“They will when they see you in this dress.” Taking her by the shoulder, I guide her back to the dressing room.
Wrapping her arms around my neck, Mo pulls me in for a hug. “I love you, Adley.”
r /> “Aww,” Claire says, joining in. “I love group hugs.”
“Thank you, guys, for coming today. It means the world to me,” Mo says, holding out her hand to Tess without letting me go.
Tess wrinkles her nose. “I’m not much of a hugger.”
“Get used to it. As soon as my mom finds out you’re going to marry Beau, she won’t stop hugging you.”
“She’s right,” Claire says, tightening her hold on Mo and me. “Vivian is a hugger.”
“Come on, Tess,” Mo encourages.
“Fine.” Tess joins the group hug, albeit loosely. “But I’m not going to marry Beau.”
A throat clears behind us, and we all look up at the shop owner. She’s standing at the back of the room, a stack of dresses draped over her arm. “Sorry to interrupt; I was just wondering if you’re ready for the next dress.”
Mo disentangles herself from our arms. “I’m ready.”
“Great.” The chubby older woman scurries into the dressing room to hang up the other dresses and then reaches for the zipper on the back of Mo’s dress. “Let me know if you need help—different sizes, a drink of water, or anything really. I like to give the bride and her friends space to talk and explore, but I’m here if you need anything.”
“Thank you.” Mo smiles graciously. “I appreciate that.”
“All right.” I clap my hands, rubbing them together. “Let’s do this.”
With an excited squeal, Mo turns for the dressing room while Claire, Tess, and I sit down.
“This is going to be a long afternoon,” Tess whispers.
“Just remember that when it’s your turn,” I say, pulling my phone from purse so I can text Lincoln.
“If I ever get married, I’ll probably elope.”
“When, not if. And if you rob me of seeing my oldest brother tie the knot, I may never forgive you.”
Tess tosses a breath mint, smacking me in the head. I fumble, but manage to catch it before it falls to the ground.
“I don’t want to hear another word about Beau,” she says.
I run my fingers across my mouth in a universal zipping it motion and pop the Tic Tac in my mouth. I unlock my cell and type on the screen.
I made it.
Lincoln’s reply is instant. Good.
One word, nothing more.
When we’re together, he’s attentive and kind, always asking me about life and school and how I’m doing. But when we’re apart, he’s distant, which was fine when we started up this tryst.
But that was five months ago, and things have changed—at least for me they have. What started as fun and exciting has developed into so much more. Lincoln is kind and thoughtful, and he takes care of me in a way no one else ever has. I’m pretty sure I made a mistake when I put restrictions on our relationship, even if it made sense at the time.
Chewing on the inside of my mouth, I sigh.
“What’s wrong?” Claire asks.
“Oh, um, nothing.” Tucking my phone back in my purse, I give her my full attention.