Blaze (Virtues & Lies 3)

Chapter 39

FLEUR

“Is this really what you want?” Cassie asks, putting down the ivory dress she and Arabella have been trying to push for the last hour. Maybe longer if I take into account the other white, blush, and nude offerings.

I mean, blush? For me?

I’m the least pink and rosy person on this planet.

“It’s beautiful, but…it’s not so bridal as you’d expect from a wedding dress.” Arabella takes a sip of her champagne. “That’s all.”

She rocks Grace on her lap. My little girl is looking plumper, definitely filling out over the last ten days. I look back at the dress I’ve picked. Heavily beaded black lace with a nude satin underlay. Nipped in at the waist, it hides what’s left of my baby belly and the black, white, and silver crystal stars make it look special. I love it.

I love the long, embroidered sleeves and the corset bodice beneath the ruched lace neckline that cuts across my collarbones. It sits just below my calves, so it’s demure, but not swamping.

“You know, if you and Casper waited a few months, Mum would be done with the fashion shows and she could have one of her designers put something spectacular together.”

“But we don’t want to wait, and this dress is perfect.” I spin in front of the mirror and can’t help my grin at the giddy feeling inside me.

“I know that feeling,” Arabella sighs dreamily. “I think you’ve made my grandmother the happiest she’s ever been. This has always been her favourite place, and having these memories…I think it’s made it even more special.”

I hadn’t given much thought to leaving. In the back of my mind, I knew it was going to happen. But now that we have a date set to return to London, I’m noticing all the things I love about this place.

The air is lighter. The sun is brighter. And even with all that’s happening, it doesn’t feel like anything is hanging over our heads.

Cassie wraps her arms around my shoulders, resting her chin on my head. “It is a beautiful dress,” she says, her honeyed eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “And even if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter because it’s not about the dress. It’s about you and him. It’s about Casper making you the happiest you’ve ever been.”

“He does.”

“I couldn’t part with you for anyone that made you smile any less.”

“I look at Grace and I can’t imagine a love any greater than what I feel for her, but with Casper…I don’t know…”

“It just is.”

“Yeah.”

“In a way you can’t imagine it ever not being?”

“Yeah,” I rasp with how my emotions are clogging my throat, making my eyes sting with hot, wonderous tears. My hand pauses over hers, the ruby-and-diamond cluster on my finger sparkling in our reflection. “With him, the happiness I feel today will only be greater tomorrow. And I know that it’ll be like that every day I’m with him.”

“Oh Christ!” Arabella hiccups from where she’s now standing with Grace. “Stop it. I can’t with all this lovey stuff right now.”

“Please,” Cassie chuckles at her. “You live for it.”

“And isn’t that the truth?”

“It’s kind of strange that in a roundabout way we’re all going to be related. You’re married to my brother—” She gives Arabella a toothy grin before looking back at me. “—you’re marrying her brother, and I’m going to marry Leo, and he’s your half-brother. So that’s going to make us all sisters. How crazy is that? All those times the two of us used to tell people we were sisters and they didn’t believe us…”

“Did you actually do that?” Arabella stands in front of me, rocking Grace in her own chosen dress, a pretty cornflower-blue bodycon number that makes her golden skin glow and hugs her curves like a glove.

“All the time. Being an only child isn’t as great as people think.” I reach for Grace, but Arabella pulls back.

“First, you get out of the dress, then you have cuddles. We can’t afford for it to get messy.” Shooing me towards the curtained area with Cassie, she moves to sit back on the sofa.

Once we’re in the changing area, Cassie helps me out of my dress. “We’re going to have to do something about that underwear situation.”

I look in the mirror at my plain black underwear. “It’s not that simple. I’m still bleeding a bit and…”