Chapter Twenty-One

“Thank you so much for fitting us in today, Erin. I know you’re a very busy woman.”

“Are you kidding? After you brought me that Edwardian with the handmade Irish crochet and the hand embroidery last fall, I should be the one thanking you.”

The second Tori had seen that dress, she’d known exactly who to bring it to. Erin specialized in altering vintage dresses to fit almost any body type without compromising the integrity of the design. “It was beautiful, wasn’t it?”

“It really was.” She leaned in, holding a hand to the side of her mouth as she whispered, “Almost as beautiful as the bill I sent them. Know what I mean?”

Unfortunately, she did. Erin was known in the industry for her high pricing and could be a bit outspoken at times, but you could get away with that when you were the best at something. And Erin really was the best. “When I saw the dress Dani picked out, you were the first person I thought of.”

“You flatter me, Tori.” She beamed, then winked. “Do keep it up.”

“Erin?” A woman with black hair pulled up tightly in a bun click-clacked into the room. “I’ve got Gwendoline Belgrave on the phone. She says she’s down another five and needs an emergency fitting before the wedding this weekend.”

“Please tell her I’ll be right there, Alison.” The assistant turned to go, and Erin shook her head. “Why is life so unfair?” she asked Tori. “As if this young bride-to-be weren’t already blessed enough with her razor-sharp cheekbones and porcelain skin, now add to that a body that loses weight with pre-wedding stress. Me? I so much as sit through ten minutes of rush hour traffic on I-85 and I come out of the car with a second chin. Some women have all the luck.”

Tori doubted the woman struggling to fit in her wedding dress less than a week before her big day saw it that way.

Erin straightened her tight pencil skirt and ran a hand over her hair. “I’d say they don’t pay me enough for this, but then you’d probably know I was lying. If you need any help when Danica gets out, let me know.”

She does the best alterations in the entire state of Georgia, Tori. You need her. Now suck it up, buttercup. “Thanks, Erin. I will.”

She leaned in close. “And feel free to suggest a few more adjustments and details. The more I get, the more you get, right?”

Tori smiled as Erin left the fitting room, praying it looked sincere and not like she wanted to gag the woman with her own bolts of tulle and silk, then let out a long breath. That was one thing she hadn’t missed about her old firm. Just like Erin, her boss had had a tendency to prioritize spending the clients’ budgets—thereby increasing her own payout—over what would make the client happy.

It hadn’t felt like that in Bedland Shores though. What little interaction she’d had with the small-business owners, none of them had come across as the money grabbers she’d been so used to working with in the city. She’d felt like they actually cared about their customers, not how much cash they could add to their registers.

No wonder her mother had taken to using Bedland Shores’s businesses almost exclusively. She must have found it so refreshing. Sometimes it felt like everyone in this industry was only out for one thing.

Everyone except… Tori pushed the thought away before it could finish.

She wandered around the fitting room, her shoes tapping lightly on the hardwood floor. She ran a hand over the soft, pink velvet upholstery of a chaise longue against one pale gray wall, then stopped at a rack of white and off-white dresses.

Tori thumbed through them, taking in the different styles and eras of vintage dresses. She stopped at one, a long, billowy column of white cotton that drastically resembled the dress the Bride of Frankenstein wore, only instead of wrapped linen strips the sleeves were made of delicate lace.

She grinned to herself. She’d give almost anything to know what Wyatt, with his extensive movie watching, thought of it.

Her fingers fell from the dress, along with her smile. She’d been doing so well these last two weeks, ever since the night she realized nothing was what she thought. She’d rarely allowed herself to really think about him, keeping herself too busy creating the most gorgeous wedding to spare him more than a few seconds.

But it was getting harder, and each time he managed to break through her blockade she felt like she had that night all over again. Like the ground was falling away around her and she was stuck on this tiny patch of rock, struggling to keep her balance.

He must have been keeping busy too because she hadn’t seen him once in the last couple weeks. She’d expected at least a few near misses and the sudden need to run in the opposite direction on the street. But so far nothing. She’d told herself she was grateful for it, that she didn’t want to face him or what he’d done to her until she knew the truth, but it had yet to really stick.

One thing she was almost sure of: her accusation hadn’t been far from the truth. The fact that he hadn’t come by once to try to explain or correct her was proof enough of that. But still, knowing that didn’t seem to stop her from wondering what he was doing, what incredibly dorky shirt he was wearing that day, if he was as miserable as she was.

