Page 41 of Brooke
Kyle and Dean’s eyes shot to their hairlines. Sawyer lowered his glasses to his nose to better study her. Jacqueline looked puzzled. Madison only said, “I thought that was a good thing. Or does it cost more than Kyle’s Maserati GranTurismo?”
“No, it’s perfect.” She sniffed again. “The most beautiful dress in the world.”
“Then what’s the problem, sweetie?” Dean asked, patting her back.
The moment of truth was here. She coughed before she could say the words. “I found it without Brooke.”
“Oh Jesus!” Dean sputtered, his face a mask of horror.
“Shit,”Sawyer and Kyle echoed at the same time.
“I won’t sugarcoat it,” Madison grimaced. “That’s going to be a bitch.”
She stomped her foot. “I know! Darn it all! But the dress was just shining in the window, and I was out to lunch with Fabiana—and it was all so perfect. It’s a new designer and not very expensive. Her shop had only been open for a month?—”
“Kismet.” Dean snapped his fingers. “Meant to be.”
“That’s what I thought,” she cried.
“She’ll understand, Thea.” Kyle gave her a side hug. “Come on, let’s go get her.”
“Yes, because I’m sure everyone wants to see the dress,” Jacqueline said, sending her an assuring smile.
“Canwe see it?” Sawyer pointed to the bag. “As men.”
“It’s the groom who’s not supposed to see it, Doc.” Dean slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “Besides, being Thea’s friends, we’re more like bridesmaids anyway.”
“I refuse to wear something with ruffles,” Kyle joked before jostling her playfully. “Hey, Thea! Come on. We’re trying to cheer you up. This is supposed to be a happy occasion, right?”
She nodded so crisply her hair bounced. “It was, and then it wasn’t, and then it was again. It’s like the rising and falling of bread dough.”
A few people covered their mouths to hold back laughter.
“It is!”
Dean started for the entryway with determined strides. “Come on. Time to rip the Band-Aid off. Brooke! Come down here! Thea has something she needs to show you.”
“Brooke’s going to be fine with this,” Sawyer assured her as they all followed Dean, who was still bellowing Brooke’s name.
Her inner vulnerabilities were clinging to her like static electricity, but she made herself loosen her grip on her beautiful dress. She reminded herself how much Brooke loved her.
“Dean!” Brooke’s heels started clicking on the stairs. “What in the hell are you barking for? I’m getting ready for my dinner meeting, dammit!”
“Thea has a little show-and-tell for you,” Dean told her, shooting his winning smile at them.
When Brooke got within sight of them, her green eyes zoomed in on the garment bag and turned even more catlike with suspicion. Thea’s buffalos changed direction mid-stomach and started running the other way, seeing the cliff ahead. Brooke knew. She already knew.
Her friend continued down the stairs in an emerald greencocktail dress, her cream heels giving a resounding clack-clack.
“Hey, Thea!” Brooke called way too brightly. “I’ve got about fifteen minutes before I need to go. What’s your show-and-tell about?”
Biting her lip, she filled her lungs before she said, “I was out to lunch with Fabiana today in a neighborhood I never go to when I saw this…” She thrust out the garment bag toward Brooke. “It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen by a new designer and…”
“And…”Brooke encouraged as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“It’s my wedding dress,” Thea burst out. “And I love it. But I feel terrible, Brooke, because you weren’t there.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she watched a dark shadow cross Brooke’s face before her friend fixed a bright smile back on her tight mouth. “Well… That’s not what we should focus on. The point, Thea, is that you found your wedding dress. That’s huge! Come on. Unzip the bag. Let’s see it.”
