Page 80 of Tell Me Something

“What the hell are they all staring at?”

Josh answered in a mildly amused voice. “Shoes. Women and shoes.”

Even Lucy came over to covet them, another box in hand. “All right, ladies, for the final engagement/wedding ring combo, I thought we’d let you pick. Here are the five we have to choose from.”

“Huh, well, would you look at that? It’s the only time I’ve ever seen so many women quiet,” Brian teased.

Sasha tossed him an amused look over her shoulder.

“Haylee, you do the honors. You’re going to be in your mother’s wedding dress; pick the ring you would most want,” Catherine offered.

I had to keep myself from glancing to see if Josh was within hearing distance. I could have passed on the offer, but what the hell. This was like a trial run for my mother’s amazing dress, and there was one exquisite ring which had first caught my interest online. It did so again here in person. “This one,” I declared.

Lucy smiled and nodded. “That’s my favorite, too. 1950s vintage, four-carat round center stone with intricate side stone baguettes. And the wedding band that goes with it sparkles.”

We all just nodded dumbly, and I had to ask. “How much does this retail for?”

“Together, the set is over a hundred thousand.”

“Holy shit,” again from Brian. Again a reminder of just how close everyone was to us.

“Cheapskate,” Sasha admonished. Not for the first time, I saw sparks fly between the two of them.

He only shrugged. “Not cheap, merely practical. Would you wear that much money on your hand, Haylee, for real?”

“No way, but it’s fun to pretend for the day,” I admitted before making my way into the changing room to put on the dress. I don’t know why I was feeling so nervous, but the thought of having Josh see me in the gown I eventually planned to wear at my own wedding left me feeling out of sorts.

I stepped into the dress and turned around for Gina to zip me up. Catherine and Sasha were there smiling, and for a weird moment it felt like it would if I were an actual bride trying on the dress in front of my girlfriends.

“Oh, Haylee, your mother would be so proud,” Catherine exclaimed.

And just like that I was sobbing, embarrassingly so. Catherine, Sasha, and Gina all sought to soothe me while I felt the weight of the holidays coming up.

I finally took a deep breath and calmed myself. “I need a few minutes. Could you tell Bart and Will?” I watched as they all went out searching for tissues and to talk to Bart.

It wasn’t long before Josh came in. “You okay?”

I faced him, watching his eyes widen at the sight of me in my dress and probably at my running mascara. We both were speechless until Gina came back in with tissues.

“I, uh, heard you crying and wanted to make sure you were all right,” he explained, breaking the spell.

I had to fight the urge to cross the small room and have him envelop me in a hug. “I, um, I got overwhelmed. I’ve never put this dress on, and I was thinking of my mom. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anyone, and I didn’t mean for you to have to redo my makeup, Gina.”

She waved me off, wiping tears of her own. “Honey, I’m a mama, and you don’t have to apologize. Hell, it feels more like a real wedding with the tears. So let’s get you touched up and out there, okay?”

I gave one last apologetic look toward Josh and then let Gina work her magic. When I finally came out, Will was in his tux, munching on a protein bar and chatting with Bart while Josh and Brian were talking with Catherine and Sasha.

“Ah, bella, you look beautiful,” Bart approved, coming toward me.

I bit the inside of my cheek and tried not to cry again. “Thank you, Bart.”

Will’s reaction was sweet. “Love, aren’t I the lucky man today? Now, why don’t you think of what you’ll pig out on after this shoot? Pizza, pasta, or maybe a hamburger. Take your mind off of the sadness, yeah?”

My hand squeezed his, and I smiled. His joking was what I’d needed to distract me, and I was back in work mode.

“Okay, take a seat on the settee. And Will, you stand behind it, reaching down. I want it with your arms reaching up, Haylee,” Bart requested. He positioned my dress so that my beautiful shoes were showing, and I reached up so that my ring would be as visible as Will’s. “Beautiful. Okay, now stand up. I want you two to do the kiss the bride moment by joining hands. Cock the foot back so we can see that shoe. Great, great.”

I swallowed hard as Will dipped his head to kiss me. My heart fluttered for a beat. There was an overriding sweetness that I’d never felt when Josh kissed me. It made me long for something I hadn’t known was missing.