Page 60 of Knotty New Year

In the bedroom where I’d had my surprise heat—now serving as the bridal dressing suite—Rain and Soleil helped me slip it on while Kati watched. The gown was a mermaid-style satin masterpiece, with swirls of blush pink circling the lace bodice and a pink and white beaded satin skirt.

“It’s candy cane-colored,” Rain muttered. “It’s gorgeous.”

She and Soleil had been swamped with requests for betasitters at Blue Skies, and we hadn’t seen nearly enough of each other. In fact, this was the first time they’d seen the dress.

I jutted my chin out to stop the happy tears as she buttoned it up the back. “It’s the one I fell in love with last year, from Sevartina’s show. She only made one like it.”

“Oh, yeah, we watched that online,” Rain said as she finished the buttons.

Kati winked. “Sevvy owed me a solid.”

Soleil choked out, “Wait. You’re friends with Sevartina? The most exclusive designer for wedding dresses—foranydresses—in the world? The one who made the dresses for the last three royal European weddings,thatSevvy?” She pretended to faint.

Kati laughed. “I’ll tell her you liked it.”

While they chatted, I stared at myself in the mirror, at the way my dark, braided hair, woven through with rosebuds along with strings of pearls—and what I suspected were diamonds—made me look like the princess Pax liked to call me. “I swear, you’re my fairy godmother, Kati.”

Soleil mumbled, “Can she be mine, too?”

“You need a wedding planner?” Kati asked, perking up. “Do you have a special someone?”

“Eh, not really,” she replied with a shrug.

“She has her own business,” I interrupted.

“A slightly illegal one,” Soleil said with a grin, “but yeah. It’s hard for omegas to work above the table. Lots of us have to do pretty unsavory things to make ends meet.” For some reason, Rain started choking on something, and went to grab some water.

“I’m glad I’m a beta. I love my job,” Kati admitted, handing me a bouquet of pink, red, and white roses, with tiny candy canes interspersed among the blooms. “It’s not as important as yours, though, Candy almost-Paxson.”

I felt my cheeks heat. Even though Pax had stepped down as CEO, Victor had still given me a position at Paxson Pharma, and not as an intern. I was the VP of Global Philanthropy, a new spot created for whatever I wanted to build as part of the company’s core values.

So far, we’d added Chilean maternity hospitals and vaccination clinics in Micronesia to our global focus, and expanded the Caritas food pantries locally. It had made my mom cry, and gone a long way to earning Pax her forgiveness.

“Isn’t it time?” Rain asked, gathering up the smaller bridesmaids’ bouquets.

“It is. You did an amazing job on the wedding, Kati,” I said as Soleil took a last swallow of her hibiscus mimosa. “Thank you for everything.”

“If I’d had another month, I could have done more. Sevvy said she’d love to put Nicky in a red and white striped tux.” We both laughed while she adjusted the short train on my dress. “I’m so glad he found you. He waited so long, I thought he’d given up. But you’re perfect for him. I’m so glad you’ll be my sister.”Rain and Soleil shooed her out before we all started crying and wrecked our makeup.

Alone, my girls each took a hand before Soleil sighed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me in December.”

“I’m sorry I won’t be here in March. Blue Skies is going to be slammed.”

Soleil’s eyes twinkled. “I know. It’s amazing how word is spreading.”

“You’re not sorry,” Rain teased me. “You’ll be in the Seychelles getting your baby bump rubbed with coconut oil.”

“Among other parts,” I agreed. “Pax just started a maternity massage course. Every single one has a happy ending.”

“Aw, you’re so pervertedly cute!” Soleil cooed.

Rain squeezed my hand. “Are you sure about him, Candy? Just because he’s rich—heck, just because he’s your true mate—that doesn’t matter. You’re sure he’ll be good to you in the long run?”

I smiled into her dark eyes, then pressed my palm to my mate mark. “More than sure. I can feel him here. He’s all in.”

Soleil sighed. “Living the dream, Candy. I’m so happy for you.”

“Better you than me,” Rain mumbled, staring at my abdomen with a mixture of revulsion and fascination. “I can’t imagine having kids.”

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