“Helen—”
“Do you know how depressing that is? Do you remember that day you told all of us that he proposed to you—the day you saw my tears? I wasn’t crying because I was happy. I was crying because I truly felt bad for you. I don’t care how good a man is in bed—that’s not enough to make me want to sleep with him for the rest of my life.”
“Are you going to be making a point any time soon?”
“I’m throwing you the most epic bachelorette party of all time, regardless of your fiancée’s ridiculous warnings.”
“He warned you?”
“He did.” She smiled. “He also sent me an email with some bullshit guidelines that he wants me to follow—something about not letting your party get too raunchy or over the top. He doesn’t want more than five men there, and he doesn’t want any man to get within three feet of you.” She rolled her eyes. “But guess what? It will be raunchy. It will be over the top. There will be dicks everywhere, and goddamnit Claire you will f**king love it. Now, turn around so I can help you into the next dress.”
I turned around and shook my head.
Over the next few hours, I tried on dress after dress, but I didn’t fall in love with any of them. They were either way too simple or way too decorative. What’s more was that every time I tried on a dress, Helen and my mother critiqued it as if I wasn’t standing in the room. Then they would argue over who had better taste.
“Have you tried looking in our gallery room, Mrs. Statham? I mean, Miss Gracen.” An attendant took a dress off a hanger. “All the dresses in that room are one of a kind.”
“I haven’t.” I sighed. “What’s the price range?”
“Very affordable. They start at ninety thousand dollars.”
Ninety thousand dollars?!
I wanted to decline, but Helen and my mother were arguing over veils, so I followed the woman out of my suite and into an all-white room.
There were only two racks of dresses, but they extended from wall to wall. It seemed like they were organized by size, because there was no way of telling what each dress looked like; they were all covered in sheer silver bags with pink tags hanging from their sides.
The attendant circled me with measuring tape, stretching it across my shoulders and my br**sts, briefly holding it around my hips.
“What type of dress do you love to wear on a regular day?” she asked. “A day when you’re only going to be running a few errands?”
“It’s usually something simple: solid color, basic shape, and a V-neckline.”
“I see...And how about when you go out on a date?”
“It depends...”
“Well, how about your last date? What type of dress did you wear? And where was it if you don’t mind me asking.”
I blushed just thinking about me and Jonathan’s last date. “It was at a vineyard. Nude colored lace dress with a low cut in the front.”
“Right. And you previously mentioned that you prefer the toned down organza skirt, sweetheart neckline, and corset bodice so...” She thumbed through a few hangers and pulled out a dress. “This is your wedding gown. Guarantee it.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“I’m the best.” She smiled and led me back to my fitting room. “Let me know how it works for you.”
I honestly didn’t want to try it on, but I slipped back into my suite and walked right between Helen and my mother. “Could you two help me into this last one please? Then we can all get drinks before we head back.”
“What about the shopping spree?” My mother frowned. “Jonathan promised me I could get whatever I wanted. Don’t you have his credit card with you?”
“Yes...” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll just have Greg pick you up tomorrow and bring you back.”
I stood still as she and Helen took their time helping me into the long, silk dress. I didn’t bother looking in the mirror as they tugged and smoothed every inch of it. I just wanted to get this over with and go home.
I expected them to start arguing over whether they liked it or not, but they were both staring at me in stunned silence.
“Is it that bad or that good?” I asked.
“It’s absolutely perfect.” Helen’s eyes lit up. “You look beyond beautiful, Claire...”
“Would you like to put on the matching veil?” My mother’s eyes were filled with tears.
I nodded and stooped down so they could pull my hair into a knot and guide the veil’s comb onto my head.
“Don’t look yet.” Helen smiled. “Let me ask the attendants for some jewelry.”
I waited until she returned and tried to be as still as possible as she fastened a Harry Winston wreath around my neck. I tried to sneak a peek of myself, but my mother held my head still and secured a pair of diamond earrings onto my ears.
They led me into the main room, where the largest mirror was, and helped me onto another platform. As they stepped back, I could see tears falling down their faces.