“Fine. Twice.”
Natalia burst into laughter.
“And you, Miss Natalia Su?” Maria pressed, nudging her gently.
Natalia smiled at the sound of her new name, soft and proud. “Three. It’s cause I’m pregnant, okay?”
Kali arched a brow, dripping sarcasm. “Sure. Cause my brother was ever chill about you before.”
We dissolved into giggles, the chiffon skirts swaying as we leaned into one another, while Natalia rolled her eyes with fond exasperation. Trevor had been obsessed with her since college – everyone knew it.
Kali shook her head, finally turning away, pretending to study a rack of black silk. “Anyways. There’s nothing going on between me and Zane.”
I couldn’t help myself. “Not yet…”
She rolled her eyes, but the smile that slipped across her lips betrayed her.
All of us exchanged a knowing look, the kind that bound women together in mischief.
And for the first time since stepping off that jet, I let myself relax. Their laughter was a soft shield, drawing the heat away from me. They’d forgotten about Matteo. Thank God.
An hour later, soft silk rustled against my skin as I adjusted the hem of the soft pink dress. The color was warm, delicate, like the faint blush of a seashell. When I caught Maria and Kali in the mirrors, both of them dressedto match, I almost laughed – three tough women in gowns that made us look like flowers.
But then the curtain pulled back.
Natalia stepped out.
The air shifted, hushed, reverent.
We all froze. For a heartbeat, none of us spoke.
Her Chanel gown was soft, fluid, almost weightless, the perfect white silk that seemed to glow against her golden skin. The fabric skimmed over her curves, flowing down in layers that moved like water when she walked. Delicate straps rested on her shoulders, and the neckline was simple, elegant – timeless. A quiet, perfect kind of beauty.
“Nat…” Maria breathed first.
Kali pressed her hand to her mouth. “Oh, my God.”
My chest squeezed, unexpectedly tight, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.
“This is the dress,” I whispered, and the words felt holy. “You look beautiful, Nat.”
Maria nodded fiercely, blinking rapidly. “So beautiful. Like it was made for you.”
“Like a goddess,” Kali added, her smirk softened into something rare, tender.
Natalia’s smiled that beautiful, soft, sweet smile of hers that always melted everyone around her. Her hand smoothed down the front of the gown as though she couldn’t quite believe it herself. “So… you like it?”
We all laughed with her, our voices wet with tears. “We love it. This is it.”
I stepped forward first, and the girls followed, until the four of us were wrapped up in each other, silk and perfume and laughter mixing with tears. We hugged tight.
In that moment, I forgot about everything else. All I saw was Natalia, radiant in her dress, and my friends, the closest thing to sisters I’d ever had.
Back in the dressing room, the spell of the gowns broke as we slipped out of silk and into our own clothes. Still, my heart hummed with the afterglow of it – the way Natalia had lit up, the way we had all cried together like fools.
When we came out, Maria was already at the counter, tucking a black card back into her wallet.
“Ri,” Natalia’s voice softened, catching sight of the bags being gathered by Chanel staff. “You didn’t have to.”
