I glanced at Jerry for support, but quickly realized it wasn’t coming—no matter how young and beautiful I was.
“This needs to come way in at the waist,” Jerry said, pinching the back of the waistcoat. “His waist is almost as tiny as yours.”
“Because he lives on coffee,” Seth said. “We’re going to lunch after this, I haven’t seen you eat since we were eighteen.”
“Ihaveeaten since then,” I objected.
I’d eatennearlyevery day since then, and the ones I’d skipped had been by accident. I’d only passed out three times from blood sugar crashes.
I was fine.
“Yeah, but I haven’t seen it. Grandma made me promise to look after you, and I’m doing a crappy job. Look how tense you are. Look at those dark circles. You’re a mess.”
“I was catalogue-model beautiful a second ago,” I said.
I got Seth’s concern—he was only a couple of months older than me, but Grandma had always treated him like my older brother. Now that she was gone…
“You still are, gorgeous,” Jerry said with a wink. “But Seth’s right about the muscle tension.”
“I slept on the couch,” I defended as Seth took a photo of me in the beige waistcoat, then had me swap it for the chocolate one.
“I heard,” Jerry said. “You oughta give Iggy a chance, he’s a sweet kid.”
I’d forgotten what small towns were like. Everyone knew everyone’s business.
“Oh, Iggy and Harvey go way back,” Seth filled in. “You could call them childhood sweethearts.”
“You could, but it wouldn’t be true,” I said. “I like this color,” I added. “But it’s your wedding.”
“No, I like it too. And I’ve got Wes in that almost-peach color, and Andre in that beautiful burnt sienna. They could all have the chocolate waistcoats. It wouldn’t be too dark if we go for lighter ties, and they’re wearing white shirts, right?”
Jerry held the ties up, closing one eye as he looked at me. “I think it’ll be stunning, and I love that you’re being brave with your palette.”
Seth lit up like he’d been paid the highest compliment of his life.
He’d been planning this wedding since we were six years old, so I knew how much it meant to him for it to go right. All he’d been looking for was the man to marry.
I couldn’t wait to meet Mark in person. I’d only ever called out hello and goodbye to him on speaker when Seth had called me.
“I think the peach tie for Harvey,” Seth said, taking it from Jerry’s hands. “The duck egg blue would also be stunning, but I’m saving that for Wes. Well, I’m saving it for Hayden, but Wes is gonna be the one wearing it,” Seth said.
“Why?” I asked.
“When you meet Hayden, ask him how he feels about ducks,” Seth said. “But only if you’ve got time.”
“I see,” I said. I was looking forward to meeting Seth’s friends, too. They sounded like exactly the people he deserved to be surrounded by after a lonely childhood.
“Which leaves the sage tie for Andre. You three are gonna look incredible,” he said, grinning.
I loved seeing him happy.
“You’ll have to coordinate with Iggy,” he added. “He’d look good in all these colors.”
“Why do I have to coordinate with Iggy?”
“Because you’re taking him to the wedding as your date,” Seth said as he draped a tie around my neck. “And you’re totally getting laid after, because you’re gonna lookincredible. Right, Jer?”
Jerry nodded approvingly. “I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.”
