In the box were a large flower-shaped, diamond-studded brooch along with a multitude of heavy diamond bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. To top it all off: a tiara that would put Kate Middleton’s to shame.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me wearing all this?” I asked. With the voluminous dress, all of this bling was going to make me look like I was onMy Big Fat Trashy Weddingor some other TLC show. Not that it was bad jewelry; it was just a lot. It would have looked amazing against a simple but elegant strapless sheath dress that would really show it off.
“Can we do the jewelry reveal one more time?” Gunnar asked. “We need another angle of it.”
That was how the whole morning progressed. My excessively large bridal party moved through hair and makeup, while I had to again and again be surprised and delighted with the dress, the jewelry, and seeing my friends. We took pictures in our robes, we took pictures toasting with champagne, then there were more pictures of us excitedly telling each other how good everyone looked. By the time it was my turn for hair and makeup, my cheeks hurt from smiling, and I wanted something stronger than champagne.
You’re almost there. Then you’ll marry Blade!Thinking about him calmed me. I wished I was with him at that moment. He had said he loved me. It had hardly seemed real, but there it was.You should have said it back.
“We have forty-five minutes,” Dana said as the cameras crowded around me.
“How do you want your hair? An updo okay?” the hair stylist asked.
I nodded, then closed my eyes as she worked. I hadn’t had time to do a hair and makeup test. But seriously, how hard could it be to do a nice updo and some light makeup?
“Father is only going to walk you down the aisle if you apologize to him for Blade’s outburst,” Cassie announced next to me, ruining my pampered calm.
I opened my eyes. She and Dottie were standing in front of me. “Um, no thanks,” I said. “I’ll walk myself down the aisle.”
“Please, Avery,” Dottie begged, “can’t you just try and keep the peace for your wedding day? It’s about family! You can’t not have your own father walk you down the aisle.”
Think of the house. Think of your happily ever after with Blade.
Did I really love him though? Did I really know him? I was conflicted. We were starting off our relationship on a lie. We hadn’t really dated—just moved in together—but being with him felt natural. When I was with him, it felt like the most right thing in the world. It was only when I wasn’t that the doubts crept in.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll apologize, but I won’t mean it.”
“Of course you won’t,” Cassie spat. “Daddy sacrificed everything for you, and you’ve been nothing but trouble.”
“As he’s been reminding everyone,” I said snarkily, “I’m not going to be his problem anymore.”
“As if Blade is even going to want to marry you looking like that,” she said, jerking her chin.
“Be nice, Cassie. It’s a very pretty hairstyle,” my grandmother said.
The stylist turned me around. “We’re done. How does this look?”
I gaped at myself in the mirror. I looked like a pageant princess. My hair was in an updo, yes, but there were so many curls spilling out of the high bun that it was like an overly decorated cupcake. There were ringlets in my face, down my neck, and glued to my cheeks. The heavy eyeshadow, excessive blush, and bright-red lipstick weren’t doing me any favors either.
“You’re going to look so lovely with the tiara!” my grandmother insisted.
“Maybe we could pin some of these ringlets up?” I suggested uncertainly.
“No time,” Dana barked.
I fought back tears.
“You need to put the dress on. Don’t worry.” Dana patted my shoulder. “You need more makeup than you think to look good on camera.”
I wasn’t sure anyone was going to be able to see me on camera through the layers of ruffly dress, the elaborate veil, and all the big hair. The dress was heavy, and it took Shirley and Edward both to haul it up over me so I could slip my arms through the lacy puffed sleeves.
“I wish they could have at least put a zipper on this,” Edward grunted as he painstakingly fed the tiny pearl buttons through the buttonholes.
Stacy fussed with the ruffles on the dress. “It just keeps wanting to wrinkle,” she fretted, fluffing out the skirts.
“I doubt anyone will see the wrinkles through the blinding light of all these diamonds,” I said.
“How are those buttons coming, Edward?” Shirley asked him.
