But I can find you something unique and beautiful. Will you take the leap with me?”
“I will. Charlotte, I will.” Kristin gripped her arm. “I’m willing to try another dress. Really. Do you think you can find a dress that’s just for me?” Tears collected in the corner of her eyes, but she was smiling. “Just don’t get me on some kind of ugliest bridal gown list.”
Charlotte laughed. “No bride of mine will ever be on an ugly gown list.” As she stood, Kristin snatched up Charlotte’s ring hand.
“Y C3"> up Charou’re engaged too?”
“Yes . . . yes, I am.” Charlotte twisted the ring around her finger. The clear and sparkling diamond created a multicolored swirl of light. The switch of attention to her from Kristin made her want to turtle her emotions. Tuck away and hide.
“It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen a ring like it.” Kristin smiled at the smirking Dixie standing by the refreshment bar. “Are you helping her choose her dress?”
“Gee, I don’t know. Charlotte, am I helping you choose your dress?” Dixie folded her arms and let her sarcasm drip.
“This session isn’t about me. It’s about Kristin.” She stooped for the photo album. “The ring belonged to my fiancé’s grandmother.”
Charlotte shot Dixie a hard glare. She’d been fussing at her all week about choosing a gown. Charlotte promised she’d get around to it. She would. Then this morning Dixie showed her the new Bray-Lindsay that just arrived from Paris, and Charlotte nearly buckled. “It’s too expensive, even with my dealer discount,” she said the moment she caught her breath.
At eight thousand dollars the dress better make her feel like Cinderella, Princess Diana, and Kate Middleton all rolled into one. Charlotte had to feel it. Dixie insisted she try the gown on, but she had yet to slip into the handcrafted silk.
How could she explain an eight-thousand-dollar dress to Tim? He nearly froze her out over a thousand-dollar trunk purchase.
“Kristin”—Charlotte locked her gaze on Dixie—“you know, I think we have a gown in the shop that would be perfect for you. It just arrived this morning from Paris.”
“Charlotte?” Dixie’s arms fell to her side and her smirk became a pinched-brow frown.
“Dix, why don’t you prep the Bray-Lindsay of Paris for Kristin and let’s show her what it feels like to be a real princess bride.”
Dixie regarded Charlotte through a narrowed gaze. “It’s quite expensive, Kristin.”
“Price is no problem.” Kristin jumped up, an eagerness in her tone. “My parents will buy whatever I want. I’d love to see this Bray-Lindsay.” She clasped her hands together. “A gown from Paris. Wonderful.”
“All right then, let me get it ready for you. Charlotte, can you give me a hand?” Dixie hooked her hand around Charlotte’s elbow as she headed out the door, dragging her along. “Kristin, there’re refreshments on the bar. Please help yourself.”
“Do I see steam coming out of your ears?” Charlotte asked, tripping along with Dixie as she thudded down the stairs to the reveal salon.“Do I snt>
Dixie’s auburn hair was slicked back into a perfect ponytail and her Malone & Co. suit clung to her curves in all the right places. Charlotte could hate her—raw, honest truth—if Dixie wasn’t so smart and sweet. And fun. Dixie Pryor was an amazing friend and an excellent bridal consultant.
“Enough steam to curl your hair.” In the salon Dixie flung open the storage closet doors and took the Bray-Lindsay from the rack. “This was your dress, Char. We ordered it for you.”
“ You ordered it for me. I never said I wanted it. It’s perfect for Kristin. Think about it, Dix—the gown is too frilly for me.”
“Too frilly? You said the Maggie Sottero was too plain. The Bray is the perfect blend of simple and intricate.” Dixie carefully prepped the dress to be draped over the dress form on the gleaming, dark-wood center platform. Sofas and lounge
“I will. Charlotte, I will.” Kristin gripped her arm. “I’m willing to try another dress. Really. Do you think you can find a dress that’s just for me?” Tears collected in the corner of her eyes, but she was smiling. “Just don’t get me on some kind of ugliest bridal gown list.”
Charlotte laughed. “No bride of mine will ever be on an ugly gown list.” As she stood, Kristin snatched up Charlotte’s ring hand.
“Y C3"> up Charou’re engaged too?”
“Yes . . . yes, I am.” Charlotte twisted the ring around her finger. The clear and sparkling diamond created a multicolored swirl of light. The switch of attention to her from Kristin made her want to turtle her emotions. Tuck away and hide.
“It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen a ring like it.” Kristin smiled at the smirking Dixie standing by the refreshment bar. “Are you helping her choose her dress?”
“Gee, I don’t know. Charlotte, am I helping you choose your dress?” Dixie folded her arms and let her sarcasm drip.
“This session isn’t about me. It’s about Kristin.” She stooped for the photo album. “The ring belonged to my fiancé’s grandmother.”
Charlotte shot Dixie a hard glare. She’d been fussing at her all week about choosing a gown. Charlotte promised she’d get around to it. She would. Then this morning Dixie showed her the new Bray-Lindsay that just arrived from Paris, and Charlotte nearly buckled. “It’s too expensive, even with my dealer discount,” she said the moment she caught her breath.
At eight thousand dollars the dress better make her feel like Cinderella, Princess Diana, and Kate Middleton all rolled into one. Charlotte had to feel it. Dixie insisted she try the gown on, but she had yet to slip into the handcrafted silk.
How could she explain an eight-thousand-dollar dress to Tim? He nearly froze her out over a thousand-dollar trunk purchase.
“Kristin”—Charlotte locked her gaze on Dixie—“you know, I think we have a gown in the shop that would be perfect for you. It just arrived this morning from Paris.”
“Charlotte?” Dixie’s arms fell to her side and her smirk became a pinched-brow frown.
“Dix, why don’t you prep the Bray-Lindsay of Paris for Kristin and let’s show her what it feels like to be a real princess bride.”
Dixie regarded Charlotte through a narrowed gaze. “It’s quite expensive, Kristin.”
“Price is no problem.” Kristin jumped up, an eagerness in her tone. “My parents will buy whatever I want. I’d love to see this Bray-Lindsay.” She clasped her hands together. “A gown from Paris. Wonderful.”
“All right then, let me get it ready for you. Charlotte, can you give me a hand?” Dixie hooked her hand around Charlotte’s elbow as she headed out the door, dragging her along. “Kristin, there’re refreshments on the bar. Please help yourself.”
“Do I see steam coming out of your ears?” Charlotte asked, tripping along with Dixie as she thudded down the stairs to the reveal salon.“Do I snt>
Dixie’s auburn hair was slicked back into a perfect ponytail and her Malone & Co. suit clung to her curves in all the right places. Charlotte could hate her—raw, honest truth—if Dixie wasn’t so smart and sweet. And fun. Dixie Pryor was an amazing friend and an excellent bridal consultant.
“Enough steam to curl your hair.” In the salon Dixie flung open the storage closet doors and took the Bray-Lindsay from the rack. “This was your dress, Char. We ordered it for you.”
“ You ordered it for me. I never said I wanted it. It’s perfect for Kristin. Think about it, Dix—the gown is too frilly for me.”
“Too frilly? You said the Maggie Sottero was too plain. The Bray is the perfect blend of simple and intricate.” Dixie carefully prepped the dress to be draped over the dress form on the gleaming, dark-wood center platform. Sofas and lounge
Similar Books
