Chapter 46
ADELINE
Asingle week after Zach and I had finally said I love you and got engaged on our own terms, I wasn’t sure whether or not I would ever have a wedding again. But it turned out that Douglas Westwood and my grandfather didn’t care what Zach and I wanted.
“Absolutely not,” Douglas had declared when we’d the mistake of mentioning we might just elope. “You deserve a wedding.”
“Agreed,” my grandfather had barked. “I’m paying for the champagne and we’ll have an open bar too. No expense will be spared.”
After that conversation, everything had started moving very, very fast, which was how I’d ended up standing on a raised platform in the middle of one of the massive dressing rooms at Westwood Manor, my future home, while a terrifyingly elegant stylist helped me into my sixth wedding dress of the afternoon.
I stared at myself in the mirror, layers of ivory silk settling around me. “Oh, no.”
Jane gasped from the couch as she looked me over. “I think what you meant to say is, Oh, yes.”
Kate, seated beside her, nodded enthusiastically. “You look unbelievable.”
Jacqueline pressed a hand to her chest, also peering out from behind Jennifer’s shoulder, who was sitting sideways across her lap. “Zach will probably pass out when he sees you in that.”
“Are you sure that’s what we’re aiming for?” I asked mildly. “Making the groom faint just seems like a one-way ticket to spending our wedding night in the emergency room.”
“It’s an acceptable casualty,” Jane replied. “We’ll make sure there are doctors on standby in the ER. They’ll have him back to you, good as new, in plenty of time for—”
“Your wedding night,” Kate finished over her, giving a pointed look toward Lu and Jennifer. “In time for their wedding night.”
They burst into laughter, and while I chuckled with them, it still startled me how easy it had become to laugh with them.
The Westwoods in general were loud, opinionated, and invasive, and the women they’d chosen were just as bad, if not worse, but somehow, they’d wrapped themselves around me and the girls so naturally that it felt like we’d always been part of their family.
Louis had a small family. He’d been an only child and so had I, which had meant that holidays had always been quiet and tense. Family events hadn’t been events so much as lunch with his parents or coffee with my grandpa.
This, however, was not that. The Westwood women were a force of nature, and with them, everything seemed to be an event. They’d insisted on being with me every step of the way for the wedding planning, and so far, they hadn’t flaked once.
Over the last couple days, we’d gone to choose flowers and décor and argued about the vital importance—or otherwise—of napkin colors. We’d met with two bands and a DJ, interviewed several photographers, and nixed a whole host of offers from vendors who were trying to get in on a Westwood wedding.
Charlotte and Eliza weren’t being kept out of the loop either.
Despite having a newborn, Charlotte was constantly on video call with us.
Eliza was always busy at the castle but she insisted on being kept up to date with messages and pictures in our group chat.
The girls had one of those too, and I’d instantly been added to it.
Meanwhile, my kids were being included just as enthusiastically as me. Jennifer, even at seven, was always being cuddled on someone’s lap while Lu operated more on banter and having her opinion at least considered, if not the final say, in every matter.
They were currently having the time of their lives with their new aunts while poor Colette, the stylist, risked cardiac arrest trying to keep them from touching thousand-dollar fabrics with every new dress she pulled out.
Jennifer lunged at the next option Colette showed me while Lu sat cross-legged on the floor beside a mountain of tulle, squinting at me critically. “I don’t like that one.”
Colette’s face fell like she’d been shot through the heart. I flashed her an apologetic smile before I glanced down. “Why?”
“It’s too fancy.”
“I think what she means is that you usually look softer,” Kate said diplomatically. “As much as I love that dress, she does have a point. It’s a really structured look.”
Lu nodded. “It doesn’t look like you. You should look like you.”
Even Colette softened at the explanation, but something strange happened to my chest when I noticed the warm, fond smiles on every last one of my sisters-in-law to-be’s faces. For so long, it had just been me and the girls, trying to survive.
