Page 39 of An Adventure For Aster

Raine loved that she was lumped into that statement along with Jasmine and Dahlia.

“Are you going to start crying?” Dahlia said. “We haven’t even walked into the bridal store yet.”

“No,” Ivy said. “Not until the first dress comes on. I asked Brooks what he wanted and he said he didn’t care. I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

“I’m sure Brooks is going to be in awe of anything you get,” Raine said. “I know my brother. Maybe not as well as you do now, but I think he’d want this to be your choice.”

“That is what he said,” Ivy said. “He told me I’ll be beautiful in anything. That he’d never tell me a style because I’d feel forced to find it when it might not work.”

Raine expected that of Brooks for sure. “There you go. So tell us what you are looking for,” Jasmine said. “I know you’re going to want to try something sexy.”

“I thought I would too,” Ivy said. “But I want something more like a princess dress.”

“I called it,” Dahlia said, doing a fist pump.

“Were you two taking bets?” Ivy asked with a cute pout on her lips. They walked into the door and stopped at the front desk.

“Who is the bride?” the woman at the front desk said.

“Not my two sisters who have babies in their bellies,” Ivy said, giggling. “Though one will be a bride once she picks a date.”

“It’s about you today,” Dahlia said. “She’s the bride. Ivy Greene.”

“Yes,” the woman said. “I’ve got you here meeting with Abigail.”

Ivy was all but jumping in place with excitement. “You’ve done this before,” Ivy said to Raine. “Right? With Emma?”

“We did shop with Emma. Mom and I,” she said.

“I wanted your mom to come,” Ivy said. “Why didn’t she?”

Her mother would have loved to, but she felt that it should be a girls' day. “She thought we’d have more fun with just the four of us. She suggested you try to call your mother and father when you find the one.”

“I’m going to do that,” Ivy said. “It was a nice thought. I just love including her. I know I have parents, but they aren’t around. But I do have my sisters.” Ivy wrapped her two sisters up in her arms. “And a sister-in-law.”

It was nice to be included like that.

“This is going to be so much fun,” Raine said. “And you’re going to look beautiful in whatever you decide.”

Abigail came out and introduced herself and the four of them were brought into a big room to get comfortable on the couches. There were mirrors in places and dresses off to the side out of the way. She knew there were more in the back.

“What are we looking for today?” Abigail said. “Do you have a style or pictures?”

“I’ve looked at a ton of pictures,” Ivy said and pulled her phone out. “Something like this. Fitted on the top, maybe the illusion top with sparkle. The bottom is bigger but not so heavy I can’t walk or it’s wearing me rather than me wearing it.”

“We’ve got a lot to try on, but the most important question is the budget, then the timeline. When are you getting married? Most dresses need four to six months to order unless you can buy one off the floor.”

“I don’t mind getting one off the floor,” Ivy said. “I’m not tied to having the most recent gown. My budget is two thousand because I’m paying for it, so I know I’m most likely going to have to get something on clearance in terms of that style.”

“I’ll see what we’ve got,” Abigail said. “Why don’t you come with me to the dressing room and I’ll pull some dresses for you to try on before we come out to show your party.”

They watched Ivy pretty much skip away.

“She’s so excited,” Raine said. “She’s going to be beautiful in anything.”

“She will be,” Jasmine said. The two sisters were looking at each other and Dahlia got up and walked away.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

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