Page 103 of Wedding or Not

Groaning, Audrey lets the woman hang the dress in the dressing room and then steps back in to close the door. “I don’t think I’m made for wedding dresses.”

“Don’t be melodramatic,” Natalie says with the bright, cheerful, no-nonsense confidence that’s always defined her. “The perfect dress is waiting for you out there. We just need to find it.”

We try for three more hours but don’t find the perfect dress today.

Audrey is ready to give up, but since we’ve only tried one place so far, Natalie and I convince her to take a break tomorrow and try somewhere else the day after.

We’re walking a few blocks over to a little sandwich shop to have a late lunch when Natalie says, “Uh, Ella, there’s a very cute guy in a sweater vest over there ogling you.”

I whirl to look, a wave of happy excitement hitting me hard when I realize the guy is Wes.

He’s standing in front of the restaurant, grinning at us.

He’s been working in D.C. for a week now, and I haven’t seen him in all that time. With a squeal of excitement, I run toward him, letting him scoop me up in a big hug.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, spilling over with laughter as we finally pull apart.

“We wrapped up this morning, so I was able to get here early. I checked your location and saw you walking in this direction, so I made an educated guess about your destination.”

“You’re way too smart.” I pull him down into a kiss, tugging on his sweater vest. It’s knitted in various shades of gray, and Wes wears it when he’s trying to look more professional.

“Any luck with the dress?” he asks, waving at Audrey and Natalie, who are approaching more slowly.

“No. Don’t mention it unless Audrey brings it up. She’s kind of discouraged.”

“Got it. Only feel-good talk at lunch. Assuming you’re okay with me joining you.”

“Of course you can join us.” Since my sisters have caught up now, I ask them, “Wes can have lunch with us, can’t he?”

“Why not?” Audrey says with exaggerated despair. “We’re just going to be grieving any hope of finding me a dress, so you might as well join the mourning session.”

Despite Audrey’s prediction, lunch ends up being great fun. Wes is in fine form and keeps all of us laughing, and Audrey is back in her normal even temper by the time she and Natalie head toward the car to drive home.

I’m staying with Wes because we have a date planned for tonight.

“So what should we do?” I ask him as we watch my sisters walking away. “We have four hours before the concert starts.”

Wes clears his throat, angling me a very particular look.

“What?” I demand.

“I reserved a room at a hotel nearby.”

“What? Why? We’re not spending the night, are we? I didn’t come prepared.”

“No. I wasn’t thinking we’d spend the night. Just use the room this afternoon.”

“Oh. To rest?” I beam up at him. “That’s a good idea, if maybe a waste of money.”

“I don’t think it’s a waste.” His eyes glint. “We can rest. Or whatever.”

“Wes!” I swap his chest playfully. “You’re not that horny, are you?

“What? I haven’t seen you in a week. I’m as horny as it’s possible to be.”

It’s well after midnight when we’re pulling though the main gates of Blossom Park.

We had a couple of very satisfying hours in the hotel and even had some time to rest before a quick dinner and the concert.