"Nothing serious. I have a couple of guys on my roster."
"Excuse me. Does Asher know about this?" I asked, referring to my brother.
"Heck, no. You know how Daddy is. He's chill about everything except when it comes to his kids. Then he turns into a conservative, protective caveman." She rolled her eyes.
My brother could be a bit much at times, but as a parent, I also understood his point of view.
Before I could comment, Blossom came out in her first dress. I knew she had other dresses to try on, but this one already took my breath away.
Keke gasped.
With Jones holding her arm, Blossom carefully stepped up on the bridal pedestal to show off the floor-length mermaid design. The off-the-shoulder neckline skimmed her collarbone and was effortlessly flattering.
"What do you think?" She appeared to be holding her breath.
Keke glanced at me and then back at her cousin. "I love it," she said.
I nodded, struggling to speak because of the lump in my throat. This was happening. My little girl was a grown woman and getting married.
"You look beautiful," I finally managed.
Her face broke into an appreciative smile.
Jones made a few remarks about the fit and places where they could tailor the dress, but overall, we all agreed Blossom looked amazing.
The second dress she tried on was lovely but didn't match the breathtaking beauty of the first one. Neither did any of the others she tried on. By the fifth dress, the three of us knew she was wasting her time. The first gown was "the dress."
While Jones checked to see if they had Blossom's size in stock, she put it on one more time to confirm this was truly what she wanted for her wedding day. Standing on the pedestal, looking at herself in the mirror, her face broke into another smile. "This is the one."
Jones reappeared, and we all looked at him expectantly. He shook his head regretfully.
"If you have to order her dress, will she have it in time for the wedding?" Keke asked.
Jones clasped his hands in front of him and spoke directly to Blossom. "You're not giving me much time to work with, you know that, don't you?"
"Yes, I know," she whispered, her brow wrinkling with worry.
I had the impression Jones was enjoying the tension of this moment.
"We don't have your exact size in stock, and ordering the dress from the designer and then making alterations will take months. You'll be married by the time your gown is ready. But I have an idea," he said, shoving his glasses higher on his nose. "This is our sample gown. If you're willing to buy it, we can start alterations next week."
I held my breath as the room went still, the mirrors reflecting our faces as we all turned our eyes on Blossom.
"I'll take it!" she exclaimed.
Jones's mouth curved upward slightly. "Then I better get to work," he said.
I couldn't take my eyes off my daughter. So sure. So fearless. So excited. For a brief moment, my chest tightened as I envisioned everything that could go wrong.
Then I brushed aside my fears, reminding myself that I had done all I could to raise her well and couldn't protect her forever. At some point, she had to fly on her own.
I wrapped my arms around her and Keke, joining in as they joyously squealed and hugged each other.
Chapter 9
Jamison
"See you later, Jim."
