Chapter 25
Jade
Jade arrived at Cleo’s office in time for them closing for the day. Cleo had arranged her schedule to let her close early that Friday so that the three of them could attend the initial design consultation appointment for their wedding outfits.
She was excited to spend time with her sister and Lana. But since she’d spoken with Ivy about April the day after they reunited, she’d since told Cleo…and had yet to talk with her about it, not on a video call.
Jade pressed the buzzer on the door and waited for the click of the door to release then entered.
“Hey Lana, ready to mess with Cleo for the next hour?” Jade asked loud enough she knew her sister would hear from her office.
“I may be older than you Jade, but I still have perfect hearing you know!” Cleo shouted from the next room.
Lana chuckled at the sibling’s antics, as always. Jade liked Lana; she was the right kind of energy that her sister needed around her. She was quiet and reserved when she first met you, but when she got to know you, she was warm and kind with a wicked sense of humor.
Jade leaned against Lana’s desk and whispered to her, “care to make today interesting? What color suit do you think she’ll choose?” She asked with a grin.
“Oooooh, I hadn’t even thought of that. I’d been more worried that she’d make me wear a suit too!” Lana admitted, looking down at her own burgundy skirt with black heels and a scoop-neck black blouse. “I love her style, and yours, but it is not in my wheelhouse, by any stretch of the imagination!”
“Well, I’ll give you until we get there to decide. I’m thinking a dark jewel blue, with brown shoes.”
“Hmm, I see your dark jewel blue and raise you a rich green to compliment Ivy’s eyes. She’s sentimental that way.” Lana said with a grin as Jade’s shoulders fell slightly in defeat.
“Urgh, should have gone with green, of course!” Jade shook her head.
Cleo appeared at Jade’s shoulder, asking in a louder voice than necessary, “Ready to go?” accompanied by a wide grin as Jade jumped in surprise.
“You suck,” Jade said, hand placed on her racing heart after the only person who had ever managed to scare her, struck again. “For that, you’re driving.”
20 minutes later, the three women arrived at the address Emily had given Jade. It was a warehouse on the edge of the city with an impressive lineup of elite cars parked outside.
Lana leaned forward from her seat in the back of Cleo’s car, “are you sure we’re at the right address? I mean, they clearly have expensive clients.”
Cleo turned to face Lana and reached out her hand.
The distinctive gentle clink of scraping metal alerted Jade to Lana spinning the anxiety ring on her finger.
“We’re in the right place, and we belong here as much as anyone who can afford a swanky car like those.
Emily is friends with the designer that owns the place, which is how Jade got us in with him to make some impressive outfits for my wedding.
So, don’t worry about your place here, and just remember that we’re doing this for Ivy, ok? ”
Jade saw Lana’s shoulders drop, slightly, but enough that indicated she relaxed some.
It was easy to forget Lana’s previous abusive relationship until moments like this happened.
Jade could see her questioning her worth, and it pulled at her chest. Lana was a great woman, and Jade was glad she’d met someone who knew how to lift her up and treat her well. Her boyfriend, Connor.
“I’ll let Raul know we’re here,” Jade said, reaching for her phone. “Do you need a minute, or are you ok for me to call?” She asked Lana before dialing.
“I’m good, just wasn’t expecting to see the many millions worth of cars lined up, that’s all,” Lana said with a nervous laugh.
15 minutes later, and they were inside Raul headquarters. Jade had to laugh, because of course Emily’s friend would name his business by his first name alone. She’d met him a handful of times in the past and was grateful when Emily had suggested she reach out to him for their wedding outfit search.
Raul was in deep discussions with Lana over her outfit, and how she could blend in with Jade and Cleo’s styles, while remaining true to her style.
It was important to Cleo that Lana be comfortable standing up alongside her and Jade, but they had searched online and were stumped as to what her outfit could be.
Standard dresses just didn’t fit the look Cleo wanted, so here they were.
Jade sat on a sleek high back cream leather chair and Cleo sat in another beside her. A large, low, glass top coffee table separated them from the matching couch that Lana and Raul sat on.
“While I have you to myself,” Cleo began, “How are things going with,” she glanced over to ensure the others were still talking before dropping her voice toward Jade, “you and April?
Jade couldn’t resist the blush and smile that both grew across her face, causing her older sister to chuckle.
