relief. “This is it,” she said to Melissa and Chantal. “This is the dress.” She’d heard that, when you found the right wedding dress, you just knew. Now, she knew that to be true.
“Perfect.” Chantal’s smile was much bigger than Melissa’s. “Once you’ve paid in full, we can get started on the alterations.”
Fate bit her lip. She didn’t have much in the way of funds, but she was short on time too. She’d literally put wedding dress shopping off as long as she could. It was three months until the wedding. Three months until she moved to New York and started her new life with Trevor.
“How long do alterations usually take?”
“Usually four to six weeks or so. But June weddings are pretty popular, so we’re kind of slammed at the moment.”
Fate had wanted a fall wedding. She loved fall, loved the scent of the leaves, the cool, crisp air, and the colors. It was her humble opinion that the colors during fall made nature the perfect backdrop for a wedding—no fancy decorations needed. But Trevor and his mother both had their hearts set on June. So June it was.
“Fate…” Melissa began hesitantly. “Why don’t you let me put the full cost of the dress on my credit card and you can pay me back? Half now and half later. That way, they can go ahead and get started on the alterations.”
Fate was overwhelmed by her friend’s generosity. “That’s such a sweet offer, Mel. But there’s no way I could let you do that. I’ll pick up some extra shifts at the diner and pay the dress off next month. It’ll be fine.”
Melissa frowned, lines creasing her forehead. “If you were one of my clients, I’d tell you this was crazy—putting off everything until the last minute.”
“Guess it’s a good thing I’m just your best friend then,” Fate told her as she pulled out her debit card to pay the deposit on the dress.
“Guess so,” Melissa said quietly before they walked outside.
Once they reached Melissa’s red Mercedes, her friend stared at her intently as if making up her mind about something.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Fate asked, curious as to what had her usually chatty friend so introspective.
She hoped she hadn’t been insensitive bringing Melissa along. Mel had recently called off her own engagement with an entertainment lawyer she’d been dating for the past few years. At least that’s what her friend had told her. But rumors had run rampant throughout their small circle of friends and Fate had overheard mumblings that it had been Ethan who’d ended things. There was even gossip about Mel cheating, but Fate didn’t believe that. Melissa was the most loyal person she knew.
“It’s just…” Melissa shook her head as if she were going to back out of finishing her sentence.
“It’s just what, Mel? You know you can tell me anything.”
Melissa was the only truly close friend she had and the only person aside from Trevor who knew about her mother’s issues with addiction.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Fate? The wedding, I mean. You just seem to be sort of… I don’t know… Unenthused about the whole thing.”
A tight ball of worry formed in Fate’s stomach. Was that how she was coming off? Unenthused?
“It’s just a lot, you know? I guess seeing my mom get her heart broken so many times and what it did to her… I never thought I’d be the kind of girl to get married. Then there are all these decisions and things you’re supposed to care about.” She sighed. “I mean, honestly, I don’t care about the font on the invitations or what fabric the tablecloths at the reception are made of. I’m a sucky bride.”
It felt good to admit. Melissa nodded and they got in the car. Once they’d both buckled their seatbelts, Melissa turned as much as the shoulder strap would allow.
“I know it’s a lot, Fate. But just think—when it’s all over, you get to be Mrs. Trevor Edward Harris.” There was a wistful twinge in Melissa’s
“Perfect.” Chantal’s smile was much bigger than Melissa’s. “Once you’ve paid in full, we can get started on the alterations.”
Fate bit her lip. She didn’t have much in the way of funds, but she was short on time too. She’d literally put wedding dress shopping off as long as she could. It was three months until the wedding. Three months until she moved to New York and started her new life with Trevor.
“How long do alterations usually take?”
“Usually four to six weeks or so. But June weddings are pretty popular, so we’re kind of slammed at the moment.”
Fate had wanted a fall wedding. She loved fall, loved the scent of the leaves, the cool, crisp air, and the colors. It was her humble opinion that the colors during fall made nature the perfect backdrop for a wedding—no fancy decorations needed. But Trevor and his mother both had their hearts set on June. So June it was.
“Fate…” Melissa began hesitantly. “Why don’t you let me put the full cost of the dress on my credit card and you can pay me back? Half now and half later. That way, they can go ahead and get started on the alterations.”
Fate was overwhelmed by her friend’s generosity. “That’s such a sweet offer, Mel. But there’s no way I could let you do that. I’ll pick up some extra shifts at the diner and pay the dress off next month. It’ll be fine.”
Melissa frowned, lines creasing her forehead. “If you were one of my clients, I’d tell you this was crazy—putting off everything until the last minute.”
“Guess it’s a good thing I’m just your best friend then,” Fate told her as she pulled out her debit card to pay the deposit on the dress.
“Guess so,” Melissa said quietly before they walked outside.
Once they reached Melissa’s red Mercedes, her friend stared at her intently as if making up her mind about something.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Fate asked, curious as to what had her usually chatty friend so introspective.
She hoped she hadn’t been insensitive bringing Melissa along. Mel had recently called off her own engagement with an entertainment lawyer she’d been dating for the past few years. At least that’s what her friend had told her. But rumors had run rampant throughout their small circle of friends and Fate had overheard mumblings that it had been Ethan who’d ended things. There was even gossip about Mel cheating, but Fate didn’t believe that. Melissa was the most loyal person she knew.
“It’s just…” Melissa shook her head as if she were going to back out of finishing her sentence.
“It’s just what, Mel? You know you can tell me anything.”
Melissa was the only truly close friend she had and the only person aside from Trevor who knew about her mother’s issues with addiction.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Fate? The wedding, I mean. You just seem to be sort of… I don’t know… Unenthused about the whole thing.”
A tight ball of worry formed in Fate’s stomach. Was that how she was coming off? Unenthused?
“It’s just a lot, you know? I guess seeing my mom get her heart broken so many times and what it did to her… I never thought I’d be the kind of girl to get married. Then there are all these decisions and things you’re supposed to care about.” She sighed. “I mean, honestly, I don’t care about the font on the invitations or what fabric the tablecloths at the reception are made of. I’m a sucky bride.”
It felt good to admit. Melissa nodded and they got in the car. Once they’d both buckled their seatbelts, Melissa turned as much as the shoulder strap would allow.
“I know it’s a lot, Fate. But just think—when it’s all over, you get to be Mrs. Trevor Edward Harris.” There was a wistful twinge in Melissa’s
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