Page 29 of Father of the Bride

JT stepped out and walked to her side to open her door like she was royalty.

“Did Dr. Bennett say what I’m supposed to do in here?” she asked, squinting up at JT in the bright afternoon sun.

“No, ma’am. Only that I’m to wait here for you until you’re done.”

Sunny blinked.Done doing what?

“Well, thank you for the ride. Hopefully I don’t keep you waiting too long.”

“No worries, ma’am.” He already had his phone in his hand.

Sunny made the short walk to the front door. Before she could open it, it swung open, revealing a beautiful young woman with glowing skin and an even brighter smile.

“Ms. Dixon!” she beamed.

“That’s me. What’s going on?”

The woman linked her arm in Sunny’s like they were old friends and guided her inside the boutique.

“We’re going to find you a dress for that wedding!” she said. “One that reflects your beauty.”

“Wow. Okay.” Sunny chuckled in embarrassment. “I was actually in here earlier.”

“I know.” The woman’s wink was playful, almost conspiratorial.

Sunny glanced at the woman’s nametag. “Angelique, I’m gonna be honest with you. I can’t afford anything in here.”

Angelique smiled, leaning in to whisper, “Between me and you…I can’t either. But that’s not a problem this time, because Dr. Bennett insisted that you don’t leave this store until you’re happy.”

Sunny froze. “What does that mean?”

“It means we’re going to shop without looking at the price tags.” She squeezed Sunny’s arm. “It’ll be fun.”

It didn’t feel fun, at least not yet.

Sunny’s eyes watered, which was strange, because she wasn’t the type to cry over things. But something about the way this moment was unfolding, the quiet intention, the care, the kindness…it all pricked her right in the center of her chest.

Kezsawher.

This morning, right here in this very store, she’d pretended to love every dress Brooklyn picked out for her, making polite excuses when she could no longer pretend she could afford any of the choices.

But here she was. Back again, but this time, she didn’t have to pretend.

Angelique’s warm hand was already guiding her toward a rack of gowns. Sunny ran her fingers across silk, chiffon, sequins and lace, really feeling them this time, each one playing delicately against her skin. She let herself exhale. She let herself enjoy it.

After much internal debate and a glass of champagne, Sunny stepped into the fitting room with three gowns that made her feel like royalty.

A soft gold dress with delicate beading over the bodice was her first choice. The neckline draped just off her shoulders, and the fabric clung to her waist before cascading down in gentle folds. The second was a deep royal blue silk with clean lines and a thigh-high slit.

But the third…that was the one. A rich rose gold floor-length gown with a plunging neckline that stopped just short of being scandalous. The open back made her feel exposed, but elegant. The fabric hugged all of her curves without begging for attention.

In short, she looked sexy as hell.

She hadn’t had many opportunities lately to look or feel that way. Her uniform was frumpy, her home clothes were baggy cotton lounge wear, and…well, no dates to speak of.

She couldn’t stop staring at herself.

And the back view was even better.

---