness. It’s in his eyes.”
Pete does not have bad boy in his eyes. I would have noticed. “Put the dress back before you mess it up.”
“You know, Gracie, if you don’t be careful, you’re going to end up a shriveled old spinster living with your cats—”
“I don’t have cats.”
“—darning Daddy’s socks for entertainment.” She shoved the dress back on the rack before whirling around and pointing at me. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I rolled my eyes. Why was I the only sane one in this family?
Fortunately, Nell and the Mistress emerged right then. They walked slowly, as if in procession, Nell in front.
Nell looked like she was wrapped in whipped cream. It fit tightly in the bodice but the skirt floated in fluffy layers around her. She seemed to float as she walked toward the platform. They’d done something to her hair so it was all up with a veil trailing down her back.
“You look like a princess.” Chloe wiped her eyes.
“You look like Mom,” I corrected.
She did. The style of the dress was different, but Nell was the spitting image.
Tears started running unchecked down her cheeks. “Oh, Gracie. That’s the nicest thing you could have said.”
Devon magically produced a Kleenex and handed it to Nell. “This dress meets your approval.”
Nell nodded, blowing her nose. “I think this is it.”
Thank goodness. I wilted in relief. Usually Nell had to check out every store on her list before making a decision.
The Mistress turned toward me and Chloe and I had the insane urge to run for my life. “Now for the bridesmaid dresses. Did you have any particular style in mind?”
Nell was all business again. “I think something short would look good on both of them.”
Something short would look great on Chloe. Anything would look great on Clo. But on me? I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
The next thing I knew Nell was the one reclining on the couch with a mimosa and Chloe and I were being hustled to the fitting rooms with a rainbow of dresses to try on.
The first one was short, strapless, and shimmery gold. I didn’t think it was going to look good on me but was surprised when it turned out to be okay.
I studied myself from different angles in the mirror. Actually, it was better than okay, even if I did look like I had stilts for legs.
Chloe was already on the platform, preening like a peacock, as I walked out to show Nell and Devon. She had the same dress on and, of course, looked stunning. It accentuated all her curves. My baby sister looked lush.
I frowned at that thought. “I’m not sure about this dress.”
“I think it looks great on both of you,” Nell said.
I glanced at Chloe. Every plan to seduce the men at the wedding was evident in the mischievous glint of her eyes.
“No,” I said, shaking my head vehemently. “I think we need something with more coverage. Maybe something long, with a turtleneck.”
Mistress Devon gave me a queer look.
Nell didn’t bother to reply. “Go try on the next dress.”
Sighing, I trudged back to the fitting room.
An hour and a half later, we were no closer to deciding on the bridesmaid dresses.
I stood on the platform, watching everyone behind me bicker
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