No, not miserable. Focused. She was determined to finally hear the truth of what happened from Dani’s own lips, no matter what it was. It was just unfortunate that it had taken her two weeks to finally nail down some one-on-one time with the bride. Tori had driven hours to Atlanta to meet Dani, who was already in town on business, for this fitting. Georgina was in Bedland Shores with no chance of butting in before Tori could learn the truth about why they’d chosen her over Wyatt.

“Dani? Everything okay in there?” she called to the dressing room around the corner.

“Everything’s fine. Almost done.” A rustle of fabric, a small exhale. “You really didn’t have to come all the way out here to do this with me, you know. You weren’t exactly in the area.”

“I know, but I wanted to be here to help.” Especially when it meant getting Danica alone with no distractions for a little while. And now felt like as good a time as any. “I actually wanted to ask you about something while we’re—”

The curtain to the dressing room slid to the side, and Dani stepped into the fitting room.

Tori’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, Dani.” The gown was 1930s inspired with cap sleeves, a virtually sheer bodice with beaded lace and a tasteful V neckline, all in an ivory shade that beautifully complemented her dark skin. It clung to her waist beneath a thin, jewel-encrusted belt, and flowed down in a long skirt with layers of silk and chiffon. “You look…breathtaking.”

“Really?” She glided over to the wide, full-length mirror, then ran her fingers over the delicate lace pattern. She spun around to eye the deep V that exposed the lines and muscles of her back. She faced the mirror again, a whisper of a smile on her lips.

“Yes, really. This dress is stunning. You are stunning. And it will go perfectly with everything we’ve planned for the manor.” Tori grabbed her bag from the chaise longue and pulled out her playbook and phone. “Which reminds me, your mom wanted me to send a picture of the dress to the cake decorator to make sure the styles don’t clash. They may even be able to mimic the lace details. And I still need you to approve the flowers and the orchestra. Your mother thought it would be more appropriate than a pianist for the ceremony.”

Dani stared unmoving into the mirror, her lips pressed tight between her teeth.

“Dani?”

Her eyes began to glisten seconds before fat tears rolled down her cheeks. She brought a hand to her mouth to stifle a small sob.

“Oh no, Dani. Don’t cry.” Tori grabbed a box of tissues from one of the many little end tables and rushed to her side. “Is it the dress? If you don’t like it, that’s okay. There’s still plenty of time to find another one.” Okay, not plenty. But she’d say just about anything right now to get her to stop crying.

Dani shook her head, grabbing a tissue from Tori’s hand and dabbing her eyes with it. “It’s not the dress.”

“It’s not?”

“No, the dress is…” She looked at the mirror again. “It’s perfect.”

“Then what’s wrong?” Tori had spent enough time with brides to be able to tell the difference between happy and sad tears, and these were unquestionably sad. Please Lord, don’t let her be getting cold feet.

“I just—” She choked on another sob.

“Okay, come sit over here with me.” Tori led her over to the chaise longue, careful not to damage the dress as she gently pushed her down on the velvety cushion. “Now tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”

She wiped at another set of tears. “It doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel like it’s mine.”

“The dress doesn’t?”

“No, this whole thing. This dress is perfect, but it feels like I’m picking it out for someone else’s wedding.” She sobbed louder, and her quick pants sounded like she was on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Deep breaths, Dani. And what do you mean? Of course this wedding is yours.”

“Is it? The flowers, the cake, the music. Every single detail, it’s all my mother’s. This whole wedding has been about what she wants.”

“It has?” Did that mean Georgina hadn’t been consulting with her daughter on any of this? “But why?”

“Why do you think? Because to my mother it’s always been about how we look to others, about what they think. Even when I was a little girl. Never mind that I wanted chocolate fudge ice cream; vanilla wouldn’t stain my pretty white dress. ‘We have an image to uphold, Danica,’” she cried, mimicking her mother’s high voice.

“She doesn’t care what I want. Even the venue and the wedding planner—” Her mouth fell open, her eyes wide and horrified. “Oh no. Tori, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Tori shrugged. “Why not? It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

Dani’s forehead creased, one eyebrow lifting higher than the other. “You knew?”

