Page 61 of Picking Daisies on Sundays
“The Hamptons are at least a two-hour drive from the city, I’m not letting you do that,” I said firmly. But there was also no way I could leave the city—neither Mandy nor my mom kept a car. Mandy worked down the street and my mom travelled too much to bother buying a car. Paying for a cab to take me two hours out of the city was out of the question. The most logical solution would be to drive up with Levi the Saturday before the wedding with everyone else.
“I’d love to come if there’s room for me, thank you, Sarah,” I smiled.
“Perfect!” she cheered.
Something bumped my knee. I glanced down to find Levi’s
knee against mine under the table. The pressure felt similar to standing in front of a fireplace.
Are you sure?he mouthed, craning his head towards mine. It felt intimate, the way his eyes searched my face, pausing on my lips.
It’s just lust, I told myself. But I still desperately yearned for it.
I nodded my head, unable to speak, thinking too much about how his face looked up close. The soft curve of his nose and the warmth of his hazel eyes. I wanted to lean in and remind myself of what his lips tasted like. And I could almost swear from the look in his eyes that he was thinking something similar.
A whisper in the back of my mind wondered that while he loved Bella, maybe part of him wanted me too.
“So Wednesday is my last dress fitting. Levi, can you come? I really need your opinion, especially since none of the girls can come,” she said, referencing her bridesmaids.
“I teach until six, but can come right after,” he said, the romantic gaze on his face gone now.
“Bring Dani with you too, I’dloveyour expertise. I want this dress to be perfect,” she said, lines on her forehead forming with determination.
He started, “Oh, Sarah—”
I knew that he was going to tell me I didn’t have to go, but I had worries of my own. “I really don’t have much expertise,” I shook my head.
“Oh stop, Levi told me all about where you go to school and your portfolio.” Myportfolio?I hadn’t updated that website in years, I didn’t even want to know what he had seen on there. “Give yourself some credit—I need you there. I promise it won’t take long!”
Sarah was impossible to say no to. I also loved wedding dresses ever since I saw Mom design one from sketch to finish. I grew up attending wedding dress exhibits, runway shows, and magazine shoots with her, watching women glow in white gowns holding colorful bouquets. I never dreamed of a wedding, but I dreamed about the dresses and their unique designs. Which is why I had to say: “I’ll be there,” I smiled. “What time?”
“I can pick you up,” Levi answered instead.
“You said you’re teaching though.”
“It’s not a problem for me to get you.”
“Why don’t I just meet you at your class, so when you’re done teaching, we can go together.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, now stop worrying,” I told him. But I was incredibly worried. Seeing him teach? This was going to be the death of me.
28
Glances, gazes, eyes following places they
shouldn’t have seen
For the first Monday in months, I was dreading going to class to see my friends. I thought seeing Marty at the bagel shop as I picked up six bagels and cream cheese (plus a dairy-free one they just got in for Sandra) would’ve helped, but it only made me more nauseous.
Every instinct in my body told me that Sandra would want to talk about Levi. And to be reminded of what happened Saturday night between us was the last thing I wanted to talk about.
The only thing keeping me walking in the right direction to the school was the new fabric I had picked up yesterday. I was cutting it close by only leaving myself a week to make this dress before we had to fit them to the models next week.
I wasn’t the only procrastinator in the class, but I was the only one with a whole piece missing from their collection. Everyone else was working on smaller things, like sleeves, trims, and beading. Don’t get me wrong, nothing about putting together a collection of haute couture was small or easy. But I wish I only had the details left.
My own fault, of course.
