Chapter 3
THREE
Jem
I can’t stop thinking about Rune. I was so sure that he would say yes to my proposal that maybe he felt a spark with me, too. Instead, all I got was a maybe.
I sigh as I steam some of the new wedding dresses that came in.
I’m the only wedding and elegant dress shop within a five-hundred-mile radius.
Between appointments and online orders, plus alterations, I’m kept pretty busy.
Today is a rare, slow day, but Fern is going to be coming by soon to try on a few styles and see what she likes.
Then I’ll have to work on her alterations so that everything is ready before the big day.
I should be using my free time this morning to set up an online dating profile or find some other way to get a date for Fern’s wedding, but I’m still so hung up on Rune. I can’t stop thinking about him and wondering what it would be like to be his.
The bell above the door rings, and I look up, smiling as Fern hurries in.
“Hey! Sorry, I’m a little early,” she says, shrugging out of her coat.
“No, you’re fine!”
“I only have an hour today. We got a call about this property this morning, and Jackson and I are going to go look at it then.”
“Oh, what kind of property?” I ask, ushering her over to the first rack of dresses.
“It’s this old barn with a house too. They both need work, but once they’re fixed up, it would be the perfect spot for a wedding space.”
“You’d be the full package!” I say. “Wedding planner, venue, you’ve got it all.”
“I hope so. We’ll see how the viewing goes.”
“Well, let’s get started here then. Why don’t you look through and see what kinds of styles you like? Then we can decide on veils, trains, accessories, all of that.”
“Sounds good. I pulled up some dresses online, too. I’m thinking something like this,” she says, showing me a few photos of a lace-covered, A-line dress with a sweetheart neckline.
“They’re gorgeous, and they’d look great on you with your curves.”
“I’m torn because I also like the big princess gowns too, with the poofy skirts,” she says with a laugh.
“Well, head to a room. I’ll grab one of each, and we can test them.”
She nods and heads back to the fitting rooms while I head to a rack and flip through options until I find what I’m looking for. I select two lacy options and a few of the classic princess-style dresses.
We spend the entire hour trying on options, but Fern falls in love with the last one. It’s a cream-colored, sparkly, dramatic ballgown. She looks drop-dead gorgeous in it, and I know as soon as I zip her up that it’s the one.
“This…” she says, tears in her eyes. “This is it.”
“I agree,” I whisper.
She turns, hugging me, and I laugh.
“I look beautiful! Thank you.”
“You are beautiful, Fern. I can’t wait to see Jackson’s face when you walk down the aisle toward him in this dress.”
“Can we do fittings later? I’ve got to run now.”
“Sure thing. Just text me.”
She changes back into her clothes and waves as she rushes out. I hang her dress back up, hanging it behind the front counter to save it for her.
My phone rings as I’m debating heading out to grab some lunch, and I smile as I see my best friend’s name on the screen.
“Jem!” she shouts.
I laugh. “Rowan!”
Rowan and I grew up in Wolf Valley together and have been best friends ever since we met. We’ve been through everything together. She met her husband last December, and they had a whirlwind romance of their own. Now she’s living with her billionaire husband and is happier than ever.
“How’s it going?” she asks.
“Good. Fern was in this morning. She found her dress.”
“Aww! I can’t wait to see it! Sorry I missed last night. This morning sickness has been killer,” she groans.
“Ugh, that sounds miserable. Do you need anything?”
“Nah, Heath has it taken care of. I swear he’s buying these pregnancy pop suckers in bulk.”
I laugh at her annoyed tone. I’m sure he is. Heath takes Rowan and her health very seriously.
“What else is new?” she asks.
“Well, I asked someone out last night.”
“What?”
“Ro?” Heath yells in the background.
“I’m fine! Jem has a boyfriend!” she yells back.
“No, I don’t!” I splutter.
“What?”
I sigh. “I asked out this guy, Rune, but he said he had to think about it.”
“What a jerk! What an idiot!”
I smile slightly. “Well, it was kind of sudden. I think I took him by surprise.”
“Still! He has eyes, right? He can see the perfect being right in front of him?”
“I guess not, which sucks because I like him. I felt this spark, you know?”
“What happened? Set the scene for me,” she orders.
“I was buying ice cream at the market, and he was in the frozen section.”
“Also ice cream? Did you two reach for the same flavor at the same time?”
“Uh, no. He was glaring at the frozen meals section. I saw him leave, and that was all he bought.”
“Hmm.”
“So I walked up to him, introduced myself, and asked him to be my date for the wedding. He didn’t seem that into it, though, so I said it would be fake. That didn’t seem to move the needle either,” I sigh.
“What’s his name?”
“Rune.”
“Rune, Rune…” Her brow furrows. “The guy at the lumberyard?”
“Uh, yeah, I think so.”
“Well, if you really want him, maybe you could go to him with something to sweeten the deal.”
“Sex?” I hiss.
She barks out a laugh. “I was thinking of a home-cooked meal, but that could work too.”
I giggle and lean back in my chair. “Okay, so I cook for him, bring it up there, and then what? Shrug out of my trench coat to reveal some sexy lingerie?”
“Depends on if you want a date or for him to drop to his knees and beg you to marry him.”
I burst out laughing. “I might have to try your idea.”
“Do it!” she encourages. “A few home-cooked meals might be a good trade-off, plus you two can talk more and get to know each other.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“It’s just… Do you really want this to be fake?” she asks carefully.
I hesitate. “It’s better this way,” I tell her quietly. “He clearly wasn’t interested in me, or he would have agreed last night.”
Rowan hums.
I drag a hand through my hair. “Ugh, maybe I should forget about him and find someone else.”
“You could,” she says right away. “Why don’t you take some time and think about it? I’m here if you need to brainstorm ideas.”
“Thanks, Rowan.”
“What are best friends for?” she asks with a laugh. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay, see you.”
We hang up, and I debate what to do. Should I start an online dating profile?
Should I try to let my friends set me up on a blind date?
Neither option sounds appealing. I’ve had friends offer to set me up before, but it’s always the same problem.
I’m just not attracted to the guys; there’s no spark there.
I take a deep breath and get back to work. When my phone rings a minute later, I frown at the unknown number and wonder who’s calling me now.