Part 5 (1/2)
The second dress also met with approval, a strapless dress with a sweetheart-shaped bodice. Lovey cupped her b.o.o.bs and bit her lip. ”I love how it looks. Is it too revealing?”
”You have perfect body to reveal,” Malvina said. She used a big clip to tighten the dress more and hoist it a little higher. ”Better?”
”Yes.” Lovey spent some time admiring the dress.
”You do not love,” Malvina said. ”Come.”
Katelyn smiled and awaited the next reveal.
Lovey walked out in a swirl of layers of pale chiffon. The beaded lace bodice molded her b.r.e.a.s.t.s perfectly, dipping low at the sides and back, held up with delicate spaghetti straps. Mrs. Armstrong and Randi simultaneously said ”Oh...” on a long exhale.
Mrs. Armstrong covered her mouth with her hands and blinked as Lovey turned to the mirrors. She went very still, then slowly smiled.
She turned back, her smile luminous. ”This is it,” she said softly.
”Oh my gosh,” Randi said. ”You are so beautiful, Lovey.”
Mrs. Armstrong wiped tears. ”Yes. That's the one.”
Malvina clapped her hands. ”I concur.”
One of Malvina's a.s.sociates appeared to help with measurements and ordering details while the mother of the bride and matron of honor drank more champagne.
”That was so fast, we have time to look at bridesmaid dresses,” Lovey said.
”Shouldn't we do that with all the girls?” Randi asked.
”We won't make any decisions. But it's hard to get everyone together when you and Kendra are so far away.”
”True.”
They looked through racks of dresses and Lovey pounced on a dress. ”This. It's the exact color.”
”Lovey wants all the bridesmaids to wear the style they're comfortable in,” Katelyn told Randi and Malvina.
Malvina plucked several more dresses, all in the same apricot color, but different styles and fabrics: one chiffon, one a jacquard satin, one brocade, and the fourth lace. ”This is a stylish look.”
”I love it.” Lovey nodded. She looked at her friend Randi. ”What do you think?”
”Stunning.” She fingered the lace dress. ”I like this one because it has sleeves. I hate my arms.” She wrinkled her nose.
”Your arms are fine,” Lovey said. ”But I want you to be comfortable.”
”Aaaand my work is done,” Katelyn said. ”Those are absolutely perfect.”
”There are other styles we can order if other bridesmaids prefer,” Malvina said. ”You bring them in, and we try on.”
”Randi, try this on while we're here.”
Katelyn was envisioning the entire wedding party-the creamy chiffon of Lovey's dress with the s.h.i.+mmery apricot bridesmaids, the flowers in shades of orange, peach, and cream, and Lovey's bright hair...she sucked in a breath. This was going to be amazing.
This was what gave her satisfaction-pulling things together and creating something beautiful and making people happy.
”Okay,” she said when Randi had approved the dress. ”We need to sit down and talk about some of the details I've been working on. Where should we go to do that?”
She was thinking a nearby restaurant or coffee shop, but Lovey said, ”How about my place? Randi and Mom are staying with us. We can go back there and kick our shoes off and have more wine. And it's not far.”
”Of course.” Katelyn smiled. ”Let's do that.”
Chapter 5.
Sundays were a day off, usually, unless there happened to be a game, which there was not this week. They'd played last night against the Capitals and after the game, Tanner had gone out with some of the guys to Indigo, a hot new club. They'd partied until four in the morning, kicked out of the club when they closed. Lots of booze, lots of women, lots of recreational drugs (which he'd pa.s.sed on). Lots of fun, until this morning, or should he say this afternoon, when he'd awoken with a faint pulsing headache.
Sadly for him, he'd agreed to go racing with Army, Duper, and Rosser at Speed City Go-Karts. It was going to take a few Advil for him to be able to handle that kind of noise, though they did wear hearing protection.
They raced a few rounds, then grabbed drinks and trash-talked Rosser for ending up in the other team's bench last night when he'd been bulldozed over the boards by their two hundred sixty pound D-man. The guys on the other team had to help him back over the boards and onto the ice. That clip was making the rounds of the highlight reels and it was f.u.c.king hilarious.
”You guys hungry?” Duper asked. ”Let's go back to my place and see if Lovey will make us dinner.”
”Don't be an a.s.shole,” Rosser said. ”You can't show up with three other guys and no notice.”
”You're right. Okay, we'll order pizza or something.”
”You got beer?”
Duper gave him a look and Rosser laughed. ”Okay, then.”
”I don't know,” Tanner said. ”I'm not feeling great.” All three guys stared him down. ”Okay, okay.” He raised his hands.
”Call Amber and Jenna,” Duper said. ”Pick them up and bring them too. I'm sure we have lots of Moscato.”
”Blech,” Tanner said.
”It's not for you, idiot.”
”Thank Christ.”
When he got to Duper's place, the doorman knew him and sent him up. He was there first, since the other guys had gone to pick up their girlfriends. Duper opened the door. ”Come on in. Turns out they're having a little meeting here.” He nodded his head toward the living room.
Tanner toed off his snowy boots and left them on the mat at the front door. As he padded across the hardwood floor, he saw Lovey on the couch with a pretty blonde. His gaze s.h.i.+fted to a woman in a chair-Katelyn.
His heart b.u.mped. Aw f.u.c.k, not again.
”Oh, hi, Tanner!” Lovey smiled at him. ”Good timing. You can meet my matron of honor, Randi.”
The blonde stood and stretched out a hand. ”Hi. Nice to meet you.”