“Never mind, because that,” Cleo lifted her hand and moved it in a circular motion in front of Jade’s blushing face, “says it all.”
“I’m not even going to argue with you over it. Things are really going well. I mean, it’s taking a bit of getting used to for a few reasons, but I’m here for it.” Jade said.
“I guess ditching the Casanova mantle would be a bit of an adjustment,” Cleo laughed at her sister.
“Honestly? I haven’t thought about that since the night I met her. It’s more the need to constantly be around her. Then if I can’t, I want to constantly message her. There’s just this pull I feel toward her. I don’t know how to explain it.” Jade felt herself stare off into the distance.
“Well, when you indulge in that pull, how do you feel when you’re with her?” Cleo asked, with a weird look on her face. Jade couldn’t decipher what it was, but she figured she’d answer her sister anyway.
“It’s like, when I’m with her, I can finally relax and breathe.
No matter how busy my day has been, just seeing her smile makes me forget it all.
If I’m exhausted, simply holding her hand can make my body spring to life and want to be alert so not to waste a moment with her.
Mostly though, when she kisses me, it’s like my heart stops yet races all at the same time.
” Jade let out a sigh and could feel the gentle smile playing on her lips.
“Baby sister,” Cleo began, “you do know you’re in love with her, right? I mean, that’s exactly what you’ve just described.” Jade stared at Cleo, mouth hanging open slightly before catching herself.
“That’s insane, it’s only been a few months. It’s way too soon to know that. Isn’t it?” Jade frowned slightly.
“Time means nothing when feelings are involved.” Jade looked at her unconvinced.
Then she saw her sister change tactics and lean closer.
“Why is it ok for people to hate another in an instant and it gets accepted by everyone. Yet, as soon as someone announces the opposite emotion, in an equally short period of time, everyone questions its validity because of some unspoken socially acceptable time period?” Cleo raised her eyebrows at her before continuing.
“Your feelings are valid, Jade, no matter what they are. As long as you stay true to them, nobody can tell you otherwise. So, given the heartfelt description of how she makes you feel, I only have one thing to say to you.”
Jade held her breath, “Don’t say I have to tell her yet, I’m not ready for that.”
“No, not that. That can happen when you’re ready. No, I was thinking of something far more terrifying.” Cleo’s grin spread across her face. “You’re going to have to introduce her to Mom and Dad.”
The color drained from Jade’s face right before Raul explained, “I’ve got it!” as he jumped from the couch and ordered them all to follow him to his workspace.
Cleo laughed as she got up to follow Lana and Raul, leaving Jade behind to panic at the prospect of taking April home to meet her parents.
By the time they left, they were all delighted with their final outfits.
Cleo had selected a dark forest green to be their main color, with black accents.
She would wear a tailored suit with fitted tapered trousers stopping above the ankle and a single button closing her jacket just below her chest. A champagne silk camisole underneath which would be edged with lace to match Ivy’s dress color – the only piece of information Ivy would disclose ahead of the wedding.
Champagne colored closed toe pointed heels to finish her look.
Jade would wear a tailored black button shirt with dark green stoned cufflinks, a fitted waistcoat and straight cut trousers in the same deep green as Cleo’s. A black belt and black brogues in a suede finish to complete her look.
Lana was the most excited of them all, and rightly so.
Raul had really impressed them all with his choices.
Lana's outfit would remain feminine but fit in with Cleo and Jade’s suits, even though they weren’t going to look overly masculine themselves.
Lana’s outfit was going to be the same green as the others were wearing, but it would be a long, belted tuxedo jacket style dress.
It would stop three inches above her knee; the sleeves would be three-quarter in length, with a rolled-up look, and she would have a matching black silk and lace edged camisole underneath her outfit that Cleo had in champagne.
She agreed to black heels but only if she could switch out to flats for the evening to dance in.
Exhausted but excited to see their outfits in a few months’ time, they all headed back to Cleo’s car.
“I chose right, Jade, what do I win?” Lana asked as she put her seatbelt on.
“Wait, what? Win? What am I missing?” Cleo turned to face the other two occupants of her car.
Jade laughed as she explained the bet about the chosen color and told Lana her prize was getting to buy them all coffees on the way home. Jade then got a slap to the back of the head in protest from both Cleo and Lana, only encouraging her to laugh harder.