I need to get over it already.
Mine!My dragon growls.
No!I tell him, but it doesn’t help.
It looks like I might have to reach out to Brook and ask her to come to the wedding with me.
My dragon stays silent.
Fucker.
It’s been weeks since she gave me her number. What will she think if I call her out of the blue?
Ridge stands, straightens his uniform. “I’d better get going. We’ll be in touch.”
“Congratulations.” I nod. “You know what, let’s have a beer later. We can talk about it then. I’ll hit the gym straight after work, so let’s make it around seven. Bring Robyn; I will grill us up some steaks.”
“She’s on duty tonight, but I’ll be there.”
“See you later.”
He nods and leaves.
I look back down at the report as soon as my door closes.
Fuck!
I need a date for the wedding. I scrub a hand over my face and sigh. I don’t want to take a random date. I don’t want to see Carla with another male.
I shake my head and pull myself together. It’s just a date. It’s good that Carla is moving on with her life. I’m being overly dramatic about all of it.
37
Carla
Robyn is taking too long.
I’m in one of two cream-colored chairs along the wall, facing a row of three changing rooms with pale pink curtains. There’s a small podium in the center of the space, surrounded by mirrors, and an arrangement of white peonies in a tall glass vase. The whole shop smells faintly of flowers. A classical soundtrack plays from speakers somewhere above.
I check my phone. We’ve been here for nearly two hours, which is fine, since I have nowhere else to be.
Robyn has been trying on wedding dresses. Two of them were beautiful on her. The third one was fine, and the fourth one was terrible. The cut was all wrong for her shape. At least we had a good laugh about it.
Now she’s been in there forever with the last dress.
I look up at the curtain, and there’s nothing. There’s no movement behind there anymore. What is she doing?
I wait another minute, listening to the soft music, and then I get up and walk over. “Robyn?”
She makes a noise that tells me she heard me, but that’s it.
“Hey.” I knock twice on the frame. “You’re very quiet in there. Do you need a hand?”
“I’m not sure about this one,” she says.
I press my lips together. “That’s why I’m here.” I put my hand on the fabric. “Come out and let me see it.”
I hear a big sigh.
