Page 118 of Reputation (Tempt)

I hugged Kendall then surveyed the space. It had been turned into a private showroom. There were racks and racks of designer gowns, gorgeous shoes, veils, all waiting for Kendall to try them on. And in the middle of the room stood Jay, a huge grin on his face. I’d seen him twice since I’d returned from Abu Dhabi—once to help with my overall wardrobe and another time to finalize my looks for the awards shows Nate and I would be attending. He was fun and stylish and elegant.

“Wow.” I shook my head. “That’s a lot of gowns.”

“Not all these dresses are for me,” Kendall said, flashing me a secretive smile as Papa J and Astrid entered the room.

Brooklyn ran over to Astrid and gave her a big hug. Then she turned to Papa J and did the same, tugging them both over to join her on a sofa. Dad wasn’t here, and I tried not to dwell on the potential reasons for his absence.

He didn’t support my relationship with Nate, which stung, even if it had started out as a lie. Dad was pissed that I’d flown to New York last week to teach a Peloton class when I should’ve been focusing on my training. Hell, he was probably mad that I was going to potentially blow my calorie budget with this party, even though I was the maid of honor.

“That’s right,” Jay said. “These—” he gestured to the racks on the left side of the room “—are for you.”

“What?” I jerked my head back, hoping my panic didn’t show. “But this is Kendall’s special day. I’m the maid of honor, not the bride.”

“Youarea bride. And—” she took my hands in hers “—I can think of nothing better than trying on wedding gowns with my best friend.”

“I-I—” I scrambled for an excuse. A way out of this. Nate and I might be in love, but we weren’t getting married. Not now. And maybe not ever.

I tried not to let that fact bother me. But then something like this happened, slamming the truth of my situation in my face.

“Our girl is so shocked, she’s speechless,” Jay said, clapping his hands together, clearly pleased.

What was I supposed to say? Kendall’s surprise was so sweet. And I didn’t want to disappoint her or draw unnecessary attention on a day that was supposed to be fun.

Knox’s chef handed out champagne to everyone. Sparkling water for Brooklyn and me.

Kendall raised her glass. “To playing dress-up with my best friend.”

Everyone drank to her toast, and then Jay rubbed his hands together. “Let’s try on some dresses.”

“Yes!” everyone said in unison, their excitement definitely outpacing my own. Astrid shot me a concerned look, and I knew I better start acting like the blushing bride everyone believed me to be.

I smiled, pulling Kendall into a tight hug. “Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

Jay guided me toward my rack of dresses. “Come. Gaze upon these beauties.”

This should’ve been a dream come true. Trying on designer wedding gowns with my best friend. A room full of dresses handpicked for me by my favorite stylist. And yet…I was overwhelmed. I could already feel the anxiety creeping in.

For any other bride, wedding dress shopping was supposed to be fun. And maybe if my engagement—my whole relationship—weren’t based on a lie, it would be. But at the moment, I was filled with nothing but dread.

Dresses would only lead to more questions. More lies. About our plans for the wedding. The season. The venue. The…

I sighed as I perused the gowns, carefully admiring their delicate lace and hand-sewn beading. Lying to everyone important in my life was exhausting, especially my best friend.

“Kendall was sparse with the details about your wedding,” Jay said. “So I brought a range of styles.”

“Thank you, Jay. You have…exquisite taste, as ever.”

He smiled, clearly pleased by my compliment. “If you could tell me more about the venue or time of day, it would help narrow down some of the styles. Though, really, you can wear whatever you want. It’s your day!”

I laughed, hoping to hide my discomfort. “Nate and I have been so busy, we haven’t had much time to discuss it.”

“Not at all?” Papa J asked with a frown.

I lifted a shoulder, at a loss for words.

“Just a general idea, then,” Jay said with an encouraging smile, and it felt as if everyone else was listening in. “Where do you envision yourself getting married? Beach? Backyard? Hotel?”

Brooklyn laughed at something Astrid said, and I glanced over at her. The sight of Brooklyn made me remember why I was doing this. Hell, I was being paid ten million dollars to play the role of Nate’s fiancée. And it was time to sell it.

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