Chapter Six

Sarah grinned at her little sister’s excitement to go wedding dress shopping. The weather was sunny today and while still chilly, it put Sarah in a good mood. Puffy clouds danced across the sky and the damp earth was on the cusp of bursting into fresh growth and blooms. Stark tree limbs along the sidewalk were laden with buds prepping to herald in spring over the next few weeks.

The two sisters walked into Meant To Be Bridal and Tuxes alongside Becca and Gran. Even Becca seemed cheerful about the outing despite not being a lover of all things girly.

“Okay, let’s start with the bridesmaids,” Bridget announced after they’d been greeted and shown to their own space by the store owner.

“Bridesmaids? No way, we start with you. The bride,” Sarah argued. Why on earth would they not start with Bridget? Her sister was too spotlight aversive.

Bridget shook her head. “No, starting with you is better. This will help me get the vibe of the wedding, how dressy to be or not be.”

“Wrong.” Becca crossed her arms. “You set the tone—your dress, your wedding, your vibe.”

Sarah watched her sister chew on her lower lip. “Is it that you don’t know what you want?”

“Yeah. Does that make me a bad bride?” Bridget grimaced.

Gran chuckled. “Not at all, Bridgie. All you need is to look around and try on different options. See what catches your eye and find similar styles until the right dress comes along.”

“How will I know?”

Sarah leveled a stare at her sister. “You’ll know.” She might have to nurture her sister through figuring out what she wanted, but Sarah could keep watch for subtle signs of excitement and wanting as they tried on options. She’d convince her sister she knew what she wanted. It was all about encouraging her sister’s subconscious desires to the forefront.

Bridget shrugged and glanced around. “I’m not even sure where to begin.”

“Divide and conquer.” Sarah nodded at Gran and Becca. “Let’s all take a lap and pull some options for Bridget to try on and get a feel for what’s out there.” She looked at Bridget with what she hoped was an encouraging smile. “We know your style. Trust us.” Time to take the worry away from her baby sibling and let her bask in the thrill of getting married.

Lana, the owner of the shop, circled back to their group. “Ladies, can I help get you going? Perhaps pull some dresses that would look stunning on our bride to be?” Lana beamed at Bridget.

Becca shook her head. “Do you have anything to drink you could get us? Bridge is a bit shy and is feeling a little nervous. We can take a look around if you don’t mind getting her comfortable?”

“Champagne for everyone, then?”

Gran cackled. “You are an excellent business woman. Yes, please!” She patted Bridget on the shoulder. “Have a seat here, dear. We’ll be back and then the fun will start.”

Bridget sat while Sarah and the others split into different directions. Sarah perused the racks of dresses in a front corner of the store. Tulle, lace, sequins, crystals and beading glinted at her from all angles. Mannequin forms displayed dresses with voluminous skirts and trains. They were all gorgeous in their own way, but most were too fussy for her little sister. Bridget’s style was understated. Simple and elegant. Perhaps a touch of lace, but nothing with sparkles. No giant skirt or cathedral-length silk flowing out behind.

Sarah grabbed a few options when an all-lace number caught her eye—sheer silk lining overlaid with diaphanous lace panels. A sweetheart neckline fell into a fit and flare skirt that pooled into a chapel-length train at the floor. The lace threads had a subtle shimmer to them, making the light catch the floral pattern and bring it to life. It took Sarah’s breath away. Not for her sister, but for herself. This was the exact style she could picture wearing at her own wedding…sexy and sophisticated, elegant with a flashy touch.

Without thinking, she grabbed the hanger and walked over to a grouping of mirrors. She laid the other dresses across the back of a chaise and held up the gown. Tucking the hanger down, she pressed the cool fabric across her chest and admired her reflection. With the sweep of her blonde hair over one shoulder, brushing the top of the bodice, and the lace puddled at her feet, it looked stunning. She didn’t need to put it on. She knew. It was the dress. Sarah’s heart sped into a canter as she blinked at the image. Her palms grew damp and a lump formed in her throat. Loneliness reached its cold hand into her chest and crushed the air out of her lungs. On a strangled gasp, she stuttered in a breath and swallowed. What was she doing? Fantasizing about wedding dresses when she had no one in her life? She hadn’t been serious with anyone in…years. Over a decade. Not since—

“Sarah?”

She whirled around, heart thumping triple time. His voice…how was he here at this exact moment?

Cornelius stared at her, slack jawed. He ran his gaze over her and his Adam’s apple bobbed a couple of times. He looked like he’d swallowed his tongue. “You look…ethereal.” He pushed his glasses up, then rubbed at his chest.

