Teddy hadn’t noticed the flowers. They were donated by one of the florists participating in the trade show. Looking at them, she was surprised to see the mangled stems. Renee took a towel and cleaned her hands of the green stains.
Teddy followed the routine four more times, careful to keep from destroying the bouquets. She checked Adam’s position each time and never once did he move. She wondered if something had happened. Was he waiting for her to be free to tell her something, like maybe he’d confessed their deception to his parents? Or he’d taken one of his brothers in confidence and they spilled the beans? One unwelcome scenario after another ran through her mind.
Her cell phone was on silent and carefully tucked away in her purse. She wondered if there was a message from her mother. She wondered if Veronica, whom she’d seen immediately after entering the building, had somehow lured Adam here. Telling herself she was being paranoid, Teddy concentrated on not tripping over her feet.
“Last one,” Renee said, breaking into her thoughts as she placed the last gown over her head. “After this there’s the finale.”
The words should have made her feel better. The show was coming to an end, but Teddy knew when it was over, there might be bad news on the other end.
“Teddy?” Renee called to her.
Teddy was standing in front of a three-way mirror that had been brought in for the models. She looked at Renee. The other woman looked confused.
“What is it?” Teddy asked.
Renee had swept Teddy’s hair to the side and anchored it with an S-shaped rhinestone clip that had veil netting attached to it. The veil didn’t cover her face, but hung down the side of her head balancing the asymmetrical shape of the dress bodice.
Teddy adjusted the veil.
“You’re very distracted today,” Renee said. “Is everything all right? Diana told me to keep this one as a surprise for you. That you’d love it. But you barely looked at it.”
Teddy looked down and screamed, her hands going to her mouth and cutting off the sound.
“I don’t understand,” Teddy said. “Where did she find this?”
“Is it all right?” Concern entered Renee’s voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Teddy lowered her voice to a calming level. She placed her hand on Renee’s arm to assure her. “I just wasn’t expecting this.”
“What is it?”
“The first wedding gown I ever designed and sold.” Teddy turned all the way around, looking at the way the dress moved. She took a few dance steps. When she’d conceived the idea, she’d wanted to make sure the bride’s grown swayed like those of a professional dancer. She stopped and looked at herself again. It was perfect.
“This is the one from the picture,” Renee said. “I almost didn’t recognize it. It’s so much prettier in person.”
“Where did Diana find this?”
“She didn’t say. Only that it was a surprise.” Renee straightened one side and admired Teddy in the glass. “It’s beautiful. When I get married, I want one of your designs.”
“It’ll be my present to you.” Teddy smiled and squeezed Renee’s shoulder.
Renee beamed, then continued her duties. “Time to get you on stage.”
* * *
Teddy went through the curtain. A chorus of oohs and ahhs came from the audience, and then a long moment of applause. Teddy glanced at Diana with a smile on her face. In the audience she saw the owner of the gown who gave her a thumbs-up signal.
Teddy began the final walk, holding her head a little higher. This time her smile wasn’t plastered on her face. It was genuine. Her groom, in this case it was Diana’s husband, Scott, who’d been commandeered to play one of the male models, offered his arm and escorted her down the aisle. After she finished showing the gown, he took her to her final place in front of the chapel setting that had been erected for the finale.
She felt good in the dress. This is the way she wanted to feel on her wedding day, dressed in a gown of her own design and heading for the man she loved. Her eyes went directly to Adam when that thought came. Again he smiled at her and Teddy’s insides did a meltdown. Scott gripped her arm tighter and she steadied. The other models finished their routines and at the end they stood as a fifteen-bride wedding party, each woman with her groom. Teddy imagined the picture they presented.