Chapter 40 40.New Dress
Tabitha’s POV
Less than five minutes later, Jessica rushes back into the corridor carrying four gowns. Each one is some shade of blue, close enough to the powder blue of the original dress, but none are quite right.
“Here are all the spare dresses we have. I’ve searched everything and these are the ones closer to her size.” Jessica catches her breath while handing me the pile of dresses. She looks like she ran a marathon to get here. She’s sweaty and out of breath.
I clutch the pile against me, but my relief vanishes the moment I get a proper look at them. The waists hang too wide and the sleeves droop like they are meant for someone else entirely.
“I don’t think this will work. They’re huge. If I wear this, I’ll look like a child drowning in her mother’s clothes.”
Luca glances at me once, then at the dresses. “You won’t.”
Before I can ask what he means, another group arrives. I recognize them immediately as the designers from the atelier where the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses were originally made. I stand in stunned silence as I watch them wheel in mannequins and set down their sewing kits in a rush.
“Mr. Aldair, where is the dress we need to work on?” one of them asks, already pulling fabric scissors from a pouch.
“That pile in her arms.” Luca nods toward me without hesitation. “Have fun with it.”
They do not waste a single second. They take the dresses from me and walk past me, heading straight to my suite without needing any invitation. Everything happens so fast that for a moment, I just stand there frozen while they rustle and walk in quick steps, draping each dress across the mannequins. They begin measuring, pinning, and cutting with swift precision. I’ve never seen people work that fast. It’s like someone is setting their asses on fire. I cannot take my eyes off the scene.
“How did you even convince them to come here and do this on the spot?”
Luca smirks as he slides his phone back into his pocket. He pulls out a sleek black card from his wallet and holds it up. “It is all about the Benjamin, Sweetheart.”
Of course. Nothing a buttload of Aldair money can’t fix. I have the urge to roll my eyes at him but I just end up smiling instead. Luca flicks his magical card and suddenly the whole disaster I was spiraling over starts to disappear. Who even does that? One second I am on the verge of tears, the next I am standing here watching him snap his fingers and summon miracles. We have less than thirty minutes to alter the dresses for something suitable to wear at a wedding, and I’m starting to think that they can make this work.
“They work fast,” I whisper in amazement, more to myself than to him.
“Of course they do,” Luca replies, folding his arms as if this entire spectacle was expected. “No one tells me something cannot be done.”
Of course he says that. Like the universe exists just to prove him right.
One of the atelier staff, the woman with the sharp bob steps back from the mannequin and presses a hand to her hip as she exhales. “It’s done! The alterations are complete.”
Her colleague, a tall man with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, rips the tape measure from around his neck and groans. “God, I need a drink after that. Haven’t worked this fast since Milan Fashion Week.”
“Worth it. Look at it—she’s going to steal the whole damn show,” said the youngest-looking of the bunch with curls escaping his cap. She grins as he wipes sweat from his forehead.
I take a hesitant step closer to the mannequin and my jaw instantly drops. The top is a corset, powdered blue, stitched together from the fabric the designers managed to bring at the last minute. The skirt, though, is taken straight from one of the gowns Jessica hauled in earlier, cut down and reshaped to fit. It shouldn’t look this good, not with how fast they worked, but somehow it does.
“Oh my god… it’s perfect.” I circle around the dress and observe the finer details.
“Go on, try it. We didn’t just break our backs over chiffon for you to stand there gawking.” The woman with the bob gestures at the dress.
“You heard her. Put it on,” Luca urges. “This time, I’m staying here until you’re done, so we can go to the beachside together. I’m not letting another dress burglary happen.”
I press my palm over the mannequin, still unable to tear my eyes away. “It’s…seriously, thank you. Thank you so much.” I glance at everyone in the room—even to Jessica who was so ready to axe me out of my mom’s wedding earlier.
The tall man laughs, fanning himself with a clipboard he’s snatched off the table. “Save the thanks for after it fits, darlin’. Go, go.”
I nod quickly and head to the bathroom to change. When I step back out, smoothing the corset bodice and letting the skirt fall into place, I can’t keep the grin off my face.
“You guys are actual lifesavers.” I have to fight back the urge to cry. We don’t have more time to fix my makeup.
“Knew it. Nailed it.” The curly-haired designer lets out a whoop, pumping a fist into the air.
“Now go. Rock that aisle. We’re officially off-duty,” says the woman with the bob hair.
Luca offers his arm to me and I happily clutch it as we leave the suite and make our way toward the beachside reception. The bridal party is already lined up, and the coordinator’s shoulders sag in relief when she spots me.
“There you are! I thought we’d lost you for good,” she says, hurrying over.
“Not a chance,” I answer with a small laugh. I won’t miss my mom’s wedding.
Jace steps out from the line and heads toward me. He holds his arm out, a teasing smile tugging at his mouth. He’s my partner in the procession.
“I thought you’re going to ditch me and let me walk in there alone,” he jokes.