Page 67 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
DARBY: BTW, what does Hawk think about your new hair color?
OLIVIA: I didn’t ask.
DARBY: You’ve been together for hours. It never came up?
OLIVIA: Maybe we’re not as superficial as you think.
AMBER: ACK!! A bird just pooped on me!!!
NELLA: Oh no! But that is supposed to be good luck.
AMBER: Tell that to my hair.
NATALIE: On that note, I’d better get ready. See you all at six.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
NATALIE
For the record, Amber’s dress only fits like a glove because the fit on most people’s gloves is… snug. But after the tailor took in the bodice, there was only so much material to stretch over the rest of my curves, and the wedding is in two days. Even a miracle-working seamstress would be out of time.
So I let the ladies at Buttons and Bows gush about how the dress looks perfectly gorgeous on me. Now I’m trying it on again at home to get a dose of reality from my mother.
“Natalie!” she calls out. “Are you ready? Can I see the dress now?”
“Sure!” I yell back to her. “I’m up in my room!”
“I have to keep an eye on the brownies. Can you come to the kitchen, please?”
“Fine!” I tug up the neckline, and lift the hem of my skirt. The last thing I need is to trip on the stairs and end up in the ER. Crossing the living room, I glance up at the ceiling, and I can’t help chuckling at the hole. A major life-event like a wedding wouldn’t be complete in our family without a home improvement project.
Rounding the corner, I almost trip and fall anyway, because Grantly Bender is at our kitchen table, and my mother is halfway in the oven, sticking a toothpick into a pan of brownies to test for doneness.
I drop my hem. “What’s going on?”
Grantly throws his hands up like he’s beating me to the apology. “Your mother insisted I stay for a taste.”
“Don’t they smell delicious?” she asks, as if anyone might say no. The scent of Ghirardelli fills the air. “They’ll be done any minute.” She shuts the oven door and spins around. “Natalie!” She gasps. “You look incredible!” She comes toward me, setting her toothpick on the counter. “We shouldn’t have been worried, dear. Your bodice isn’tinadequateat all!”
“Mom,” I groan, swinging my focus over to Grant. To the man’s credit, he keeps his gaze stuck to my forehead like there’s an electric fence below my neck.
“I thought that would begoodnews.” My mom splays her hands. “You’re putting out just the right amount of sizzle without being a—”
“MOM!”
She waves her hands like she’s trying to shoo me away, even though she’s the one who made me come down here in the first place. It’s clear she just wanted Grant to see me in this dress.
Little ambusher. Meddler. Menace.
“Now, don’t look at me like that, Natalie.” She frowns. “I know what you’re thinking, and you’re just plain wrong.”
“Ha.” She probablydoesknow. And I’m probably not wrong.
“When I saw Grantly at Antonio’s, I happened to mention that your father and I need to revisit our wills.”
Now it’s my turn to frown. “You do?”
“Yes.” She wipes her hands down the front of her apron. “We’d like to update the terms of the trust to include Kasey and any future grandchildren we might be blessed with.”