Every decision had felt heavy and lonely, but now, I had three women here and two on the other side of a phone standing up for me. Listening. Loving my kids while we all played princess in a mansion that was somehow becoming home.
None of it felt real.
“Okay, next one,” Jane announced, clapping her hands and snapping me out of my thoughts. “I’m going to make an executive decision here and nix everything too structured.”
“Wait,” I protested as Colette descended again. “I need a break. I’ve lost circulation to my ribs.”
“Nonsense,” Jane said with a knowing smile. “Beauty is pain and we need to get this done today. We’re on the clock, remember? If we stop now, we’ll just have more to do tomorrow.”
Colette started undoing the ties at the back of the dress and I exhaled in relief, only to tense again when Jennifer piped up. “Mommy should wear sparkles. Are there any sparkly dresses?”
“No to sparkles,” Lu groaned. “It should be poofy!”
Jennifer pouted. “Yes to sparkles. They’re so pretty.”
“No.” Lu crossed her arms. “Poofy, yes. Sparkles, no.”
“Well, this is promising,” Jacqueline muttered. “A stage three sister showdown. I’ve had so many of these.”
“What’s stage four?” I asked over my shoulder.
“Someone cries and someone bites,” Jane declared immediately. “At least, that’s how it worked in our house, but to be fair, I only had brothers. I know all about sibling showdowns, but I might have a bit to learn when there are only sisters involved.”
Jennifer frowned. “I do not bite anymore.”
Kate smiled at her. “That’s encouraging.”
I laughed, tears suddenly filling my eyes when I realized I’d been missing this kind of banter and sense of belonging for years.
It’d only been about a week since these women had descended on me at our first official Westwood family dinner, but it already felt like we belonged here, the girls and me.
Jane winked when I caught her eye in the reflection of the mirror, offering me a soft smile that said she understood what I was feeling. I’d felt that from all of them too, understanding, empathy, and a very real desire to make us feel like part of the family.
“A princess dress,” Lu was arguing when I refocused on the room around me. “That’s what she should have.”
“Yes!” Jennifer agreed enthusiastically. “A poofy one with sparkles.”
Colette brightened up. She glanced at the girls, suddenly smiling and seeming completely invested in turning me into Cinderella. “Oh. I have just the thing. You’re going to love it. It’s enormous.”
“Enormous?” I blinked at the other women in the mirror, noticing that none of them seemed convinced either, but Colette and the girls insisted, and the next thing I knew, I was in what looked like several thousand pounds of layered satin and tulle. “Don’t you think I’m a little old for this?”
“No,” Jane said without even thinking about it. “I think it works, actually. It’s gorgeous.”
Kate nodded. “This is your actual princess moment. You might as well embrace it.”
I arched an eyebrow at her. “It’s my second wedding.”
Jacqueline waved a hand dismissively. “That just means you know what you’re doing now, not that you have to look like any less of a princess while you’re doing it. Trust me on this, I’m British. We know what we’re talking about when it comes to royalty.”
I sighed and glanced at Colette, but she seemed ridiculously pleased as she looked me over.
“That neckline is timeless and it’s been much too long since I’ve had a bride interested in anything other than sleek and slinky.
This is fabulous. Classic bridal. It’s only one day. You might as well play it up.”
Jennifer bounced excitedly off Kate’s lap and ran over to me. “Spin, Mommy!”
“I physically can’t,” I said. “There’s too much fabric. I’ll create a tear in the space-time continuum.”
Lu circled me slowly with narrowed eyes, then pointed decisively at the cathedral-length veil Colette was suddenly holding. “That’s the one.”
“You know, I actually agree completely,” Kate said after a moment. “You should play this up. In fact, you might’ve inspired me to talk to Nate about renewing our vows. I suddenly feel like I missed out.”
“You missed out?” Jane scoffed. “I wore a pantsuit I already owned because I didn’t have any time or money to look for anything else.”
