Page 20 of Starfall

Chapter Four

Emery looked at thecollection of dresses and muttered, “I just need one.”

“You have to try on a minimum of five. A few of these are just for fun, but they should be interesting to see on you.” Gabi grinned.

Merwin smiled. “She’s been hoping that someone who doesn’t mind cosplay with their formalwear would show up. And here you are.”

Emery eyed them suspiciously. “Well, that does sound like me.”

Gabi finished loading a rack with options and pulled it slowly to the back. “Come on, Emery. Let’s get you naked.”

Rowen grinned. “I’ll get you something to drink.”

Emery followed Gabi to a changing area with a raised stage and a lot of mirrors. “He’s very at home.”

Gabi chuckled. “He brought all his sisters here for their prom dresses, two for their bridesmaid dresses, one of those who picked out a wedding gown that our seamstress designed. We have a lot of family, so we are always busy.”

“So, it seems.”

Gabi ushered her into a changing area and brought a dress in. The fitting had begun.

It took two hours to get into something that Gabi would authorize. Whatever she stepped out in made Rowen’s eyes shine. Merwin came back occasionally to offer a critique, but Emery just had one comment. “How do you have so much stuff in my size?”

Gabi chuckled. “Merwin is magic with textiles. I am better with people.”

Rowen came around the corner with a bottle of water, and the sudden geyser that shot upward from his hand indicated that the corseted dress might have been a winner.

Gabi snorted, and Emery grinned. “I don’t think it will fit you, but if you are enthusiastic about it, you are welcome to put it on.”

He whispered, “No, I think it looks fine on you.”

The bronze corset went over a dress that had wispy panels of fabric that floated as she turned, stepped, or lifted her arms. Keeping the sleeves out of the corset had been the worst part. She wore all the colours of fall, and her hair was in a black, red, and gold curtain to the middle of her back.

She chuckled. “Second date, huh?”

“I aim to please. You look... wow.” Rowen was staring.

Gabi chuckled. “You have the posture of someone who likes corsets, Emmy, and definitely the figure for it.”

She started to fidget. “Yeah, well, I saw the tag, and that isn’t going to fly. I spend that much on supplies, not on clothes for a body I rarely spend time in.”

Gabi looked at her with narrow eyes. “It is a gift from the family.”

“Absolutely not.”

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