2. Chapter 2
Daria
Present Day
“This is the one,” Jamie chimes as she spins in a circle in front of the three floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Gladys, Briar, and I all stand in amazement at the utter vision that Jamie is in this dress. She’s right. This is the one .
The bridal shop owner, Vicky, supplied no less than twenty dresses for Jamie to try on this morning, but this one was at the very end of the rack.
The ivory taffeta forms to her curves just right, hugging her perfect little booty and fanning out around her feet in a mermaid style.
A modest sweetheart neckline shows just enough skin in front, while the plunging back shows off her creamy, freckled shoulders.
There are no frills or embellishments. Just simple, exquisite beauty. Just like Jamie.
“It’s absolutely perfect,” Briar says in a breathy voice. When I turn toward her, tears glisten in her big, blue eyes.
I pop my elbow into her side and smirk. “Tamp down the waterworks, babe.”
She turns those big eyes on me, swiping a hand underneath her lashes. “I can’t help it. She looks so beautiful.”
“Really?” Jamie asks, looking down at the dress, like there’s any way we could think otherwise.
“Honey,” Gladys rasps with a red-painted fingernail pointed straight at Jamie. “After what I witnessed in that elevator on Halloween, I wouldn’t be surprised if that boy tossed you over his shoulder and hauled you out of the church after one measly glimpse of you in that dress.”
Briar and I laugh as I step up to my redheaded friend and take her hand in mine. “James, you are breathtaking. Parker will absolutely lose his mind when he sees you in this. I couldn’t have designed a more perfect one myself.”
She beams and runs a hand down the bodice. “I think you’re right. He’ll love it.”
“But the more important question is, do you love it?” I raise an eyebrow, using my secret superpower of reading between the lines to what she’s really thinking.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for love and marriage and ooey gooey romance when the occasion calls for it, but I want to make sure my friend is getting the dress she will love most, not the one she thinks her man will like best.
Jamie nods, giggling as she completes another twirl in front of the mirror. I resist the urge to smile at her cuteness, and ring the bell Vicky handed us at the beginning of our try-on session.
When the plump curly-haired woman appears from behind a partition, I wave a hand in front of Jamie. “We’ve officially found the one .”
Vicky squeals in delight and rushes Jamie back to the dressing room, prattling on about sizing and other details I’d rather tune out. I walk over to the plush light blue sofa and plop down beside Gladys, picking up a bridal magazine to peruse in the meantime.
Gladys pats my leg and stands. “While you girls wait for Jamie, I’m going to pay for my dress.” She wiggles the hanger holding the light pink sequined frock she insisted reminded her of her Dirty Dancing days and carries it to the front register.
“That went well, I think.” Briar says as she sits down beside me.
“Yeah.” Turning a page, I’m struck by the fake couple in the honeymoon vacation ad. The guy is too tan for it to be natural with white-blond hair, and his “wife” is the picture-perfect model, laughing as he carries her off into the sunset. “Ah, wedded bliss.”
Briar nudges my arm the same way I did to her earlier. “What’s with you?”
“Me?” I spare her a glance, then go back to my magazine. “Eh, nothing. Just feeling a little suffocated by all the wedding activities lately.” I make sure to keep my voice low enough so Jamie can’t overhear.
It’s not that I’m bothered by the abundance of wedding planning she and I have engrossed ourselves in these past few months, it’s just that…I don’t really buy into the whole happily ever after scene .
It can work for some people, but those are the exceptions. Like Parker and Jamie, for instance…Their relationship was built on a solid friendship that started over a year before they began dating. So my gut tells me they’ll have a fighting chance at forever.
But the majority of the brides who walk through the doors of this shop will probably wind up divorced at some point. And that’s not just my personal belief; statistics are on my side.
“Do you want me to take over some of the maid-of-honor duties?” Briar asks. I know she’d square up in a heartbeat if I needed her to, but I’d never shirk my responsibility as Jamie’s best friend.
“No, no. It’s fine, really. I’m just…ya know. Over the love stuff.” I ignore the sudden pinch in my chest and continue to flip pages.
“You only say that because you’ve been burned in love,” Briar insists. I sense her smile, though I don’t look up to see it. “I think you just haven’t found a good enough guy yet.”
“Guys aren’t the only problem. It’s the idea that you can connect and commit to just one person for an entire lifetime.” I shake my head. “It’s unrealistic.”
