Chapter 88

Cecilia

We'd been shopping for another hour when Alice pulled me into a boutique that specialized in lingerie—the kind of place with soft lighting and silk robes displayed on mannequins that looked like they'd never eaten a carb in their lives.

"Alice," I said, looking around at the displays with a mixture of amusement and apprehension. "What are we doing here?"

"You," she said, steering me toward a rack of delicate lace things, "are engaged. So you need to be prepared."

My face immediately heated. "I don't need—"

"You absolutely need." She pulled out something black and strappy that made my eyes widen.

"Alice—"

"No arguments." She shoved the hanger into my hands. "Go try it on. And this one—" She grabbed something else, something emerald green that was basically just strategically placed lace. "And this one."

Twenty minutes later, I was standing in the fitting room, staring at my reflection in the black lace set Alice had picked out. It was... well, it was definitely something. The bra was more suggestion than support.

But I had to admit—I looked good. The kind of good that made me understand why people spent ridiculous amounts of money on lingerie.

"Let me see!" Alice called from outside the fitting room.

"Absolutely not."

"Ceci, come on! I need to make sure it fits properly!"

I cracked the door open just enough for her to see, and her face lit up immediately. "Oh my god. Yes. You're getting that one."

I looked at myself in the mirror again, trying to imagine Arthur's reaction to seeing me in this.

"Fine," I said. "I'll get it. But only this one."

"And the green one," Alice added.

"Alice—"

"And maybe that red one I saw on the way in. The one with the—"

"Okay, okay!" I laughed despite myself. "I'll look at the others. But I'm not making any promises."

By the time we left the boutique, I was carrying a bag that was significantly heavier than I'd anticipated, but Alice looked so pleased with herself that I couldn't bring myself to regret it.

"Thank you," I said as we made our way toward the food court. "For today. For distracting me." I gestured at the bags we were both carrying. "For this."

"That's what best friends are for." She bumped her shoulder against mine. "Besides, I had fun too. Even if we did run into your creepy mom and Arthur's ice queen mother."

I laughed, but the reminder of that encounter brought back all the unease I'd been trying to ignore. "Do you think they really just met this morning?"

Alice was quiet for a moment. "Honestly? No."

"That's what I thought too." I bit my lip. "But why? What would they gain from—"

"I don't know," Alice admitted. "But whatever it is, I don't think it's good. You should tell Arthur."

"I'll tell him," I said finally. "Tonight. After I've had time to process it myself."

"Good." Alice squeezed my hand. "And if you need backup when you do, I'm a phone call away."

We found a table in the food court and settled in with salads and iced coffee, falling into easier conversation about everything and nothing—Alice's ongoing attempts to domesticate Max, my recovery, the wedding planning we hadn't even started yet.

" ...so you could get married tomorrow if you wanted to."

I laughed. "I'm not getting married tomorrow, Alice."

"But you could." She leaned forward, her eyes bright with excitement. "Come on, Ceci. Don't you want to just do it? Skip all the planning and the stress and just—marry him?"

The truth was, part of me did want exactly that. Wanted to wake up tomorrow and go to City Hall and make it official without all the pomp and circumstance that came with a traditional wedding.

But another part of me—the part that had spent years watching other people get the fairy tale while I got nothing—wanted the whole thing. The dress, the flowers, the moment of walking down an aisle toward Arthur while everyone we cared about watched.

"I want both," I admitted. "I want it to be just us, but I also want—" I gestured vaguely. "I want it to matter. Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense." Alice smiled. "So we'll plan something that's intimate but still special. Small guest list, beautiful venue, all the important parts without the circus."

"We?"

"Obviously I'm helping you plan." She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. "You're my best friend, Ceci. I'm not letting you do this alone."

I felt my throat tighten with emotion. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I'm going to be an absolute nightmare about flower arrangements."

I laughed, and just like that, the tension from earlier melted away. We finished our lunch, did one more lap through the mall, and by the time Alice dropped me off at my apartment building, I was exhausted but genuinely happy.

"Text me when you talk to Arthur," Alice said as I climbed out of the car. "I want to know how he reacts to the lingerie."

"I'm not texting you about that!"

"You absolutely are!" she called after me as I headed toward the entrance, and I could hear her laughing even after the door closed behind me.

The apartment was quiet when I let myself in, and for a moment I thought Arthur might be out. Then I heard movement from the bedroom, and a second later he appeared in the doorway, his hair damp like he'd just gotten out of the shower.

"You're back," he said, and the relief in his voice was so obvious it made me smile.

"I'm back." I set my bags down by the door. "Did you miss me?"

"Desperately." He crossed the room in three long strides and pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my hair. "How was shopping?"

"Good. Fun. Alice sends her love. How was your day alone?"

"Boring," he admitted. "Just watching the clock until you came home."

"I'm home now," I said simply.

"You are." His hands came up to cup my face.

He kissed me, slow and thorough.

When we finally broke apart, both of us breathing harder than we should be from just a kiss, Arthur's eyes dropped to the shopping bags.

"What did you buy?" he asked

This immediately put me on edge.

"May I see it?" he asked, noticing my expression with keen interest.