Page 78 of My Big Fat Shifter Wedding

“You bet I am! And always will be.” There was such warmth flowing between us, which might be why I decided to broach a subject I’d been putting off.

“Speaking of being serious, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Oh? Am I in trouble?”

“No, nothing like that. It’s just...”

For the past week, I’d been building it up in my head, making more and more elaborate situations, but like Keith’s impromptu proposal in the chicken shop, some things were better off the cuff.

“You’re my best friend, and I’m so happy that you decided to lean over and play wingman on that very first day of the workshop. Because of you, I am quite literally living my own fairy tale.” Although technically, I supposed I was the big bad wolf and Keith was the lumberjack, so I wasn’t sure where that left little Red Riding Hood.

“None of this would have happened without you, and your kindness, and your incredible makeover skills, which is why I wanted to ask…” I paused for dramatic emphasis, and it thrilled me that I could tell my friend was holding her breath even over the line. “Amanda Collins, will you be my maid of honor?”

I had to hurriedly swap my phone off speaker due to the wild, enthusiastic shriek that sounded over it. That went on for nearly a minute before Amanda switched back to audible speech.

“Oh my god, girl, you better not be pulling my leg right now, because I swear I will be at your door with a frying pan and a bad attitude if this is a prank!”

“Calm down there, Rapunzel. And no, I’m not joking. I am being completely serious. If I’m gonna have a wedding, I want you to be right there beside me, and so does Keith.”

This time I knew to lean my head away from the phone as she let out another excited squeal that was somewhere between EEEEEEEEEEE!!!! and AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

“Okay, like, oh my god! I can’t believe it! This is amazing. So, like, do you need help planning all the fashuuuuuuuun, or is this more of a chill thing?”

“Oh no, I need all the help you want to give on that front. From bridesmaids’ dresses to materials of our table settings and even helping me pick up my dress.”

“OMG, yes! Just a question about that last one. Is it that you’re having trouble finding a shop that carries your dream dress? Or is it, like, out of circulation or something?”

I smiled to myself, guessing the reaction my friend was about to have to what I was going to say. “No. None of that. I don’t really have a dream dress at all.”

Silence one more time, but in this instance, I knew I was being judged. And I found it hilarious.

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t have a dream dress,” I repeated. Maybe there were some people who would be irritated by the shock in Amanda’s tone, but it was one of the many things that I appreciated about her. The girl loved fashion, design, and textile sciences with all of her being, and even though I didn’t share that same special interest, I sure did enjoy her going off about it.

“I don’t...” she let out a breathless sort of sound. “How is that possible?”

“Because I never really thought about it.”

“You never thought about it?”

“No. Not really.”

“You, the beautiful young thing that you were in your very traditional Italian family where your daddy loves to spoil you and all of your siblings got married young, never once thought about what your wedding dress or colors might be?”

“Nope. Guess it just slipped my mind.”

Amanda let out a choking sound, and I was having a hard time not bursting into laughter while she recovered. Sometimes, it was too much fun to pull her leg.

“Olivia, darling, you are right to call in the big guns. We have about twenty years of planning to cram into... When are you guys planning on having your wedding?”

“Oh, you know, we didn’t wanna rush things. So... About eleven months from now.”

“Ele-Eleven months?!” she practically shrieked. “Um, okay. I… wow. Right. Well, we have our work cut out for us. I’m scheduling you for a meeting over at my place tomorrow night. Are you free?”

“Well, I⁠—”

“Great! Bring a notebook. And a binder. You know what, bring your laptop too. We have a whole lot we need to catch up on because you’re already behind.”