“It’s settled then,” Jacque said happily. “Vow renewals all around. Do you think Eliza would let us do it at the castle? It could be a group vow renewal. We’ll be like real princesses.”
The girls went nuts at that idea, suddenly shouting and smiling, pleading with Jacque to make good on what they’d decided was a promise. I groaned and looked back at my reflection.
The dress was the biggest ballgown I’d seen in my entire life, sparkling subtly under the lights with layers of ivory tulle cascading outward in dramatic waves. The bodice was fitted, at least, but I could probably hide three full-grown adults underneath the skirt.
It was, absolutely and in every sense of the word, a princess dress. Nothing about it was demure or understated, but I kind of loved it.
My daughters looked so happy when they started fussing over me as Colette fastened the absurd cathedral-length veil. The women on the couch, my self-appointed peanut gallery, all seemed to approve.
And I could finally marry the first prince, looking just like the princess from the story. So maybe I shouldn’t focus on the fact that I’m thirty years old and this is my second wedding. Maybe it should be about finally getting my very own love story.
I swallowed hard and looked back at myself again, deciding to let the girls choose. “I think this is the one. Good choice, babies.”
Squeals of joy and laughter rang out. Another bottle of champagne was opened and someone even found sparkling grape juice for the girls. By the time we finally escaped Westwood Manor that evening, my feet ached and my face hurt from laughing, but I was happier than I had been for years.
Thankfully, the girls were exhausted, crashing approximately ninety seconds after I’d tucked them into bed. I watched them for a beat, strangely nostalgic about the fact that soon they wouldn’t be sharing a bedroom anymore.
Zach and I had decided against moving in together immediately, opting to take it as slow as we could despite the fact that our wedding was being actively planned without our input or opinions from us about whether we’d wanted a wedding at all.
The girls were excited about the eventual move, but we’d wanted to give them as much time as we could. Even if only a couple weeks.
After changing into my pajamas, I got ready for bed, then called Zach as soon as I pulled back the covers. It rang for only a second before his voice sounded at the other end of the line. “That took much longer than I was expecting. How bad is it?”
“It’s…” I trailed off and rubbed my forehead. “You have to promise me something.”
“Okay? I might, but I’ll be honest, it kind of depends on what it is. I don’t like making promises I’m not sure I can keep.”
“You cannot laugh when I come down the aisle. Promise me.” There was a pause. Then I heard a muffled, breathy sound from his end and I sat up a little straighter. “You’re already laughing, aren’t you?”
“I’m trying not to,” he admitted. “It can’t be that bad, though. I’m sure you’re going to be breathtaking.”
“You only say that because you haven’t seen it yet.” I drew in a deep breath. “You’re going to think a Disney princess escaped into downtown Chicago.”
“Honestly? That sounds kind of hot. I’m getting into princesses, haven’t you heard?”
I buried my face in a pillow. “Jennifer and Lu chose it.”
“Then I’m definitely going to love it.”
My heart melted as I finally sank down fully into the bed. “Do you really think that?”
“I know it,” he said after a beat, his voice a little lower and quieter now. “I just sort of wish it could only be for us, you know? I’m not talking about Jennifer and Lu choosing the dress. That part is great, obviously. I’m talking about—”
“The wedding as a whole?” I sighed. “Yeah, me too.”
“It’s just that it’s all for show. Dad and Clark are planning to invite half the damn world and we’re just the window dressing.
” There was a thoughtful, quiet moment. His tone changed, turning strangely hopeful.
“How about we play our part on the day like we originally agreed, but what if tomorrow is just for us?”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
“Are you free in the morning?”
“Yes?”
“Okay, then. I’ll pick you up at nine.”
“What exactly have you got in mind, Zachary Westwood, and why am I suddenly scared?”
“Don’t be scared,” he said gently. “Just be ready, okay? I can’t wait to see you, Adeline. Seriously, this is going to be great.”