Chapter 23
Carli
If you have two friends in your lifetime, you’re lucky.
If you have one good friend, you’re more than lucky.
~ S.E. Hinton
McKenna arranged for a dress fitting this afternoon and I’m running a little behind schedule. I had to help Jace in the barn and then I showered so I wouldn’t show up smelling like hog.
I park and blow out a breath.
What would it be like if I were seeing any other guy in town besides Cody?
All my friends would know. I’d be walking into this fitting to their eager expressions as they anticipated an update.
My excitement would be shared—and multiplied—while I told them how I saw him at work and we snuck out back for a quick moment together—not to mention our whole day in Nashville.
I place a hand on my chest and press in, easing the hollow ache.
The sound of laughter and giddy voices fills the old Victorian home turned cozy dress shop when I walk through the door.
The front room of the store has three tufted sofas centered around a cream shabby-chic coffee table.
The walls have arched cutouts with dresses neatly hung on bars in the recessed spaces.
Three archways lead into the back area. The larger archway is open for customers to pass through.
The two side archways boast a trending bridal gown and a tux on display like a headless bride and groom.
This whole place exudes the promise of happily ever after.
McKenna’s getting married.
The warmth from my smile trickles down into my chest as I walk through the main room, greeting the woman at the register.
My friends turn and smile at me when I step through the archway.
“Carli! You made it!” McKenna runs over to me, pulling me into a hug when I enter the back room where a three-way mirror surrounds a platform. Small tufted benches line the walls.
My friends are all holding flutes of bubbling drinks. A tray of charcuterie sits next to another tray of petit fours on a cream side table.
“We’re ready!” McKenna tells Maisie, the owner of the dress shop.
Syd hands me a glass of sparkling juice and gives me a side-hug.
Maisie addresses the group.
“We’ve got a number of dresses set aside for you ladies. We ordered some based on McKenna’s input before we had all your sizes and preferences, so let’s look at this as a chance to narrow down what works.”
I glance at Syd. She raises a brow.
Maisie smiles around at all of us. “McKenna will be in the bridal dressing room trying on a selection of gowns. We set aside the bridesmaid dressing room for all of you. Once you have your dresses on, come out here so she and her mom can see you.”
“I’m so excited,” Mrs. Lawson says.
I smile at her. One day, I could be trying on the gown while she and my mom sit side-by-side. I know I’m running ahead of myself, but I’m starting to entertain a future with Cody—this time not only in my fantasies.
Maisie calls over one of the other women who works in the shop and sends her and McKenna into the bridal dressing room. Then she herds the rest of us into the opposing dressing room.
“I’ve hung your dresses on these hooks with your name on the tags so there’s no confusion. Just give me a holler if you need any help. Once you have your first dress on, come on out to the main room so McKenna and Mrs. Lawson can see you. When McKenna’s in the first gown, we’ll call y’all out.”
We scan the dresses hung on hooks on the wall, each of us locating a dress with our name on it. Then it’s a flurry of disrobing and trying on.
Cass is the first one to get her dress on.
“Does this look like the color of cheddar?” she asks, turning to look at her reflection in the mirror. “And, oh my word. Why does my butt look like cottage cheese?”
“It’s not that bad,” I deflect.
“It really is,” Winona says.
Cass shouts, “Next!” and takes the dress off as quickly as she put it on.
I slip my dress over my head. It’s pleated from the neck down. The color is nice, but the way it falls is … interesting. “Why do I look like a curtain?” I say with a laugh.
“That’s not the neck hole,” Cass says, walking over to me in her undergarments to adjust the dress.
“Ahhh. Much better,” I say now that the pleats fall at my waist.
Sydney tries on her dress.
“You look adorable,” I say.
“Zip me up, would you?” she asks.
I tug on the zipper. “Suck in a little.”
She does. I zip her in. Her voice is tighter when she says, “As long as I don’t eat at the wedding, I’ll be golden.”
Emberleigh’s in the corner, her hands overhead, the dress halfway on.
“Someone? Help? I’m stuck!” She wiggles like one of those inflatable tube men outside a used car lot.
Cass is still half naked—bra and underwear. She marches over and gives the dress a solid tug.
It takes three of us, but we get it down.
“Oh my gosh. How am I going to get back out of this?” Emberleigh asks.
Her face is red and splotchy from all the tugging and wriggling.
“You’ll just have to wear it until the wedding,” Cass says, her expression so serious I think she means it. “Then we’ll cut you out.”
“Don’t worry,” Winona assures Emberleigh. “We got you in. We’ll get you out.”
There’s a soft knock at the door just before it swings open.
“Y’all doing okay in here?” Maisie asks.
“We’re great,” Cass says for all of us. She’s the only one not dressed at this point. “Just doing last-minute adjustments.”
Maisie’s brow dips only for a second and then she says, “Okay, then. McKenna’s ready to see the bridesmaids whenever you’re …” Her eyes land on Cass. “... adjusted.”
The door closes and we all burst into laughter.
Winona stares at the door then back at Cass who’s standing in her underwear, hand on hip like she’s ready to run a board meeting.
