Page 93 of The Backup Groom

The ringing bell over the door signaled our arrival at the bridal store. A salesperson approached us immediately after we entered, weirdly eyeing us both up and down.

“Welcome to Dress Express,” she said. “My name is Cricket. I will be your stylist this morning. Which one of you is the lucky lady?” She sounded like a robot who had to repeat a pre-programmed script a thousand times.

Stella beamed. “We both are.”

Cricket’s gaze popped back and forth between the two of us. “I don’t understand.”

I cleared my throat. “I’m the bride-to-be, Amber. This is Stella. She’s lucky that she’s still my maid of honor considering she almost killed me on the way here.”

“Okay . . .” Cricket checked her iPad. “I’ve got you checked in.” She still hadn’t smiled. “We have sixty minutes to find you the perfect dress.”

“Start the timer!” I joked.

She deadpanned. “I already did.”

So much for making the bride feel special. It looked like I got a real winner of a salesperson, someone who had the personality of a beige wall.

Cricket pulled me off to the side and measured me with the enthusiasm of someone waiting for the electric chair. “Follow me.” She led us through the bridesmaid dress section, to the other end of the store where all the wedding dresses were located. “Everything we sell here is off the rack, one of a kind, ready to take home. We don’t do alterations, but there is a shop right next door that can help you with that, if needed. We don’t have more sizes or colors in the back. We don’t have a catalog. Everything we have is on the showroom floor. Remember our slogan, nothing in the back, all on the rack. Is there a particular style you’re looking for?”

I hesitated, still trying to swallow the open hydrant of info she had unhappily rammed down my throat. “Simple. Elegant. Comfortable.”

“Sexy,” Stella added.

I put my hand out. “Stop, Stella.”

“You can have it all,” Cricket said with zero emotion. “Simple. Elegant. Comfortableandsexy. I have just the dress.” Instead of flipping through the long row of dresses, she went straight for one in particular on a rack all by itself next to one of the fitting rooms. She pulled a tag off the hangar, crumpled it up, tossed it in the trash, then held the dress in front of her body. “This is it.”

It was an ivory chiffon dress with a fitted waistline and flared skirt. There was something about it that seemed whimsical, yet still very traditional.

I blinked twice. “Wow. I love it.”

Cricket finally smiled, but it seemed to be more for herself. “Of course you do. Follow me.” Just like that, she was on the go again, talking as we trailed behind her. “You have your own dedicated fitting room. I’ll help you get into the dress, with the help of Mary, my assistant.”

“Oh, no.” I stopped as Cricket kept moving toward the fitting room.

“What?” Stella asked as she bumped into my backside.

“I clearly wasn’t thinking when I got dressed this morning after my shower. Cricket and Mary are going to be getting all up in my business, if you know what I mean.”

“And?” she asked.

I leaned closer and wrinkled my nose. “I’m wearing my unicorn undies.”

Stella shrieked enthusiastically. “I swear—you give me so many endorphins that I have to be the healthiest person on the planet.” She grabbed my hand and dragged me toward Cricket and the fitting room. “At least you didn’t go commando. Imagine that?Muchmore awkward.”

Cricket slid the curtain to the side and hung the wedding dress on the hook inside of the fitting room.

The dress was absolutely gorgeous.

I had a feeling this was the only one I was going to try on.

Stella took a seat in the chair outside of the fitting room as I stripped down in front of Cricket and Mary. Fortunately, neither of them mentioned the unicorns, although Mary’s bottom lip curved up in amusement. After they adjusted the dress to make sure it was on me correctly, Cricket slid open the curtain.

I stepped up onto the platform and eyed myself in the mirror. “Well? What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful.” Stella studied me from head to toe. “But it’s not as sexy as I would like.”

“This is my wedding dress, not yours. I love it, but the big question is, do you think Scotty will like it?”