Page 3 of Fragments of You

“What? To the dress shop?”

I nod. “I think I’m ready to make a decision.”

“Of course we can go back.” She gives me a soft smile, taking my hand in hers to offer a reassuring squeeze.

“Hey, Celine,” I call after my sister, who’s pulled so far ahead she’s almost out of earshot.

She spins around, giving an annoyed eye roll when I gesture for her to come back.

“What now?” she grumbles as she closes the distance between us.

“I think you were right. That last one, it really was perfect.” I smile, even though I know she was only saying it so she could finally be done watching me try on dresses. “I mean, once they let out the middle a little bit, it will be perfect,” I quickly add.

“Freaking finally!” She throws her hands up as if to thank the Lord himself. “I was starting to think I was going to be forty before you made a decision.”

“You’re eighteen.” I throw her a side-eye.

“I know!” she says in a way that almost sounds like duh.

“Come on, ladies.” My mother slips her arm through mine before doing the same to my sister. “We’ve got a wedding dress to purchase.”

With that, we set off back to the dress shop, where I’ll be saying yes to the dress that I’ll be marrying my future husband in.

Husband... The thought is as exciting as it is terrifying.

“THERE SHE IS.” FELIX abandons the video game he’s playing the second I step through the door. Discarding the controller onto the couch, he’s in front of me in an instant, pulling me into his firm chest before laying a slow, deep kiss to my lips.

It’s the same greeting I get every time I come over, and I have to admit, sometimes I like to leave and come back just so I can be greeted like this.

“How was it?” He cups my face, angling it upward so he can meet my gaze. He stands several inches taller than me, which makes it difficult to look at him when we’re standing so close.

He was a basketball star in high school, which, if you had seen him, would have made perfect sense to you. Everyone thought he was going to go away to college on some fancy scholarship and we’d see him in the NBA one day, but fate had other plans for him.

His mom got sick during our junior year of high school and ended up passing a couple of months before graduation. His dad died before he was born, which basically left him with no one. The only thing he has left of either of them is this house. He’s never said why he stayed, but I think part of it was this place, and this home, made him feel closer to the people he had lost.

Whatever his reasons, I’m glad he stayed. Because without him, I don’t think I would be standing here today. I’m not proud to admit that things got that low, but there it is. The ugly truth in all its glory.

“I found it.” I pull back enough to where it doesn’t feel like my neck is going to snap in half. “It has to be altered, of course, but it’s perfect. I think you’ll really love it.”

“Babe, you could walk down the aisle in a trash bag and I’d still be the luckiest bastard on the face of the planet.”

“My sister said almost the exact same thing to me earlier.” Laughter laces my words.

“What? That I’m the luckiest bastard on the planet?” He gives me a cheeky grin.

“That she’d marry you in a trash bag.”

An uncomfortable grimace tugs at his features.

“Relax, she’s just being Celine. You know she’s harbored a crush on you for years.”

“Doesn’t make it any less awkward.”

“Agreed.” I step around him, heading into the kitchen that sits just off the living room, the two rooms open to one another.

I don’t have to turn around to know he’s following me. He always does.

“She’ll get over it.” He waits until I’ve dropped my purse and keys on the counter before his large hands settle on my hips and his lips find the crook of my neck.

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