Page 55 of Maid in America

BARRETT: Your wedding is still six months away.

WILL: Ava’s been hounding me about asking you. She’s worried you’re gonna keep putting it off. Please, dude. Just do it.

Barrett sighed and looked at his watch. It was still early enough in the afternoon to catch them before they closed.

BARRETT: I’ll get it done today. Where do I go again?

WILL: Harmony. It’s on Elm. I’ll resend all the info now. Thanks a million. I know it’s a drag, but it means a lot to Ava.

21

Harmony Bridal Boutiquewas a small family-owned shop a few miles away. Then again, in a town of thirteen thousand people,everythingwas only a few miles away.

The sun-faded imprint of the oldRadio Shacklogo shone behind the shop’s new rose-pink ones. Female mannequins in bejeweled gowns crowded the tacky window display. Male mannequins stood in the other window wearing various suits and tuxedos that, to him, all looked fucking identical. They might as well be fashionable prison uniforms. Hell, he’d probably look better in inmate orange.

Itwouldgo well with his bronzed skin tone…

Maybe he should get Will to add an orange jumpsuit and ankle shackles to the website. Surely, there were some rich old ladies who would like to fantasize about being the domineering lady Warden bossing around prisoner zero-eight-two-nine-five.

As he pulled open the door, a sickening feeling washed over him. A blinding array of wedding attire stood all around him, overflowing into the area behind the counter at the center of the store, where a young clerk beamed at him.

“Hi! Can I help you?”

Barrett’s skin crawled at all of the pastels, lace, and chiffon as he approached her.

“Hi, yes, you can.” Barrett looked around at the walls, striped with white gowns and black suits like some bizarre piano he would never be equipped to play.

“I’m supposed to get fitted for my tux. The groom said to come here. Said it would be under the Jessup-Quinn account.”

“No problem. I’m Marcy. I’ll be helping you today. We will get you measured in a jiff.”

“Great.”

The clerk flipped through a massive binder, one that had to weigh a good fifteen pounds. “Are you family or a member of the party?”

“Bridal party.” He smiled. “Best man, actually.”

“Oh, congratulations. This is such a fun time for you.” Marcy peered at him with steel-blue eyes. Something about her seemed hopeful and innocent, putting him at ease. She didn’t seem like a pressuring menace, more like a sickeningly sweet helping hand.

“Sure.” He cracked half a smile. “I’ll take your word for it.”

He glanced to his right. At a short ten-foot-long rack, the boutique had a lingerie display. There were filthy snow-white numbers, some with bows attached. There were fishnet body stockings, bralettes, garters, panty sets, and lacy negligees galore. He couldn’t help but imagine Chastity’s body in some of them as Marcy penciled some things into the book.

Moments later, a door swung open behind him, and a gaggle of women stepped out of a room with a platform and a wall ofmirrors. The women were clucking excitedly about the bride, a female in the center that they were all fawning over.

Then, without warning, a woman came out of the room behind them with a wedding gown raised over her head to keep it off the floor. She hollered to Marcy, and he recognized the voice immediately. It sent a shock straight through him.

“She said ‘Yes’ to the dress, Marcy!” Chastity sang.

Barrett’s eyes widened as she came into view, and for a split second, he was in that back room with her in his mind, holding her naked body to his, standing tall on the platform, cupped hands pulling on her pierced nipples, making her watch the pleasure in her own face as he entered her inviting warmth from behind.

“Barrett!” Chastity’s excited voice was like music in his ears. She was dressed nicely in a simple black suit top, white blouse, and a black skirt that hugged her delicious figure like it had been made just for her. Her rainbow hair was twisted into a messy updo.

She jogged toward him, holding the giant, plastic-shrouded pile of fabric like a dying person laid across the crooks of her arms.

“Long time no see. It’s been like… what? Three hours?”

Barrett laughed. “You said you worked at a boutique. I should have put two-and-two together. I feel like an idiot.”

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