“You’re full of yourself today, aren’t ya?” Eimear replied, followed by a small laugh before turning back to the sales clerk. “I’ve had a tough time choosing gowns and my wedding is in a month, so we might need to get the alterations in the works today. You can complete them on time, can’t you?”
“Absolutely. From what I can see, you don’t need very many, perhaps a little tuck beneath the arms and bring in the waist a bit. Do you have your shoes so we can check the hem?”
“I do.”
“Great. Come with me; we’ll measure you and then get you out of it so it can get in line for the work.”
Eimear followed her, leaving Bronagh to sit and sip champagne while she waited. In the back, she stood while a woman took her measurements and made some notes. She couldn’t help but note the way the clerk kept darting her eyes toward her anxiously. Then a woman joined her and they moved across the room, where they stood whispering quietly. Eimear told herself it had nothing to do with her, but it seemed a bit odd, nonetheless. Still, there was no reason for them to know her or have any issues with her.
After they were done, she and Bronagh went for a quick brunch at a small waterfront cafe before parting ways again. Bronagh was in school, having garnered a scholarship for herself just as Eimear had done previously. She had afternoon classes to get to and Eimear didn’t want to hold her up.
Eimear said her goodbyes to her sister and made her way to the dark sedan that had brought her there. She’d had to get used to being driven about since meeting her fiancé, but he insisted that she take his driver wherever she went. It came with an additional passenger, a rather large man named Kirby, who always stayed near, but out of sight. It all seemed a bit too much to her, far from how she had been brought up in one of the roughest sections of Dorchester.
Her phone buzzed as she sat down in the car. Glancing at it, she wasn’t surprised to see that it was Ciaron. She’d like to think he had impeccable timing but was fairly certain that it was more of a case of Kirby updating him on her progress while she was out. Some women might find that a bit controlling or stifling, but it didn’t bother her. Ciaron was her Prince Charming and she could live with his need to keep tabs on her. After all, it wasn’t about her, he had explained. It was his way of keeping her safe from anyone who might want to take her from him to ransom her for some of his billions.
“Hello, Ciaron,” she said as she answered the call.
“Hello, gorgeous. Find what you needed?”
“I did. You’re going to love it.”
“Of course I will. You have impeccable taste. Are you on your way home now?”
“Yes. Are you there?”
“No. I have a late day here. I won’t be home until well after supper, so don’t wait for me.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. You’ve worked late every day this week.”
“I know, but I’m going to be taking some time off for our wedding and need to make sure things are in good order before then.”
“You know, I’d have been just as happy eloping and spending the weekend in a cabin somewhere,” she told him. “It’s not like I have a lot of family to come to this thing anyway.”
“I wouldn’t dream of denying you your big day by putting you in front of some justice of the peace in a podunk town in the mountains,” he said. “Hold on, hon.” There were some muffled voices that she couldn’t make out near him, and then he was talking to her again. “I’ve got to go. Love you.”
“I love,” she managed before she was met with silence on the other end.
Putting the phone back down in her lap, she considered her options. She could go home and sit in the big empty mansion where she lived with Ciaron or she could go out. She debated it for a minute and decided he’d be angry if she went out alone to a club.
“Hey, Kirby. You feel like getting some pizza?” she asked.
“I’m always up for pizza,” he replied.
“Charles? You in?” she asked the driver.
“I’m supposed to stay with the car at all times,” he replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.
“I won’t tell,” she said, looking toward Kirby. He shrugged as if to say he didn’t care, but Charles still declined.
“Thank you, but I can’t risk the car being compromised,” he said.
“It’s just a car, Charles. I’m sure Ciaron has insurance.”
“Oh, I know he does,” Charles said, his tone sounding a bit ominous.
“Okay. Well, suit yourself. I’ll bring you a slice to take home,”