Page 41 of A Texas Hero

“Oh, yes! Yes! This is the one.”

He heard Zoey’s voice carry from the annex room in the back, and when he peeked his head into the wedding dress section of the store, his eyes immediately went to Rachel, standing on the raised podium in front of the mirror, wearing a white dress with a long train he’d be afraid to step on. He’d been to his sisters’ weddings and his thoughts ran something along the lines of Don’t wear a long train if you have a brother you want in the wedding. It would also be difficult to dance in… Should he say something? No, for God’s sake, this was just a cover. He wasn’t a fashion consultant!

“Gorgeous,” Rachel said. “I like it so much better than the first one.”

“Yes, the slit up the leg wasn’t really your style,” Zoey said, shaking her head. “But, oh, this sweetheart collar!”

Archer wished he could get Zoey to model that one with the slit for him.

“Archer, what do you think?” Zoey turned as if she’d just noticed him standing in the doorway.

Rachel turned, too, and both looked at him expectantly. This was where he could share his fashion expertise. But maybe instead he should say something profound, like the wedding day doesn’t matter, it’s the marriage that counts.

Instead, he found himself saying, “I think your fiancé won’t actually care about the dress. He’s going to see the woman he loves, and you could be wearing a potato sack and he’d still have a stupid grin on his face. Men are simple creatures. If we love you, we love you, and we don’t care what you wear.”

He expected Zoey to give him a dirty look for not helping her with the sale, but instead she smiled. “So, basically, get what makes you feel like a princess, because he’s going to show up in a rented tux.”

“Ouch,” Archer said. “For my wedding, I’d buy the tux.”

“You don’t know how expensive they are,” Zoey shot back. “It doesn’t make sense to buy it for just a day.”

“And it makes sense to buy a dress for one day?”

“A woman dreams about this day for years, and the dress is hugely sentimental.”

Now she gave him the first look he’d expected to see: the glare. They hadn’t indulged in an argument like this for a couple of days. Rachel’s head bobbed between the two of them, as if observing a tennis match.

Archer held up his palms. “Sorry, I stand corrected.”

“But…do you like the dress?” Rachel asked, her finger trailing along all the lace and fluffy stuff at the train.

Archer stepped closer, avoiding the train. He tried to take in the dress, the sequins, the buttons, the…whatever. Then he made his pronouncement with all the assuredness of a soldier on his first day of boot camp.

“Do either of you have brothers who will be in the wedding?”

“Um, no,” Rachel said, looking perplexed.

“Then it’s perfect.”

“I agree,” Zoey said. “But why not think about it since you still have time. I also might be getting in a new shipment next week.”

“Will you hold the dress for me? I wouldn’t want to lose it by waiting.”

“Absolutely,” Zoey said. “No one sees this dress until you decide. And be sure to tell your friends that I have vintage wedding couture. We’re trying to get the word out!”

Rachel waved happily and left, promising to be back soon.

Archer had expected the hard sell from Zoey, and he was pleasantly surprised to see her seem so relaxed about it. Maybe she wouldn’t be too pissed that he’d nearly ruined the sale with his dumb comment.

Later, after they’d finished their burgers, Zoey turned to him.

“So, explain the comment about having a brother in the wedding.”

“The train,” he explained. “It’s…long.”

“Yes, and?”

“Brothers can be clumsy, especially after they’ve had a few drinks. Plus, it’s hard to dance in it.”