“I know it looks a little snug,” she said self-consciously.
“Not one bit,” Sofia said. “You look radiant.”
“It’s true,” Meredith chimed in. “Extra pretty. Almost glowing.” She sent Hope a knowing look, then said sneakily, “I’m sure you’ll glow even brighter on your wedding day.”
“Extra pink,” her mom chimed in unnecessarily, and Hope wanted to die of embarrassment. Fortunately, nobody but Meredith had any clue what her mom was talking about.
“Um, right.” Hope surveyed the room, catching her mom and Meredith exchanging secretive glances. “Thanks, everyone.” She couldn’t help but wonder what her own wedding gown would be like one day. She could only hope it would be just as pretty as this gorgeous ivory one with the lace-up back.
“Let me snap a few pics,” Sofia said. “So you can post them.” She glanced around the room. “Do you have your phone handy?”
Hope swallowed hard. Not this again… “My phone?”
Before she could truly panic, Meredith pulled her cell phone from the back pocket of her jeans. “Why don’t you take them on mine?” she said to Sofia. “That way I can edit the best ones for Jackie and send them to her.”
“You’re such a great maid of honor,” Elsa said.
Meredith tapped her temple. “Always thinking.” When the others weren’t watching, she winked, and Hope wanted to hug her for her quick save.
After a few glamor shots, Sally surprised Hope with a sweet hug. “I’m so happy you’re becoming my sister. Growing up, I always wanted one, and now I’ll have two.” She smiled at Sofia, then looked back at Hope.
Hope hugged Sally back, feeling extra terrible about deceiving her. Brent had said she could so easily read people. But Sally obviously couldn’t read her. Or maybe the scarier thought was that she could, and Sally could tell Hope was honestly in love with her brother.
Would Sally feel that same connection with Jackie once she got here on Friday? In one way, Hope wanted that for her sister—for her to blend in as seamlessly with the Albright family as she had. But, in another, those same thoughts made her gut clench and her heart ache. Especially when she was thinking of Brent.
Their kiss in the rain this morning had been so romantic. And, for that fantasy moment, she’d wanted so badly to believe what Brent was telling her about everything being real.
She stared back in the mirror, seeing herself outfitted as his bride, and she knew it was all a lie. A lie that would be ending very soon, unless she died of heartbreak first.
Meredith handed her a tissue, and Hope realized she’d been crying. The other women probably mistook her tears for tears of joy instead of worry and regret. Either way, she was embarrassed to have gotten emotional. “Could I have a moment with Meredith?”
Everyone murmured their agreement and gave her warm smiles.
“She’s just so happy,” Meredith said as they were leaving. “About her big day.”
“Girlfriend,” Meredith said when the others had gone, and Hope sobbed harder, because her sister’s best friend was being so kind. “Are you all right?
Hope dabbed her eyes with the tissue. “No. What am I’m going to do?”
Meredith pulled her in for a hug and patted her back. “Hang tough, chica. Hang tough. Friday will be here soon.”
…
Brent and Derrick stopped at the co-op in town to purchase potatoes and corn on the cob for that night’s clambake. He’d tried texting Jackie to see how the dress fitting was going, but he guessed she was too busy to answer. That was okay, though. They’d have plenty of in-person time later, just like she’d requested. He hoped at least some of that would be one-on-one, because he was enjoying discovering this new side of Jackie. A passionate side that was clearly not opposed to private displays of affection. And one that didn’t shy away from connecting on the deeper level he’d always craved.
He and Derrick stopped at the fish shop, where they had lobsters, littleneck clams, and a variety of fresh seaweed called rockweed on special order. In true New England tradition, they’d bake the seafood and vegetables outdoors in the firepit.
After this morning’s rain, the skies were still gloomy and gray. As they drove back to their grandparents’ house, they chitchatted about the wedding and Jackie. Even the weather.
Since neither one had mentioned the elephant in the room—Meredith—Brent decided to bring her up. He didn’t need tension between his best man and Jackie’s maid of honor on his wedding day. Maybe if he had a man-to-man chat with his little brother, he could preempt that.
“So,” Brent began cautiously. “The wedding party’s almost all here.”
“Yeah, all except for Jackie’s sister.” He glanced at Brent from where he sat behind the steering wheel. “Any updates?”
“Jackie called her this morning but couldn’t get through. She left a voicemail, though. I’m hoping for good news.”
Derrick frowned with concern. “Me, too. Poor woman. She’s had this bug all week?”
“Since Saturday, apparently. She thought she was getting better, then had some kind of relapse.”
“The week of her sister’s wedding. That rots.”
“I know. It’s my wedding week, too.”
“Lucky man.”
“Derrick, about Meredith—”
“What about her?” His tone sounded snappy.
“She is Jackie’s best friend.”
“Yeah, and so?”
“So, do you think you could hold your fire? Just for a few days.”
“My fire?” he asked combatively. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“She’s our guest, Derrick. An Albright family guest.”
“To ask her, you’d think she’s the queen.”
“Unfair.”
“No?” Derrick shot him a daggered look. “First, she rams into my SUV—and claims it’s my fault. Next, she insults my job at the table.”
“Yeah, she probably shouldn’t have done that.” Brent issued a conciliatory yet reasoned response. “But maybe you shouldn’t have insulted hers first?”
“Come on, man. The woman took an immediate—and intense—dislike to me. How was I expected to handle that?”
“With dignity and calm?”
“Funny.”
“I wasn’t trying to be. I’m serious.”