“Sparkle can always be added. What do you think about it for you? What color are you thinking about wearing for the bridesmaid dress?”
“You want me to pick? Isn’t that normally up to the bride?”
“I’m definitely not normal.” Amanda chuckles. “I wantyouto be happy and comfortable with the dress you’re wearing. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
I stare at the dress for a moment. I do love the color. I’ve always thought I looked good in blue. It’s bold and would definitely make a statement.
“I think with a few modifications it could be perfect. Although, for a winter wedding, I might freeze without a coat.”
“Pfft. You’ll have a coat. Trust me.” She hands me the dress. “Go try it on, and we’ll see if you still love it as much when it’s off the hanger.”
“Okay.” I head toward the back of the store as Amanda moves on to the next rack. As I turn the corner, I spot a mannequin dressed in a strapless white tea-length gown that stops me in my tracks. It has a ruched corset top and a lace overlay skirt with scalloped edges. A tingle of excitement shoots up my spine. “Amanda...”
“Hmm?”
“I need you. I think I’ve found something.”
She stops what she’s doing and joins me in front of the mannequin. “Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” she squeals. “It’s like a grown-up, sophisticatedAlice in Wonderlandgarden-party dress. I can totally see myself adding a cute white fascinator veil and some strappy heels to go with it. Come to Mama.” She wastes no time in running to the front to find the shop’s owner.
As I stare at the dress, I’m in love with the fact that it’s the polar opposite of what a royal bride would be expected to wear. It’s strapless, and the hem will only come down to her shins. I know Mum would expect Amanda in something with a long, flowing train, but that’s not her. This is.
When I emerge from the dressing room, I’m surprised to find that Amanda has already changed and is admiring herself in a three-way mirror.
“How did you get dressed so quickly?”
“It’s former-flight-attendant ninja skills,” she jokes.
I laugh.
“Come stand beside me, I wanna see how we look together.”
I carefully lift the skirt and stand off to her right side. We’re normally even in height, but in heels, Amanda is about three inches taller than me. The shop owner has clipped the back of her dress, so it fits her frame better. It makes it easier to see the potential it has.
“You were right about the sparkle,” Amanda says, looking at me. “You definitely need some bling on the skirt and a necklace and earrings. Aquamarines? Those would look smoking with that blue. Or maybe sapphires? What do you think?”
I study my reflection in the mirror. Instead of envisioning what this dress could look like, all I’m able to picture is Art standing next to me. He’d be wearing a light-gray suit with a matching cerulean-blue tie and a white waistcoat.
His arms would wrap themselves around me and he’d plant a series of long, soft kisses up the nape of my neck. I can practically hear his voice whispering into my ear how much he loves the color on me. I’m filled with a deep sense of sadness. My relationship with Art is over. I can’t foresee us finding a way to be togethernow.
“I think I’d like a flower here.” I point to the waist, where the fabric of the skirt drapes downward. “And I agree, either aquamarines or maybe even something like tanzanite. I have a necklace that I inherited from my grandmum that would do well with this.”
“Perfecto. And does it feel like something you could wear all day and dance around in? It’s not too restricting?”
“No. It’s perfect.”
“That’s one down.” Amanda grins widely. “Now give me your brutally honest opinion; what do you think of this bad boy?” She smooths the skirt and slowly pivots in a circle for me.
“I like the style of the dress as a base. It’s close to being perfect, but I feel like it’s missing something.”
She nods. “I agree. I think maybe a little lace jacket and a few accessories would do the trick. And for a hundred pounds, you can’t go wrong.”
Amanda pulls out her mobile and snaps a couple photos of us in our outfits before we change. I do my best to be positive despite my mood. We decide to purchase them and head to the grounds of Kensington Palace to meet up with Clara.
“My mom is going to die when I tell her we both found dresses. She told me it might take a couple shopping trips, but I knew we’d get lucky. After all, you’re my good luck charm, Ali.”
“Thank you,” I murmur.
The privacy screen in the car is up and I relish the fact that it’s just the two of us. “Will she be disappointed she wasn’t here to go shopping with you?”
