Page 116 of Book Club Confidential

“She hates my hair and my dress. I never called in my consent to make those changes to the gown,” Hallie said. She glanced in Tessa’s direction. “I think she might hate me.”

The other bridesmaids closed in on them, restless and harrumphing. The tallest, a brunette named Gina with big teased hair, snapped her gum. “She said that hat was some kind of Haymaker tradition.” Gina lifted her chin toward the little hat and set her hands on a sizable baby bump at her middle. “Was she serious?”

Hallie shook her head. “I don’t think so. She’s just mad I didn’t wear white tonight. She sent me links to dozens of dresses I’d never wear. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t even wear white tomorrow. What’s that about anyway? Because if it’s supposed to represent my purity, that went out the door back in Possum Valley.”

The cousins snickered. “Yeah, it did,” someone said.

“You were a lot of fun back then,” another said. “And for the record, we like your hair and your style.”

Kate lifted a hand toward the door. “They’re waving for us to start.”

Tessa stepped into line, but Gina latched on to the door and held it shut.

Her grip turned white as she pressed her body forward until she loomed over Hallie, an expression caught somewhere between curious and defiant. “Do these people ever let you be yourself? Are they just uptight about their wedding traditions? Or does this go on all the time?”

When Hallie looked at her shoes instead of answering, a low round of angry words began to stir. Gina fixed Tessa with a hard look. “Do these people bully her?”

Tessa glanced at Hallie, who pleaded with her eyes. She just wasn’t sure what Hallie was pleading. Should she tell Gina to let this go? Or march outside and tell everyone the wedding was off?

Kate turned her back to the door. “Hallie,” she whispered. “Your mama’s coming.”

The cousins straightened and made room for their apparent leader.

Hallie’s mom pressed inside, took one look at the group, then turned to Kate. “Tell them we need a minute. The bride isn’t ready.”

Kate left immediately, the perfect choice for the job.

Tessa moved to Hallie’s side. Hallie reached out and clutched her hand.

“What’s this about?” her mom asked. She scanned the group, and the bridesmaids began talking. They told her about Mrs. Haymaker’s issues with Hallie’s hair and dress, the hat that wasn’t a tradition, and their suspicions that the Haymaker family, specifically Mrs. Haymaker, was trying to make Hallie into an uptight, stuck-up princess.

Tessa wasn’t sure princess was the right word, but the other two adjectives fit. The Haymakers were an old-money family with a deeply set code of conduct for every situation. They weren’t mean or rude, but they were intentional in their behaviors, and they believed all things said or done by a Haymaker reflected directly upon their long-respected lineage.

Hallie’s extreme differences were likely what drew Bryce to her in college, but those differences were now causing problems. Hallie had been a beautiful, tangible representation of freedom, strength, and individuality, all things that his family took issue with.

And now Bryce wanted her to submit and conform.

“Hallie?” Her mama moved closer.

Hallie’s grip on Tessa tightened. “Yeah?”

“Do you want to wear that stupid hat?”

Hallie shook her head, and her mama removed the hat. She passed it to Gina without looking away from her daughter. “Are you happy?”

“Not right now.”

The cousins giggled.

“Shush,” her mama snapped, and the hallway fell eerily quiet. “Darlin’,” she said, her voice soft but stern. “I can’t offer you the nice things or the life these people can, but you don’t have to rely on me or anyone else anymore. You’re a fine, educated young woman. You did that all on your own. You’re starting your own business. You own your home. No woman in our family history has ever done any of those things. And you’ve got friends I’m pretty sure would help me burn this whole place down if you asked.”

Hallie made a soft sound, part sob, part laughter.

Her cousins looked a little too ready to strike a match.

Tessa released Hallie’s hand and pulled her tightly against her side, hoping to convey that she would absolutely fight hungry wolves, bears, or a country club full of Haymakers for her.

“Now,” her mama went on, “I know you’ve got a mind of your own, so you don’t need me, some small-town, nowhere, psychic telling you what to do, but I’m your mama, so I’m going to make sure you haven’t forgotten you have choices. You always have choices.”