Heat flushed over Sarah from the roots of her hair to the tip of her toes. Desire flexed inside her body. Then she remembered what she held in her hands. Humiliation lashed her thoughts back to the present. Yanking the dress down, she looked at the floor and wished for a way to disappear. Could a giant hole open under her feet and swallow her whole? With a flit of her eyes back to where Cornelius still stood, she shuffled back to the pile of options for Bridget.

Her sister. Getting married. The one Sarah was here for today. Not herself. Stupid woman.

“Hey, Cornelius,” Sarah mumbled. “What’re you doing here?”

For a hot second, he blinked at her. “I’m, uh, here…Why am I here?” He furrowed his brow.

“In a bridal store?” Sarah cast around for anything to take the heat off of her fawning over a wedding dress like a real-life heart-eyes emoji.

He scratched at his head and the tips of his ears turned pink. Then he seemed to shake himself. “Right. Tuxes. I’m meeting Jack to try on tuxes.”

“Jack is here?” Sarah shouted. Alarm shot through her. She scooped up the gowns and raced around the corner to where Bridget sat sipping champagne. “Jack just showed up. He can’t see you!”

Her sister laughed. “Calm down. I know he’s trying on tuxedos today. I wanted to watch and help.”

“But then he could catch you in your wedding dress. That is unacceptable.” Sarah dumped the pile of white fabric onto the couch. “He has to leave.” How was Bridget so chill about this?

Jack sauntered over with Cornelius in his wake. Sarah glared at the two of them in the mirror.

Her soon-to-be brother-in-law bent and kissed Bridget’s cheek. “Hey, honeybee.”

Bridget giggled and again, Sarah was enveloped in the chill of her single status.

“Hi, Jack.” Bridget stood and snuggled up against his side. “I can’t wait to see you all dressed up.”

The look between the two of them morphed into something so intimate and heated, Sarah wanted to fan herself. “Okay, okay. Save that kind of vibe for the bedroom. We’re in public here, kids.” Sarah propped her hands on her hips. “How are we supposed to wedding-dress shop with the groom here?” Why was she the one who cared about this?

Jack shrugged as Bridget still grinned. “The guys’ side is way over there.” Bridget pointed. “And maybe you and Becca could look at bridesmaid dresses while they’re here?”

“Second option. Wanna help me change?” Jack teased with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Becca made a gagging sound and Sarah waved her arms. “Knock it off.” She marched over to the two guys. Placing a hand on each one’s arm, she pushed. “Go. You are not to cross the threshold from the groom’s side to the bride’s side of the store under any circumstances.” That should quell any chance of an accidental bride sighting.

“What if there’s a fire?” Cornelius quipped.

“Ha, ha.” Sarah shook her head with a half-smile. “I’m serious. No peeking. This is not a joke.”

Jack held his palms up in surrender. “All right, all right. We’ll go. But if Bridget wants to have a say in what we pick, she’ll have to come over.”

“Deal. Now shoo.”

 

* * * *

 

Cornelius shoved his arms through the third jacket he’d tried on this afternoon. He still couldn’t shake the vision of Sarah and that dress. With her golden hair and dark green eyes and all that white lace, she’d almost brought him to his knees. God knew what would have happened if she’d been wearing it instead of holding it up. It was the kind of gown he’d pictured back when they’d been together… When he thought they’d spend the rest of their lives in love with each other, married, with babies. Maybe a pet. And all the sex.

He blew out a harsh breath. He needed to get a grip and find someone else to fill this void in his heart and his soul, to keep the aching desolation from ripping him apart. Why had Sarah’s return made this feeling so strong? Sure, he’d felt alone from time to time, but seeing Sarah on the regular had caused him to realize how lonely he was. Compound that with his mother’s illness and he felt like his life was a ticking time bomb. At thirty-one, what did he have to show from a relationship perspective? His professional life was amazing, but was it worthwhile without someone to share it?

Bang. Bang.

“You good in there?” Jack asked through the door.

“Coming,” he said and opened the door. Stepping out, Cornelius noticed Bridget standing by the mirrors.

“You guys look fantastic.” She stared at Jack and licked her lips. “Super handsome. Hot.”

Ugh. He didn’t want to watch the two of them eye-fuck one another. “Thanks, little B.”

She jerked her face in his direction, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. “I think this is the one. The peak lapel emphasizes the lumberjack shoulders. You both should take advantage of that.”

