Asshole Husband

She wasn’t thinking straight, but now, he was going to fight for her, and no other man stood a chance against him.

****

Miss Bernard was a sweetheart, and also really nervous.

Rachel didn’t like putting pins into the bodice as the girl was vibrating, either with excitement or nerves. The somewhat hysterical giggles made her believe it was nerves. She didn’t know though. She was no real expert.

“I’m so sorry,” Miss Bernard said.

“It’s okay. I don’t want to hurt you. It’ll just take a little longer.”

“Were you nervous like me when you had your dress fitted?”

“No, I wasn’t.” She had put on the wedding band this morning to appease Wolfe, and to also hope it would mean he’d leave sooner rather than later. There was no reason to lie to the woman. When she married Wolfe, she had no idea of what was to come. “I loved my husband too much.”

“I love Michael. He’s everything to me and so much more. He makes me laugh and smile, and laugh some more. He is always so funny, and I just can’t get enough of him. I want to marry him.” Miss Bernard held her hands up and groaned. “I don’t understand why I’m so worried though. I mean, look at me.” Her hands were shaking. “I want to marry him.”

Rachel stood up from the floor and took the woman’s hands. She was young, so young, like she had been.

You’re only twenty-five.

Why did she suddenly feel so much older than her years? She stroked her thumb across the giant diamond on her hand.

“It’s fine to be nervous. The wedding is only in a couple of weeks, and I bet you have so much to do.”

“I do. I can’t believe I said I’d do this without anyone’s help. I’ve got my parents, but they’re always waiting for instructions from me. I just can’t handle it. The dress isn’t even ready, and I know that’s my fault. I canceled on you a couple of times, so it’s on me.”

“I don’t mind.”

“But I do. I wanted this dress to be the last of my problems. Now I’m shaking, and I know you’re worried about sticking a pin in me.”

“How about we take a break?” Rachel asked.

“Tell me about your wedding. What was it like?”

“My wedding?”

“Yes. Whenever I talk about mine, I see this look in your eye, and I know you’re already married. You told me.” Miss Bernard sat down beside her.

They were in the haberdashery, but in the tailoring section. She usually helped to turn up long sleeves or legs, or do the occasional mending. She’d sewn on many buttons and repaired quite a few holes in the last few years.

She’d learned to sew years ago as a kid. Her grandmother and mother had taught her. She found it helped to relax her.

“My parents and my husband helped to arrange everything. I fell in love so easily and so hard.” She couldn’t deny her feelings for Wolfe. It was one of the reasons it made it so hard having him around the house all the time. Those feelings hadn’t died for her. They were still very much present. “All I had to really do was tell them what I wanted and it would be there, and ready. I had to get the perfect dress. So often, people think we overreact to little things. The perfect dress, the right cake, the flower arrangements. We’re going to be with the man for the rest of our lives, so why can’t we have everything perfect?”

“I totally understand. A couple of my girlfriends have told me to have a backup dress in case this doesn’t work, but I don’t want a backup dress. I saw your design in the sketches, and I knew this is what I wanted.”

“I appreciate it, Chloe,” she said. She rarely thought of Miss Bernard by the name Chloe.

“How was the day? The big day.”

“It was the most amazing day of my life.” She couldn’t deny that. She’d never been so happy in all of her life.

“It really was,” Wolfe said, startling the both of them.

She looked up to see him holding a brown paper bag.

“Wolfe,” she said, standing up. She brushed down the creases in her trousers and looked at him. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d bring you some food. You look like you could do with a break.”

“You’re Wolfe?” Miss Bernard asked.

“I certainly am. This woman’s husband. A pleasure to meet you.” He held his hand out to the woman.

Rachel didn’t feel comfortable by the sudden strike of jealousy that hit her from him merely being nice to the woman.

Get a grip, Rachel. She’s a client.

She stepped away from them only to have Wolfe snag her around the waist. “It was the greatest day of my life watching this woman walk down the aisle toward me.”