7
“PEACH, BIBI,” Cady argued, putting the hunter green back on the rack. “Your wedding, your color.”
“Fine. Let’s start with these,” Bianca said, tugging the dressing-room curtain closed behind her. “No arguing with the bride.”
Cady sighed, eyeing the two dresses with doubt. She tried the chiffon dress first. “What do you think?” She slipped out of the dressing room and stood on a dais in front of a three-way mirror. “It’s lovely, very traditional.” Not in the least her style, but she suspected Bianca would love it.
“Ooh, it makes me think of big bands, moonlight dances and romance,” Bianca gushed.
Cady smiled. “Well, that was easy.”
Bianca stood, cocking her head. “It also looks like something you’ll never wear again.” She eyed the price tag. “If I’m going to make you pay for something, I’d like to think it’s something you actually like. So go try on the other one, please.”
Cady put her hands on her hips. “Bibi, do you like this one?”
“I do.” She put her hands on her hips, too. “But I might like the other one better.”
Cady sashayed into the dressing room, asking the question she’d been dying to ask. “How are you feeling about Zach’s mom’s dress?” she called out while she changed. Mrs. Ryan had surprised Bibi, offering her wedding dress to her future daughter-in-law. “Guess it’s a little awkward.”
“She doesn’t have a daughter. She’d mentioned her dress before. Apparently, Patton’s ex-fiancée was going to wear it. But that obviously didn’t happen.”
Cady froze. “Patton was engaged?” She had a hard time imagining that.
“Yes. Ellie? She was at the party.” Bianca answered.
Ellie? The one Patton had danced with. Cady slid on the next dress. “The pretty blonde?” Her throat felt tight. Her thoughts bounced forward to Carolina. Blonde, tall... Like Ellie.
“Yes. She’s supersweet,” Bianca answered. “It’s a shame it didn’t work out between them.”
If it had worked out, they would never have happened. Would that have been better? Never knowing—experiencing—Patton? She cleared her throat. “Did he break it off?” She smoothed the fabric into place.
“No,” Bianca paused. “Why are you so interested?”
Because...if he’d been engaged, he was capable of real feelings. If he’d been engaged, he’d talked, laughed and enjoyed things with a woman. And if she’d broken it off, he might have had his heart broken. All information that conflicted with the way she pictured Patton. But it might help explain why he was so gun-shy about Bianca and Zach’s wedding. “I’m not,” she called out, pushing the curtain back. “Just making small talk.” She stepped up onto the dais.
“That’s the dress.” Bianca walked around her. “It’s perfect. So...you.”
Cady looked at her reflection in the mirror. No flounces or extra fabric. Clean lines and just the right hint of sparkle. It hugged her curves while remaining elegant. She loved it. “Are you sure?”
&nbs
p; Bianca nodded. “Yep. Perfect.”
Cady stared at her reflection. She looked great. And about as opposite from Ellie as possible. Where did that come from?
“We have the dress steamed and ready to try on,” the assistant appeared.
“Just because you have Mrs. Ryan’s dress doesn’t mean you have to wear it,” Cady reminded her. “Where is the dress she originally picked out?” she asked the assistant.
“I have it in the back,” the woman answered.
“Oh, Cady,” Bianca sighed. “Let’s see what the seamstress can do with Mrs. Ryan’s first.”
Once Bianca was back in Mrs. Ryan’s dress, Cady stepped back. The dress was gorgeous, there was no denying it. But it wasn’t Bianca’s style—Bianca was more princess.
“You’d look great in this,” Bianca said, holding out the lace dress.
Cady didn’t say anything—what could she say? Yes, it was the dreamiest wedding dress she’d ever seen. And, yes, she could only imagine how magical it would be to wear it... But she wasn’t the one getting married—thank God.