Page 32 of The Last Love Story
“Mhm. Sunday morning. Sunday morning? I need to find a dress! I mean, I have a couple of casual ones with me, and one nicer one, but it’s black and slinky, which is not wedding vibes. I don’t care if it’s a quickie wedding. If it’s the only one I ever end up having, I want to feel like a Disney Princess.”
“A Disney Princess, huh?”
She gives me an adorable glare.
“They’re where my lore started. They’re the reason I’m an author. I wanted to be one. Beautiful flowers, magic animals, a library the size of a football stadium. Maybe their lives were hard at times, but they fought through and they always ended up with a man who wanted to care for them. One who would fight off monsters or his own inner demons. Being a Disney Princess is the ultimate fantasy. Life goals. Maybe this isn’t my fairytale happily ever after, but I still want to feel like a fairytale princess for a day.”
My heart squeezes at her words. I want her to have that fairytale wedding. I dig out my phone and search for wedding dress shops. A bunch come up within a half hour from us.
“There are a ton to choose from.”
She vehemently shakes her head. “That doesn’t matter. Finding a cute plus size wedding dress off the rack? That’s next to impossible. Maybe I can find something online and pay to get here overnight?—”
“Hold on. One of these specializes in plus size dresses and their website says they have off the rack options available in all sizes. But I’ll check some of the other ones too and send you a list, so you can do that tomorrow morning. And I’ll handle the rings.”
Her shoulders soften. “Thank you. But shouldn’t I get your ring?”
“Nope.”
“But you’re already?—”
I pin her with a look. “Have you not realized that I’m a romantic too? This is something I want to do, so let me do it. Let me have my fun.”
She gives a little headshake. “Okay. But… this is crazy. I still don’t understand why you’re doing all this.”
Walking over to her, I pull her in for a hug, partly because I want one, but mostly because I’m hoping it’ll settle her worry. That she’ll remember how it feels when we touch. “Because you need help, and I want to be the one to help you. Simple as that.”
She leans back and looks up at me, then smiles. “Okay.”
Leaning down, I press a kiss to her forehead. “When do you need to get ready for the mixer?”
Her eyes flare and she whips her head around to look at the clock.
“Now! I need to get ready now.” She pushes out of my arms and heads for the door.
“Jade?”
She turns back with her hand on the doorknob. “Yeah?”
“Wear the black dress tonight.”
Her eyes widen, heat settling in them, then with a wicked smile, she leaves.
I let out a long breath and flop backward on the bed.
I am so screwed.
CHAPTER TEN
JADE
I’min a haze as I walk into my hotel room.
When Justin said he wanted to talk, I wasn’t expecting him to offer to marry me in two days.
I’m grateful. It’s a huge burden off me to not have to worry about any of that financially. But at the same time… I’m getting married.
What the actual fucking fuck?
