clichéd. This is a dress to launch a career with.”
“But I’m not trying to launch a career. I just want to get married. In Montana. In June. Have you ever been to Montana in June? It’s going to be humid. I’ll molt .”
“Don’t be so dramatic. You’re not an actual bird. You won’t molt.”
“And if she were an actual bird,” Faye butted in, “she still wouldn’t have those feathers. Only males do. The clue’s in the name. Pea cock .”
Nancy wasn’t in a jokingmood. “Please, Mallory. Please tell me this is a joke and you have my real wedding dress in the closet.”
Mallory’s jaw trembled, and Nancy wished she could reel back all the words she’d just said. She pressed her fingertips into her throbbing temples. “Look. I’m—”
“You know what your problem is? You don’t know anything about fashion.”
That was true enough. Fashion seemed so arbitrary. Sometimesone of her outfits made it into both the fashion dos and fashion disaster pages, and Nancy had no earthly clue why. She wore what her stylist told her to.
And her stylist would probably drool all over this wedding dress.
“Mal, I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear before, but I want the banal, clichéd dress I described to you. I’m sure you can find someone else to wear this one.”
“Stacia’s already putout a press release that I’m designing your dress, and she’s negotiating exclusive photos for a couple of big magazines. I will not be known for boring clothes, Nancy. I’m sorry, but I’m putting my foot down. This is the dress.”
Faye’s jaw slackened as her gaze darted between the two women. Nancy felt the same shock. “What do you mean, you’re putting your foot down? I’m the freaking bride!”
“No need to shout at me. Just trust me on this. This dress is so much better than anything you have in mind. I used your design as inspiration—see? It’s white…mostly, and it’s strapless. I just added my own twists. That’s fashion.”
No, it was a disaster. “I need a minute alone. Can you take this thing off me?”
“Leave it on. You’ll get used to it. Just don’t move. Or sweat. Or touch it.” Malloryleft the room with one last look of pride at her creation before shutting the door behind herself.
“Oh my God,” Nancy bit out through gritted teeth. “They’re going to call me Bride of Big Bird.”
“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen.” Faye tentatively reached out a finger but yanked it back before she touched the dress. “How many pigeons do you think she plucked for this?”
“I’m very afraid theseare from swans. And don’t even get me started on the peacocks. If I wear this dress, PETA will boycott everything I ever do from now on—and I’ll be right there in the picket line with them. Can you hand me my phone? I need to call Jared.” He was shooting on location in Mexico, so she wasn’t sure she would get through, but he picked up after the second ring.
“Hey, Bunny! How are you?”
“We havea problem.”
“No problem’s unsolvable. Shoot.”
Relief began to flow across her rock-hard shoulders. “I just tried on the wedding dress Mallory designed.”
“I love hearing you talk about your wedding dress. Makes it all feel more real, know what I mean? Did you get all emotional and decide you wanted to share the moment with me?”
She hesitated. “In a way. I’m really sorry—I know you wanted togive her work some exposure, but I can’t wear this dress. It’s not me at all. It’s…it’s…”
Big Bird , Faye mouthed.
Tension snapped over the phone line. “What do you mean it’s not you?”
“It’s not my style.”
Jared sighed. “Look, Bunny, this wedding is a really big opportunity for Mal. The spotlight will be on your dress, and that means it’ll be on her work.”
What about me? “I understand that,but—”
“To be honest, I’m pretty surprised by your selfish attitude. You’re helping out all those small businesses in Marietta by hiring
“But I’m not trying to launch a career. I just want to get married. In Montana. In June. Have you ever been to Montana in June? It’s going to be humid. I’ll molt .”
“Don’t be so dramatic. You’re not an actual bird. You won’t molt.”
“And if she were an actual bird,” Faye butted in, “she still wouldn’t have those feathers. Only males do. The clue’s in the name. Pea cock .”
Nancy wasn’t in a jokingmood. “Please, Mallory. Please tell me this is a joke and you have my real wedding dress in the closet.”
Mallory’s jaw trembled, and Nancy wished she could reel back all the words she’d just said. She pressed her fingertips into her throbbing temples. “Look. I’m—”
“You know what your problem is? You don’t know anything about fashion.”
That was true enough. Fashion seemed so arbitrary. Sometimesone of her outfits made it into both the fashion dos and fashion disaster pages, and Nancy had no earthly clue why. She wore what her stylist told her to.
And her stylist would probably drool all over this wedding dress.
“Mal, I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear before, but I want the banal, clichéd dress I described to you. I’m sure you can find someone else to wear this one.”
“Stacia’s already putout a press release that I’m designing your dress, and she’s negotiating exclusive photos for a couple of big magazines. I will not be known for boring clothes, Nancy. I’m sorry, but I’m putting my foot down. This is the dress.”
Faye’s jaw slackened as her gaze darted between the two women. Nancy felt the same shock. “What do you mean, you’re putting your foot down? I’m the freaking bride!”
“No need to shout at me. Just trust me on this. This dress is so much better than anything you have in mind. I used your design as inspiration—see? It’s white…mostly, and it’s strapless. I just added my own twists. That’s fashion.”
No, it was a disaster. “I need a minute alone. Can you take this thing off me?”
“Leave it on. You’ll get used to it. Just don’t move. Or sweat. Or touch it.” Malloryleft the room with one last look of pride at her creation before shutting the door behind herself.
“Oh my God,” Nancy bit out through gritted teeth. “They’re going to call me Bride of Big Bird.”
“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen.” Faye tentatively reached out a finger but yanked it back before she touched the dress. “How many pigeons do you think she plucked for this?”
“I’m very afraid theseare from swans. And don’t even get me started on the peacocks. If I wear this dress, PETA will boycott everything I ever do from now on—and I’ll be right there in the picket line with them. Can you hand me my phone? I need to call Jared.” He was shooting on location in Mexico, so she wasn’t sure she would get through, but he picked up after the second ring.
“Hey, Bunny! How are you?”
“We havea problem.”
“No problem’s unsolvable. Shoot.”
Relief began to flow across her rock-hard shoulders. “I just tried on the wedding dress Mallory designed.”
“I love hearing you talk about your wedding dress. Makes it all feel more real, know what I mean? Did you get all emotional and decide you wanted to share the moment with me?”
She hesitated. “In a way. I’m really sorry—I know you wanted togive her work some exposure, but I can’t wear this dress. It’s not me at all. It’s…it’s…”
Big Bird , Faye mouthed.
Tension snapped over the phone line. “What do you mean it’s not you?”
“It’s not my style.”
Jared sighed. “Look, Bunny, this wedding is a really big opportunity for Mal. The spotlight will be on your dress, and that means it’ll be on her work.”
What about me? “I understand that,but—”
“To be honest, I’m pretty surprised by your selfish attitude. You’re helping out all those small businesses in Marietta by hiring
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