Page 46 of Marry Me, Right Now

“Everything good so far?” I asked Zachary.

“Mia, I so rarely enjoy dress shopping days, but you’re so calm, and your friends are lovely. I know that it’s all about the bride, but I happen to be having a blast over here.”

“Good,” I said. “I guess that the big white dress is next on the list?”

“Ivory, darling. And yes. They're pulling together a rack now.”

Rayanne and Lauren came out together, looking elegant and strange in ivory. Zachary clapped wildly. “Perfect. When those are in blue, you’re going to look like princesses. The real modern European ones on their yachts, not the fluffy cartoons.”

Everything was going so well that my paranoia was beginning to kick in, like the prickle of an air pressure headache starting. Things couldn’t possibly be going this smoothly. Everyone said that being rich was an easier life, but could all of this even be real? It was all so dreamlike.

I felt hollow as dresses were held up for me to sort quickly into yes and no racks. It wasn’t the second glass of champagne making me dizzy, it was having a salesgirl acco

mpany me into a change room as large as my spacious new bedroom to strip to my undies and carefully climb into a sheath of the finest silk, with pearl beads along the neckline, and a slightly asymmetrical hemline that was long, but several inches above my ankles so that I wouldn’t trip.

It was odd to have a total stranger adjust my straps, then beam at me as if she were about to cry. She led me slowly out to the main room, where Zachary shrieked and applauded. Rayanne gasped. Lauren’s eyes filled with tears, which I normally would have thought was a sign that the four horsemen were coming. But today was a weird murky place where we were somehow all the girliest we’d ever been.

“How do you feel in this?” Zachary asked, carefully coming toward me as if he realized I was on the verge of either crying or passing out and he wanted to be near enough to catch me.

I took a couple of slow, deep breaths, examining myself in the mirror. “It’s the right color, trip resistant, simple, and I could wear this to a movie premiere. I don’t look like a cupcake.”

“Yes, darling, but how do you feel?”

There was no way that I could have told any of them that everything had been sort of abstract until I saw my reflection. Sure, I was marrying Jacob for his amazing home, to avoid rat-infested basements, to help him with his inheritance issues, save an old house, and earn a million dollars. But I was also getting married. For real. I was going to have to walk down an aisle in front of a crowd and declare my love for him.

I really liked Jacob a lot. He was sweet and gorgeous, and treated me better than anyone ever had in my life. But our relationship wasn’t real. I think we were becoming good friends with slight cuddle benefits, but it wouldn’t be right to cross any lines or make assumptions.

But I was marrying him.

Zachary’s arm wrapped around my shoulders, holding me steady while he poked around the straps and the bodice. “Thank goodness. Girl, we don’t even have to have this fitted. Is this the one? Do you feel amazing? Do you want a lifetime of photos taken in this?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

Rayanne slid a chair under me. “Sit. You look a little too pale.” Lauren handed me a glass of water, and I sipped carefully, terrified to spill a drop.

Zachary laughed. “Thanks for not fainting. I’ve seen all sorts of dramatic reactions, but let’s not bruise the bride or wreck the dress, shall we?”

“How much is it?” I asked.

He pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes as he glared. “Oh, hell no. I’m under orders to keep all discussions of money away from you.” He leaned in to whisper in my ear, “But this one is about a third of what most of the others cost, and the bridesmaid dresses were quite reasonable as well.”

I shot him a wink. “Thanks.” I took a deep breath, standing up slowly while handing the glass back to Lauren. “Okay. Let me get this off before I get it dirty.”

“Just one thing,” Zachary insisted. “As the bridesmaids and planner, we demand entertainment.”

“Yeah,” Rayanne said, almost giddy. “You have to twirl for us at least once.”

Laughing like a certified crazy person, I carefully walked to the open center of the room, strutting as much as possible. I’ve never been a dancer, but I channeled every ballroom number I’d ever seen as I twirled one way, then the other, then a full spin with a flourish as my arms raised over my head as the skirt flared out.

Even the salesgirls were squealing and applauding, as Zachary shrieked with glee and Lauren took a few photos. “I promise not to post these until well after the wedding,” she said, “But you look sexy as hell.”

I hurried to get the dress off, and we sat down for one more drink while Zachary dealt with the paperwork and ordering the blue dresses and matching shoes.

“Thanks for doing this, guys,” I said. “It really means a lot to me.”

“I’m sorry that we’re broke jerks who are a pain in the ass when you’re dealing with this,” Rayanne said.

“Not at all. I’m suddenly in a different world, and we’re all along for the ride.” I grinned. “I need to take care of my girls, right?”

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