Loving You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 2) Read Free Page B

Annie took a cobalt blue satin sheath off the rack. “I think this dress is going to be too big. Once you’ve got it on, come out here and I’ll pin it at the back so you can see what it looks like.”
    Lily held the dress up to herself and smiled. “Mom and Auntie Janice are going to do all of the alterations. They brought their pins and measuring tape with them.”
    Annie breathed a sigh of relief. She might be a good cook and receptionist, but she’d never used a sewing machine in her life. “I’m glad they know what they’re doing.”
    For the next forty minutes, dresses, accessories, pins and measuring tapes zipped in and out of everyone’s hands. It was chaos with a capital C.
    “Are you sure this looks okay?”
    Annie looked across the room. One of Holly’s sisters turned in front of a mirror and looked at herself with critical eyes.
    “You look beautiful,” Holly’s mom said. “I can’t believe we’re here today, getting all of this help.”
    Tess put the dresses her two bridesmaids had chosen in a bag. “We’ve got another surprise for you.”
    Holly looked up from the floor. She was on her hands and knees, pinning the hem on one of her sister’s dresses. “You’ve done so much for us already.”
    “I’ll be back in two minutes.” Tess disappeared with Sally, then came back into the room holding two big white bags. “These arrived last week. Your mom said you can’t find a bridal dress. If you like either of these, you’re more than welcome to take them home.”
    Holly’s mouth dropped open when Sally took the cover off one of the dresses. The satin bodice twinkled from hundreds of tiny sequins stitched into the fabric.
    “The other dress is strapless, but just as pretty.” Sally lifted the cover off the second dress and smiled as the organza skirt floated to the floor. “They’re both close to your size.”
    Holly’s gaze darted between the two dresses. She touched the skirt of the first dress and sighed. “They’re both beautiful, but this is my favorite.”
    Holly held the dress in front of her and spun around so everyone could see what it looked like.
    “You look so pretty,” her mom said.
    Annie looked at the women in the room. Each of them had tears in their eyes.
    Tess smiled at Holly. “Why don’t you try the dress on?”
    Holly glanced at her watch. “Have I got time?”
    Sally opened the changing room door. “The next bridesmaids aren’t arriving for fifteen minutes, so we’ve got time.”
    “I’ll come too,” one of Holly’s sisters said.
    “Wait for me,” another one cried as she pulled her socks on. “I’m not missing this for anything.”
    Within a few minutes, all of Holly’s sisters had gone into the changing room. Annie could hear their excited voices, the hush when she imagined Holly had put the dress on.
    Lily, one of the bridesmaids Annie had been helping, poked her head around the doorframe. “Are you ready for the big reveal?”
    Holly’s mom and auntie nodded. Annie knew Holly’s favorite dress would look stunning on the petite blonde. When she stepped into the room, even Annie was amazed at how good it looked.
    Holly’s mom wiped her eyes and her auntie pulled tissues out of her bag.
    After a moment of stunned silence, everyone started talking at once. Annie found a seat at the side of the room and sat down. She hadn’t thought about her own wedding in a long time, but something about today brought back memories she’d sooner forget. She didn’t know whether it was the full tulle skirt, the pretty neckline or the sparkling beads that made her sad.
    She’d been young when she’d gotten married, not much older than Holly. Unlike Holly, she hadn’t had any family to help make her wedding special. She’d bought her dress from the local thrift store, picked flowers from a friend’s garden, and married a man that would make her life miserable.
    Sally sat down beside her. “Are you okay?” she whispered.
    Annie nodded. “She looks