Page 88 of From Wink to Kink

Watch out, Ruby Brooks. Chuck Newcomb is about to show you just how irresistible he can be.

45

RUBY

I stareat my reflection in the bridal boutique's full-length mirror, fighting the urge to rip off this monstrosity masquerading as a bridesmaid dress. The puffy sleeves make me look like I'm being swallowed by a pastel cloud, and the skirt... well, let's just say it's doing me no favors.

"Ruby?" Lucy's voice breaks through my fashion-induced despair. "You've been in there for a while. Everything okay?"

No, everything is not okay. I'm standing here in a dress that makes me look like a reject from an '80s prom, I can't stop thinking about Chuck, and I'm pretty sure I'm about to break out in stress hives.

I am, however, thrilled at the prospect of having Lucy both as sister-in-law and a surrogate big sister. If that means I have to wear an ugly dress on her wedding day to make her happy, I’ll do it.

But instead of saying any of that, I plaster on a smile and step out of the dressing room. "I'm fine. Just... adjusting."

Lucy's eyes widen as she takes in the full effect of the dress. To her credit, she manages to keep a relatively straight face. "Oh, yeah. That's... something."

"If by 'something' you mean a crime against fashion, then yes, it certainly is."

Lucy laughs, the sound warm and sympathetic. "Okay, maybe this one isn't quite right. But don't worry, we'll find something that won't completely embarrass you. I promise."

As I trudge back to the dressing room to peel off this disaster, I can't help but wonder what Chuck would think if he saw me in this dress. He'd probably laugh with that deep, rumbling laugh of his, the one that always made me want to laugh too, even when I was trying to be annoyed with him.

Stop it, Ruby. You're not supposed to be thinking about Chuck.

I emerge from the dressing room in my own clothes, feeling marginally more human. Lucy's waiting with another armful of dresses, her expression determined.

"Alright, let's try these," she says, handing me the pile. "And Ruby? Try to cheer up a little. It can't be that bad, can it?"

I force a smile, but it feels brittle, even to me. "Sorry. I guess I'm just not in a very bridesmaid-y mood today."

Lucy's eyes soften with concern. "Is everything okay? You seem a bit... off."

I’d like to throw my arms around her for the hug I desperately want. But I don’t. "I'm fine," I say stoically. "Just tired, I guess."

She’s not buying it. She takes the dresses from my arms and sets them aside, then leads me to a plush settee in the corner of the boutique.

"Ruby," she says, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but I'd like to think we're friends. And I hope you know you can talk to me if something's bothering you."

I look at her kind face, so full of genuine concern, and suddenly I feel my carefully constructed walls start to crumble.

"It's... it's Chuck," I blurt out before I can stop myself.

Lucy nods, not looking surprised. "I thought it might be. I've seen the photos that have been circulating online."

I groan, burying my face in my hands. "God, those photos. I can't believe this is happening."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks.

To my surprise, I find that I do. So right there, surrounded by tulle and taffeta, I tell Lucy everything. About the mix-up with the retreat, about sharing a room with Chuck, about how he opened up to me in a way I never expected. And about how terrified I am of what it all means.

"I mean, we're so different," I say, my voice small. "He's this big hockey star, and I'm just... me. A librarian who'd rather spend Friday nights with a book than at some fancy event. How could that ever work?"

She listens patiently, nodding along. When I finally run out of words, she takes my hand in hers.

"Ruby," she says, her voice kind but firm, "can I say something?"

I nod, bracing myself for... I don't know what.

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