“I overheard Collin telling his brother a couple of weeks ago.” She tried to put on a brave face, but despite already knowing the truth, it surprised her how much hearing it from Dani’s lips still hurt.

“I’m sorry, Tori. It’s not that I didn’t like your ideas. You’re so talented, really. And you’ve been so amazing through all of this. Any bride would be lucky to have you planning their wedding. It’s just that all of this, while it’s beautiful, it’s not how I want to start my life with Collin.”

Dani balled the tissues up in her hands. “It’s sad, but that time Collin and I went to DC was probably the happiest we’ve ever been.”

“Because of the cherry blossoms?”

“Because for those two weeks, we were just us. We didn’t have to worry about my mom or work or keeping up appearances. It was us together, and it was simple. I want us to be ourselves when we get married, not posing as the perfect couple my mom wants people to think we are. That’s why we wanted to go with Wyatt’s idea. Then my mom told me to think about which wedding would look better to my dad’s business associates. You know, good impressions and all that.”

Tori stared down at her lap. “Your mother convinced you…” So it hadn’t been Wyatt at all. She didn’t know what made her feel worse: that this entire wedding she’d planned was for nothing or that she’d wrongfully accused the man she’d only just started to consider as more than a friend.

“She was pushing for you from the beginning. She thought that you would be better suited for the very big, very extravagant wedding she was hoping for. It’s just that big and extravagant aren’t really…me.”

It explained why Dani had seemed so uninvested in the planning these last several weeks. Her mother had completely hijacked her wedding. And if Tori had taken the time and paid attention instead of worrying about how to make the wedding even bigger, she probably would have realized it a lot sooner. “I understand. I really do. But I do wish you’d told me. I could have tried to find a compromise. Something that could make both you and your mother happy.”

“What’s the point? What Georgina Bedland wants, she gets. Always has.”

“We may still have enough time to fix this.” Maybe she could convince Georgina.

“I know my mom means well. She thinks this is all for my own good, that it will make Collin and me happy in the end. And maybe she’s right. Everyone says that we’ll barely remember the details of the day anyway, right? That the marriage is what’s most important? Collin and I will just focus on every day after.”

“But Dani—”

“It’s okay, Tori. I know I sounded really upset just now, but I think I needed someone to vent to. I feel much better. Honest.” She placed a hand on Tori’s shoulder, smiling gently. “I’m just glad I have you. I know you’ll make this day absolutely perfect.” She stood, wiping the dried streaks from her face one last time.

Clacking heels in the hallway grew louder. “Oh my word, look how gorgeous! And the bride doesn’t look so bad herself either.” Erin giggled as she swept her hands over Dani’s dress. “I think the dress could use a few more flourishes. Don’t you agree, Tori?” She winked at her over her shoulder.

Tori controlled her expression, forcing a smile. “Actually, Erin, I think it looks perfect as is.”

Erin frowned, mouthed the words party pooper, then started checking every inch of the dress as she set out on a lecture about diet and exercise and fighting the stress eating if she didn’t want the seams to rip in the five minutes she’d be allowed to sit down all night, but Tori was too distracted to offer Dani any words of reassurance.

I know you’ll make this day absolutely perfect. Perfection. That was everything she’d wanted for this wedding, everything she finally thought she’d found. But how could it be perfect when it wasn’t what she or Collin really wanted?

It was true what folks said, that the details of the day became a blur eventually. But that didn’t mean Tori shouldn’t still try. Dani deserved at least that much. Every bride did on her wedding day.

Weddings should be about the couples, about the details that make the day special for them. Not anyone else.

Wyatt was right. What was the point of a wedding where the only goal was to make the guests happy? To impress a few businessmen and members of high society?

It’s a celebration of the two people promising to share the rest of their lives. It should be an honest representation of who they are together. That’s what makes it the perfect wedding.

But this wasn’t the perfect wedding for Dani and Collin.

Tori needed to fix this, to create the wedding Dani really wanted. The one she’d no doubt dreamed of as a little girl. She snatched up her playbook again and flipped to a blank page, the ideas already coming to her, inspiration abounding with little to no effort on her part.

Between the Bedlands’ never-ending budget and her experience, there was still a chance to save this wedding. Her biggest obstacle would be time. Time and resources. There was nothing she could do about the first, but the second at least she could manage with a little help. And she knew just the person to ask.