“Aw. Come on, D. Are you sure you’re not just saying that because of…” She trails off, then clears her throat. “Well. Either way, I think you should stop raining on everybody’s parade and open up your heart to the possibility that love can actually conquer all.”
I roll my eyes and flip another page but am saved from responding when Jamie slips out from behind the dressing room curtain. “Ready! Vicky says there shouldn’t be too many alterations to make, and I can come in for my final fitting next week.”
“Awesome,” I say, slapping the magazine closed and jumping to my feet. “Now let’s get some lunch. I’m starving.”
We meet Gladys at the front and walk to the end of the street where a cute little café with a red-brick front beckons us inside.
The menu lists a combination of pastries and sandwiches and boasts homemade kettle-cooked chips.
Once we order and are seated out on the patio with our food, Jamie’s phone pings.
“Hey. Parker wants to know if he can join us for lunch. He just got done at the gym and says he’s hungry.
” She raises her gaze to mine. “You guys okay with that?” She looks at me as if I’m the only one who might object, but I’m not sure why.
I like Parker. He’s sweet and funny and treats Jamie like a queen.
Okay…maybe I’ve acted a little annoyed at him always coming around, forcing me to see my roommate less and less…but that’s a personal problem I’m sure I’ll get over as soon as Jamie moves out.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
“Yeah, sure. We’d love to have him.” I work my mouth into a bright smile before tossing in a chip.
Jamie’s thumbs fly over her phone screen, and I swallow some of my lingering disappointment. I shouldn’t be jealous that she’s found her person in Parker. And I am happy for them. But I can’t deny the familiar feeling of loss that accompanies my excitement.
Everyone I’ve ever loved has moved on from me. From my birth parents to the slew of foster parents who never could get through to me as a teenager to my one serious boyfriend in college. That is not my sob story; it’s just a simple fact.
Each time I’d think this is it, they’re my people , they’d pull away or just up and leave and shatter my belief. And after a while, I just stopped trying to get close to people. Now, I’ve accepted my fate.
I’m the fun but blunt friend you like to invite out on a Friday night.
I’m the low-maintenance roomie who doesn’t expect you to be home at a certain time.
I’m a one-time date who might be easy on the eyes but will take a bite out of your heart if you get too close.
And finally, I’m the girl with a goal of having her own fashion line, so I immerse myself in overtime at a job I can’t stand and pretend like I’m not dog-tired from trying to save up enough for a startup.
Not gonna lie, it can be a lonely existence.
But really, it’s better this way. Without having to rely on someone else for my happiness, I can pursue my own passions and dreams. Without worrying if I’m living up to another’s expectations, I get to set my own goals and celebrate on my own terms when I crush them.
I don’t need loads of friends or a dedicated love interest to make me feel special.
I’m basically a girl boss in training.
Gladys pulls Briar and me into a conversation about lipstick shades when a familiar tall, dark, and handsome figure bounds up to the café’s patio. I smile when Parker approaches, but it fades the instant his companion comes into view.
Charles— Dane —waltzes up alongside Parker with sunglasses concealing what I already know are steel-blue eyes, his hands tucked into his athletic shorts.
I hate the way my eyes want to cling to the fabric stretched taut across his massive biceps like they’re starved for a glimpse of the male species.
After giving my wayward eyeballs a stern talking to, I rip my gaze away and focus on the delicious Balsamic chicken sandwich in front of me.
My companions all exchange hellos, and Jamie pops up to hug Parker while I take a huge bite out of my sandwich and ignore them. Our little lunch outing just went from quaint to overcrowded.
“Why don’t we pull up some chairs?” Briar says in her sugar-sweet voice. Both guys do as she suggests, and everyone scoots over.
Everyone except me.
If I do, that’ll just widen the gap between me and Jamie, creating the perfect opening for Parker and Dane. And as far as I’m concerned, there’s only room for one guy between us.
When Jamie nudges my shin under the table with the toe of her shoe, I send her a dark look. She only smiles sweetly, which gives me no choice but to comply. So I do. Barely. One miniscule scoot.
But Parker doesn’t pick up on my reluctance and physically picks me up , chair and all, and moves me closer to Gladys. Then, with a wide smile directed solely at his fiancée, he takes the seat beside Jamie.