Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
I put the bulk of my wedding budget into flowers and candles. I wanted the library to glow, a profusion of roses turning it into an indoor candlelit garden. Hope swept in at the last minute and said she and Griffen were paying for everything. I didn’t argue, mostly because there wasn’t that much to pay for, aside from the flowers and candles and a photographer. We already had the venue, and Finn was catering. Griffen would officiate, as he had for Scarlett and Tenn. All I needed was a dress.
Uncharacteristic of me, I dithered over the dress situation.
I’d had the full-skirted fairy tale dress the first time with Oliver. I loved that dress. It was gorgeous and made me feel like a princess. I didn’t want that again this time, but I wanted something special. More than a cocktail dress, but not the full princess gown. Nothing I had in my closet would work. I’d looked in town, driven to Asheville, and shopped online. Nothing was right. As January drew to a close, I was ever so slightly starting to panic.
I considered a last-minute trip to Charlotte or Atlanta to see if I could find something ready to wear. April’s mother was a seamstress and had assured me that if I found something, she could do alterations as long as they weren’t too complex. But still, the right dress eluded me.
One afternoon in late January, Parker popped into my new office off the kitchens. She’d been working on reimagining the housekeeper’s apartment, turning the bedroom into my office and the rest of the small space into a staff lounge. I was thrilled with my desk, file cabinets, and corkboards. I loved how much more room I had to organize everything. Finn laughed when he came in and saw my endless to-do lists tacked up on the corkboards, my desk covered in piles of papers I hadn’t filed yet. Parker was still working on finding just the right furniture for the sitting area. I thought that’s why she’d stopped by when she stuck her head in and said, “Hey, have a minute?”
“Sure,” I said. “Always.”
She came into my office and leaned against my desk, her tablet cradled to her chest. “So,” she began, “you know I’m still listing my stuff on auction sites.”
I nodded. Parker had left her marriage with little more than the clothes in her closet. Determined to provide for herself while she figured out the rest of her life, she started selling the contents of her closet under Sterling’s supervision. Sterling had done the same thing when Griffen cut her off from the family checking account, and, at this point, she was an expert at wringing every last cent out of used clothes and accessories.
Parker was blissfully in love with Nash, and everyone knew they’d get married eventually, but for now, Parker wanted to take her time. She was working for Griffen and Hope, managing renovations in the Manor and making a decent salary, especially considering that she didn’t have to cover a mortgage or food, and Nash insisted on picking up every bill he could wrest from her hands. Despite all of that, Parker was still selling her things. When I asked her about it, she laughed.
“The truth is,” she’d said, “most of those clothes are from my old life. I want to start fresh, so why not sell them? I’m having fun, and I like having my own money, even if it’s not a lot. Between that and when Griffen pays me. I like not having to ask anyone for anything.”
I’d smiled back. I knew exactly what she meant.
“So?” I prompted.
“So, I was listing a cocktail dress, and I just happened to do some browsing. You haven’t found a dress yet?”
I shook my head, my heart leaping in anticipation.
“What do you think of this?” Turning her tablet, she showed me the screen. On it was a wedding dress. Vintage floral lace, strapless, the bodice a graceful curve, dipping to show a hint of cleavage. It was fitted through the waist, flaring below the hips into a train just big enough to look pretty as I walked down the aisle, but not enough to be in the way later. This was a woman’s dress, so unlike the princess fantasy the younger me had worn, and exquisitely beautiful. I loved it instantly.
“Oh, Parker, it’s gorgeous.”
“I saw it, and it looked like you,” she said with a pleased smile. “It’s elegant, romantic, and exactly the right amount of sexy.”
“Is it—” I scanned the text below the picture for the size.
“It’s your size,” Parker assured me. “It might be a little big, but even with the lace, April’s mom should be able to make alterations. And they offer overnight shipping.”
“How much is it?” I was afraid to ask. It wasn’t new, but this was Parker and Sterling’s favorite auction site. It was all high-end fashion; everything was expensive, even if it was used.