Page 47 of All She Ever Wanted Was a Real One
“You can have a seat right over there in the waiting area,” she advised, gesturing toward the love seat. “Can I get you anything? Water? A glass of champagne or some sparkling cider?”
I swung my head. “I’m good for right now, thanks.”
“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.”
I marched toward the love seat and folded my tall frame into the seat, resting my back against one of the pillows. As soon as I went to pull out my phone to call my sister, I heard someone talking from behind me. I twisted my neck to see Lex walking toward me with a woman behind her who was carrying her sweeping, floor-length train. She looked like a model straight off a magazine cover. Her ivory gown was filled with sequins from head to toe. The dress seemed to mold to her curves in the most perfect way, almost as if it had been painted on. The skin-toned mesh around her plunging V-cut neckline distracted me, making me lick my lips.
My body went completely still. I didn’t even give a fuck how hard I was shamelessly staring at her. My gaze was fixedon her so hard, I’d forgotten to blink for a few seconds. Even then, I couldn’t pry my eyes away from her. Her eyes narrowed at the bright, white spotlight lamps hung from overhead as she stepped up onto the platform. It wasn’t until the seamstress turned around that she saw me sitting there and acknowledged my presence.
“Oh, hello! Are you the handsome groom?” the seamstress asked, eyeing me closely.
“Oh, um, no. He’s my best friend’s brother,” Lex pointed out awkwardly fast.
“Yeah. I’m just filling in for my sister,” I clarified.
“She’s my maid of honor, and she’s got food poisoning right now.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope she feels better soon,” she acknowledged before allowing her gaze to pass over me and back onto the details of Lex’s gown.
“She wants me to FaceTime her when you’re ready,” I stated before scrolling to her name and tapping the FaceTime button.
The phone rang a few times before connecting. When it did, I immediately turned the camera view from my face to Lex and her dress. Liv immediately squealed loud as hell through the phone.
“Oh my Goooodddd! You look absolutely gorgeous! Go, best friend, that’s my best friend! The dress is fucking stunning! I swear I’m about to cry right now.”
The seamstress nodded in agreement. “This is the most beautiful gown I’ve ever had the pleasure of altering. It fits you like a glove, and you look like a runway model.”
I caught a glimpse of Lex’s reflection in the mirror as her gaze skated over the hand-applied lace appliques and delicate sequin embroidery down the bodice. “Thank you so much,” she acknowledged before pinning her eyes on me through themirror. “But I think I need a man’s perspective. What do you think, Oak? And be honest.”
Suddenly, my mouth was drier than the Sahara Desert. My palms got clammy, and my ability to speak had been altered by the twist of my tongue. What could I say that hadn’t already been said? She was fucking breathtaking.
When I didn’t readily respond, the seamstress looked at me and then back at Lex with a smirk. “It’s a good thing when they’re speechless like that, my dear. I’m sure your fiancé will be the same way.”
Her comment brought a genuine smile to Lex’s face.
“Uh, hellloooooo? Did you freeze?” Liv’s annoying voice called out to me through the phone, snapping me out of my daze.
“You look beautiful,” I finally said to Lex. “Any man would be lucky to have you as his bride.”
“Thanks,” she replied with a ghost of a smile creeping up one side of her mouth. She shyly reached up to tuck a curl behind her ear, and that’s when I noticed she’d added the charm I’d given her to her bracelet.
From the minute I saw that ring wrapped around Lex’s finger at my welcome home party, I knew she belonged to someone else, but that didn’t change the fact that she’d always been mine. I tried my best to hide the fact that I was feeling a way, but every time I tried to swallow down the words, it felt like they were itching to race out like Liv’s vomit. Once my sister was off the phone, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I followed Lex back toward the dressing room to confront her.
“So, your wedding is back on like everything’s all good?” I inquired.
“It was never off, Oak. Just . . . temporarily suspended.”
I scoffed, knowing bullshit when I heard it. “And you’re good with that? After everything? After . . . us?”
“We both know there was never a real us, Oak. We talked about that up at the cabin.”
“That’s not all we did at the cabin,” I reminded her. “And you know as well as I do that our shit runs too deep for words, Lex. I didn’t bring it up during Pop’s birthday, but I wanna know what changed your mind between the cabin and now.”
Her chest deflated with a hard sigh. “Why are we even talking about this right now?”
“Because I want to,” I said, voice rising an octave. “Don’t you think I deserve an update? To know what’s going on with you and where we stand?”
“Could you please lower your voice?” she hissed, slicing her eyes through me.
