Page 20 of Dangerous Encore
The room is dim. The dress can't sparkle in the light. The mirror can't catch all the drama of my hair andmakeup.
But it catches enough thatIknow—
Thisisit.
This isperfect.
Then Mom turns to me with thatwow, that's a lotlook on her face, and I don't have a clue what I wantanymore.
She presses her lips into a smile. "You really are going to be a memorablebride."
"Yeah." I press my lips together. Memorable isn't a bad thing. It's good. Unique is good. Hell, weird is good. "Thanks."
"You look like an angel sent from hell. It's perfect,"Pipersays.
Kelsey nods. "You are going to make animpression."
Mom laughs. "Grandma is not going to stop mentioning this." Her laugh gets harder. "And Grandpa too.They're—"
"Could you not?" Words roll off my tongue. My brain refuses to stop them. It's too tired and everything is too heavy. "I know Grandma wants me doing this in a church. I know she doesn't like the crimson centerpieces or the black ribbons. I know that you'd rather I wear an ivory dress and subtle makeup. I know you'd rather have a normaldaughter."
"Violet, sweetie. No." Mom moves toward me. She sets her hand on my shoulder. "I wouldn't trade you for a thousand normal daughters. Normal is boring." She pulls her pendant necklace from under her blouse. "You think this isnormal?"
"Well, no…" I blink back a tear. It's definitely not normal to get your late son's ashes crushed into a stone. "But,um—"
"You think your dad and I are normal?"sheasks.
"Iguessnot…"
"You're smart, creative, funny, kind. And you have an amazing style that is all you. I don't want you to benormal."
"But you keep saying… You keep telling me no one is going to like any of mychoices."
"You know Grandma and Grandpa. You know everyone in my family. Anything that isn't an ivory gown in a church is going to displease them. Butfuckthem."
Huh? Mom doesn'tsayfuck.
Not that it does anything to help me blink backtears.
Piper laughs. "I'm with that. Fuck anyone who doesn'tsupportyou."
Mom nods. "This isyourday."
"Stop saying that." I wipe a tear with my thumb. The digit stays clean. At least my makeup isn't smearing. "It's not my day. It's our day. And it's one day. Why is it such abigdeal?"
"It's not. All the days that come after matter more. Your marriage is a lot more important than your wedding." Mom wraps me in a tight bear hug. "I'm sorry. It's not your problem that my parents hate everything. I didn't raise you to give up what you want to please other people. I don't want you doingitnow."
"Yeah?"
She nods. "Yeah. You love Ethan. That's whatmatters."
"I do." I wipe another tear. God, I'mamess.
Kelsey grabs me a tissue and hands it over. She motions to the now empty den. "I'll let youguystalk."
"Thanks." I wipe my eyes with the tissue. No smudges. "This shit is reallywaterproof."
Kelsey laughs. "I know what I'm doing." She takes herleave.