“Adjusted?” Winona laughs. “That feels a little … optimistic.”
Cass tugs on another dress—not the color of cheddar—and we all make our way into the back room where McKenna is on the pedestal in a gown that looks as if it were made for her.
Unexpected tears well in my eyes. I swallow the tightness in my throat.
“You’re beautiful,” I breathe out in a voice so soft I don’t think anyone hears me.
“Awww, thanks,” McKenna says, turning her head to smile at me over her shoulder. “So are you.”
Our eyes meet in the mirror and she tears up too.
Our childhood flashes like a montage. Running through fields. Jumping off hay bales. Sharing secrets. Always just down the road from one another.
I step closer, dabbing my cheek and stopping beside her pedestal.
“Look at you,” I say.
“Look at you,” she answers.
Then she bends down and gives me a hug and I squeeze her like I could keep us here forever.
The front door opens and male voices carry through to the back of the store. I step back next to Winona and Cass as if I’m undressed and a man is walking in.
“It’s just Cody and Luke,” Winona says.
My cheeks heat.
“What are you two doing here?” Mrs. Lawson asks her sons as they make themselves at home.
“Came to see our baby sister in her wedding gown,” Luke says, as if that’s normal.
“It was his idea,” Cody says, holding his hands up in the air in a show of innocence.
His eyes scan the room and land on me.
I look away, focusing on McKenna up on the pedestal. But I can feel Cody’s gaze as if his fingertips are tracing over me.
“What have we here?” Luke says, walking over to the charcuterie. “You see this, Cody?”
“Huh?” Cody answers, looking away from me and walking toward the spread of food and drinks.
“Man, girls have all the fun,” Luke says, grabbing a slice of deli meat and popping it in his mouth.
“You two need to leave,” Mrs. Lawson says.
Luke leans over and kisses her cheek. “Awww, Ma, we’re just here to see McKenna. We’re not staying.” He looks up at his sister. “You look beautiful, Hollywood.”
“Thanks,” she says, smiling.
Luke scans the room. “And you too, Carli. That dress. Whewee. Between it and your biscuits, I don’t know how I’m gonna let you stay single much longer.”
“Out!” McKenna says with a smile on her face. “That’s enough of the sideshow.”
Luke grabs a few more slices of cheese and meat and stuffs a petit four in his mouth.
He mumbles, “Alright, Alright,” around the bite.
Then he smiles cordially around the room and says, “Ladies, you all look lovely. McKenna, you’re stunning.
Mom, we love you.” With a tip of his hat, he walks out of the store.
“Sorry about him,” Cody says, glancing around the room. “He’s not used to being off the ranch. We’re still working on getting him lessons. If any of you know anyone who wants to tame a rancher …” He smiles a big smile, flicks his eyes in my direction and turns to follow Luke out.
I let out a breath slowly and quietly as soon as the shop door shuts behind the two Lawson men.
Tame a rancher? I’d like to tame a rancher.
McKenna slips right back into the moment, making a show out of looking over each of our dresses. We take turns on the pedestal, turning and allowing her to circle us. I’m standing off to the side of the room while Sydney’s up and Cass is next.
I pull out my cell.
Carli: You two are like bulls in a china shop.
Cody: And you are beautiful. Wouldn’t have missed seeing you for the world.
I smile, pocketing my cell.
McKenna glances over at me and smiles.
We finish showing off our dresses and change back into the clothes we came in.
After a little mingling, everyone starts making excuses as to why they need to leave to get on with their days.
We thank Maisie and walk out as a group, hugging one another goodbye before scattering to our cars and trucks.
McKenna hugs me last. “Thank you for being here.”
“I’m honored to be here. And that dress is perfection.”
“Thanks,” she says. “I can’t wait for Westley to see it.”
“He’s going to cry or faint,” I say.
“I’m obsessed with guys crying at the altar,” she says. “I have a whole folder on my social media full of reels of guys crying.”
“Does Westley know?”
“No! I don’t want to pressure him to perform. Whatever he does will be perfect—and ours.”
I smile at her and pull her into another hug.
“What was that for?” she asks.
“Just because I love you.”
“Awww. I love you too. You’re the sister of my heart.”
Mrs. Lawson calls out, “Girls, I hate to break this up, but I have to get back to the ranch.”
“Coming, Mom!” McKenna shouts. She reaches out and squeezes my hand and then she dashes over to her mom. I watch them go before climbing up into my truck and turning the key.
My cell pings, so I put the truck in park and check it before taking off.
Cody: When will I see you again?
Carli: Tonight?
Cody: Absolutely. Yes. I’m all yours.
Carli: Wow. All mine? Promises, promises.
Cody: For tonight, anyway. Tomorrow I belong to the department for twenty-four hours again.
Carli: I’ll take what I can get.
Cody: You’ll get as much as I can give you. More whenever I can.
Carli: Awww. I’m smiling.
Cody: I live to make you smile.
Cody: Meet me on the same property. Does that work? I’ll be there in my pickup.
Carli: I’ll be there.