Page 12 of Follow Your Bliss

“I love you, son.” Dad put his arm around Alex. “But you’re a mess.”

“Hello, gentlemen.” Becca came up to us with her keys out. “I forgot my planner in my car. Would one of my favorite brothers go get it for me?”

“Mark will, but it’ll take him a while to catch a plane from Chicago,” Alex joked.

“On it.” I grabbed Becca’s keys, eager to walk outside and escape my family for a few minutes.

Okay, longer than a few minutes, as guest after guest arrived and went in, including Rose and Lily’s mom, Ms. Dahlia. Becca didn’t mention her planner was in the back cargo space under a pile of wedding magazines.

Planner acquired, I was three steps back into the hall’s foyer when a woman’s soft, stunned voice met my ears from around the corner.

“Are you serious?” Rose’s sweet voice was unmistakable, and her hushed, shocked tone made me stop short.

Her mom’s excitedYes!was drowned out by Lily’s laughing and squealing. “Mom! Oh my God! When did he propose? Your ring is gorgeous!”

Oh. I should step back outside. The door was quiet, so I could probably get away with—

“Last night! We went to…”

Ms. Dahlia spoke more quietly, and I couldn’t catch the words. I turned around to leave.

“But you said you’d never get married again, after Dad.” Rose pressed. “The three of us are Team Marriage Is a Sham. Fuck the patriarchy! Remember? But now you’ve just…changed your mind?”

I paused, my heart kinda sinking at Rose’s vehement words despite none of that being my business. But it was an odd take for a woman who designs wedding dresses for a living.

“Well, honey, no. I grew, I guess. And changed. And Steve’s nothing like your father.” She laughed derisively. “Believe me. We love each other very much, and we’re excited to make this commitment. There’s nothing like having your partner in your corner, and being married means a lot to us.”

“Rose,” Lily sputtered. “You’re not the one getting married. Just be happy for her!”

Rose’s murmured,I am, didn’t convince me one bit.

“I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I couldn’t wait. And Rose, it would mean the world to me if you’d make my dress. And yours and Lily’s. And my friend’s daughter, Emma, will be the flower girl.”

“Of course, Mama.”

I smiled. That one was genuine. And sweet.

“Did you set a date?” Lily asked.

“So, about that. It’s important to Steve that his brother, Matt, stands as his best man—you know he doesn’t have much family. But Matt’s flying out to the Gobi Desert in November to start filming his latest wildlife documentary—tracking the migrations of some kind of camel that’s on the brink of extinction because of climate change. He’ll be there for over a year, and we don’t want to wait. So…we’re getting married in October.”

“ThisOctober?” Rose’s low lament contrasted with Lily’s squealing.

“I’m so excited! We’ll help you with everything,” Lily said. “You won’t have to worry about a thing.” A phone rang, and she paused for a second. “Becca’s looking for me. Let’s do breakfast tomorrow morning, and we can start planning everything.”

“Perfect!” Ms. Dahlia replied. “Oh wait. Rose, aren’t you apartment hunting in the morning?”

“Um…yeah, but I’ll just do it after.”

“Great!” Lily said. “I’ll be at your house at nine…” Their voices faded with their footsteps.

Rose wasn’t marriage material, and that officially closed that door. I felt bad for her, though. I didn’t know anything about making dresses, but that sounded like somebody asking me to add four more custom library walls to the ten I already had to make. Within the next six weeks. Maybe I should offer her that apartment. She needed a win, and maybe a friend.

I built up momentum like I’d been walking for a minute and turned the corner. Rose was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed, staring at the floor. She looked up and turned her head away from me, wiping her face.

“Hey. Everything okay?” I asked when I got even with her.

She nodded, unspooling a soft tape measure from a concealed pocket of her dress. “Oh yeah, I’m good! I’m so good I’m finger-lickin’ good.” She shut her eyes for a moment as if screaming internally, then smiled brighter. “I’m gonna go measure some women.”

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