I wasn’t so sure she loved me, having only recently met and all, but she was a little love drunk, so I took it. I hoped I was that happy on my wedding day.

She inhaled a deep breath and then clapped her hands. “All right, enough!” She wiped her eyes. “Champagne for everyone, and bring in the dresses!”

“Huh?” Winter asked.

But before Rika could answer, two carts of gowns were wheeled in, and a tray of glasses filled with sparkling, golden champagne.

“What is this?” Banks asked Rika.

Some lady carried the tray to Rika, and she plucked a glass of champagne off. “Pick your favorite and go try it on, so she can fit it,” Rika told us.

I looked at the racks, long dresses trailing to the floor in colors of black, silver, white, and gold.

Did this mean she wanted us in gowns, as well? Or…like bridesmaids?

“Rika, these are incredible,” Banks said, guiding Winter to the dresses. “Are you sure?”

Rika didn’t answer her, just dropped her eyes to me. “I hope you find something you like.”

“I don’t think—”

“Choose,” she said, cutting off my protest.

Then she spun around with the glass in her hand as the tailor checked the fit.

I turned, watching Banks and Winter sift through the choices, smiling and giggling like teenage girls, even though I knew they were both mothers now.

What was Rika thinking? I couldn’t be a bridesmaid, which I assumed that this was all about. She would only dress her bridal party, not the guests.

Still, though… I drifted over to the racks, seeing Banks pull out a black gown and Winter trailing her hands over the different fabrics.

I reached for a gold, sparkling A-line with long sleeves and a trim waist, but Alex cut me off, pulling a sheer silver off of the rack with a V-neck, spaghetti straps, and dark gray embroidery on it.

“This,” she told me.

I took it, not seeing how I could wear any underwear under this. It wasn’t see-through, but it was thin and hugged nearly every curve.

Banks and Winter disappeared into dressing rooms. I asked Alex, “Shouldn’t you be trying one on?”

“I have mine.”

Taking the dress, she led me into a small room and unhooked the white drapes, pulling them closed on us.

In minutes, we had my clothes off, heels on, and I was stepping into the gown as Alex pulled it up my body and fastened the hooks in the back. Awareness pricked at my skin as she touched me, and I worried that she was worried.

About what, I had no idea. There were too many things to count right now, but I wanted to talk to her. There were still no repercussions concerning Blackchurch, and we hadn’t heard a word about any survivors.

She hadn’t had closure with him. He could be dead.

“Margaritas and pizza tonight?” I teased.

Will would freak if I disappeared on him, but he was fine. She wasn’t.

“I’m working,” she said in a low voice, fastening the last hook.

Working… It only took a moment to click.

She had a date.

“No,” I said.

“There’s nothing wrong with what I do, Emory.”

“Is that what you told him when he tried to stop you?”

Her eyes shot up to mine, and I knew right then and there that I’d hit the nail on the head. Aydin should’ve fought harder, but he did try once, didn’t he? He came for her.

She stood up straight, and I wrapped my ponytail around my fist, creating an updo as I looked at myself in the mirror.

“We’re two of a kind, you know?” I told her. “Both too stubborn for our own good. He came after you, but your heart had steeled, and there was nothing to do except keep putting one foot in front of the other and never look back, right?”

I knew her, because I knew myself. We were the same.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head to herself. “I would’ve liked to make love to him just once.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“Because he wouldn’t pay for it,” she shot back, her eyes full of pride.

Pain hit my heart.

I dropped my ponytail and wrapped my arms around her, squeezing her tight. Her body stayed frozen for a moment, but then I felt her melt and she released a quiet sob against my shoulder.

I squeezed her more, tucking my face into her neck as she wrapped her arms around me, too.

I’d wasted so much time being afraid of everything—holding a grudge, letting my pride lead me—but there was nothing to lose in going for it. This was it. We had one shot. They were destroying each other like Will and I did, but the worst of it was she might not have another chance with Aydin.

I got lucky.

We held each other for another minute, and then she sniffled and pulled back, wiping her tears.

“Shit,” she whispered, looking up and down my body. “He’s going to be hard in three seconds when he sees you in this, you know?”

I laughed, immediately seeing Will in my head getting a look at me dressed all hot for the first time ever. I might sit far away from him at this wedding and really let him suffer.

I turned and took in the fit as I envisioned my hair down with some curls. I felt beautiful.

“You and Will have been close,” I told her. “Best friends.”

“You have nothing to worry about, Em.”

“I know.” That wasn’t what I was implying. “I trust you.”

I met her eyes in the mirror as she fluffed the gown and checked the waist.

“I have to ask you to do something for me,” I said.

She nodded. “I’m on it. What is it?”

I opened my mouth to tell her, but then I heard someone call me from outside of the dressing room. “Emory, are you okay?”

“Uh…” I looked to Alex and back toward the drapes, realizing we didn’t have time for this right now. “We’ll talk later,” I told Alex and then shouted, “Yeah, coming.”

We stepped out of the dressing room, Erika still on the riser, and I gazed at Banks and Winter, both standing in their beautiful dresses fit for the Oscars.

Rika smiled at me. “It fits you perfectly.”

“I’ll take up the hem a little, I think,” the tailor, with the brown bun on top of her head and a black blouse buttoned up to her neck, said.

“Do you have time?” Rika asked.

“I’ll get it done.”

Rika nodded at her, and I stepped closer, spinning around in front of the mirrors.

“Is this for the wedding?” I asked her.

“If you like it.”

I definitely like it.

I beamed at her. “I love it.”

Her excited eyes darted from me to Winter. “Does it feel good, Winter? Not too tight?”

The other girl, her almost white blonde hair falling over one shoulder in beautiful waves grazed her fingers over the white feather gown, looking like a swan. “I love how it feels,” she said, her voice wispy. “I almost don’t want to wear it. He won’t have patience for the buttons, and it’ll end up in shreds on our bedroom floor.”

Banks laughed, and I snorted. How does someone so soft and gentle fall in love with Damon Torrance, for crying out loud.

But…I guess after seeing him completely under her spell in the train kitchen, she was exactly his type.