Cornelius did have to admit, the trim cut and wider, pointed tips of the fabric did make his stature look good. He didn’t have quite the hefty build that Jack did, but he wasn’t a slouch either. Years of logging had toned his body and he’d never heard any complaints when his shirt was off in front of the fairer sex, rare occasions that those were. “Yeah, I like it, too.”

Jack nodded. “So I’ll have a white bow tie and Cornelius and Hiro will have light blue to match the bridesmaids?”

“Mmm,” Bridget hummed. She was drooling over Jack again.

“Bridge, what’s taking so long?” Sarah walked up behind her sister and stumbled to a halt. Her gaze snagged on him and didn’t move.

Bridget shifted to the side, and holy hell, Cornelius was slapped again with Sarah’s beauty. She was in a sky-blue dress that plunged down between her breasts in a V, cinched above her waist to emphasize her bust and flared into a flowing skirt. A mirror in the corner offered a behind image of thick, smooth rope that traced her shoulders to twine together down her spine, then wrapped three times around the high waist before knotting in the front to let the ends dangle along the waves of the soft fabric skirt.

The style was very Roman goddess come to life. It hugged her curves and made his mouth water. Her tits looked spectacular. She’d gotten more lush over the passing years and he would give his last dollar to be able to explore every inch of her body. His blood flowed south and he shifted on his feet. Shit, he didn’t need to sport his erection to everyone in the store. Clearing his throat, he buttoned the satiny jacket, but that served to highlight his growing bulge. He began reciting baseball stats from his favorite team in his head, anything to take his mind off the desire pulsing through him.

“Don’t the guys look amazing?” Bridget grabbed Sarah’s arm and tugged. “Come stand by Cornelius so I can see you two next to each other. I want to be able to picture this for the wedding.”

With awkward movements, Sarah shuffled to pose next to him. Cornelius forced a smile on his face, but was afraid the heat rolling off him would be noticeable. He was sweating at the back of his neck. The reflection of him in a tux with Sarah gorgeously attired next to him did strange things to his stomach—and his heart. He could see the two of them receding down the aisle, one of her hands tucked in his elbow with a bouquet in her other. Except it was her in that damn wedding dress she’d been holding earlier he was now envisioning. His heart pounded so hard he could see his pulse racing at his throat in the mirror. Shit, this was bad. He was so screwed.

“Perfect,” Bridget chirped and broke Cornelius free of his reverie. “You look perfect together.” She clapped her hands and beamed at Jack. He grinned right back.

At least the two of them were oblivious to the tension flowing between Cornelius and Sarah. Or Cornelius at any rate. Maybe Sarah wasn’t as affected… He chanced another look at Sarah and yep, she had hunger in her eyes. He knew that look. He’d seen it enough growing up that there was no mistaking it. His groin tightened again.

“Oh, my!” Gran’s voice rang out. “Don’t you all look beautiful.”

It was the welcome dose of figurative cold water Cornelius needed. No way could he sport wood in front of Gran. Exhaling, he side-stepped away from his ex-girlfriend. Her skin was flushed and she kept her gaze on the dark-grained planks of the floor.

“Cool. I’m going back to the other side to change. Bridge, we still have dresses for you to put on.” Sarah gave a brisk nod and speed-walked out of the room.

“I’m going to change, too.” Cornelius jerked his thumb toward the dressing room.

“Just a minute,” Seth, the store associate said. “I need to get your measurements to ensure we reserve the correct suit for you.” He held up a tape measure and clipboard.

“Right.” Cornelius walked over to the low platform. He refrained from urging Seth to hurry up so he could get out of view, change clothes and get rid of this echoing desire.

“So you and the lady in the blue dress make a lovely couple.” Seth scribbled notes as he held the tape along Cornelius’ arms and shoulders, waist and legs.

“Oh, we’re not—that is, she and I used to, but not anymore. We’re friends. Her sister is the bride and the groom is my work partner.” He locked down his muscles so as not to give away his inner mortification over his bumbling response.

“And best friend,” Jack interjected as Bridget and Gran departed. “Jeez, make me look like we’re just business associates.”

“That, too,” Cornelius agreed. And now he’d offended his buddy.

“Although, I have to side with Seth here. You and Sarah looked pretty good together. Maybe you should give it another try.”

“We’re friends. That’s all.” Cornelius smothered the hope in his chest. He’d learned there was no going back with Sarah. She’d moved on, no matter if she still found him attractive or not. That much had been made clear over the past twelve years. He walked to the changing room and called over his shoulder, “But I’ll find a date for the wedding, don’t worry.” He had to. He couldn’t take this oppressive solitude any longer.