Winning Her Heart

Unveiling Her Innocence

Billionaire Auctions in Bloom Book 7

Your Dirty Little Secret Romance Author

Chapter 1 - Lorelai

I kneel down to adjust the hem of the bridal gown and take some pins from the cushion on my wrist. "So you’re happy with this length, right? You don’t want me to go a little higher?" I ask, looking up at the bride, who happens to be my close friend Tammy.

She looks at herself critically in the mirror and her face lights up. "Nope, this is it! It's perfect!" she exclaims happily.

"Good." I break into a smile, pleased by her reaction.

One by one, I stick the pins in the gown to hold the hem in place. I make sure not to drop any, and I also work carefully to make sure I keep the hemline even.

I move around her feet, working quickly. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it!" She gushes excitedly as she looks at her reflection in the mirror. "I met the man of my dreams, and now I'm getting married!"

Thankfully she’s talking so much that all I really have to do is smile and nod. "It was so romantic, the night that he finally proposed…" she babbles on.

"Uh huh," I murmur, focusing more on the task in my hands than on her words.

It's not that I'm not happy for Tammy, I am, she's my friend. I just find it a little bit ironic. Here I am, running a bridal shop, making other people's dreams come true, and my own Prince Charming has yet to appear.

I think back on some of the guys I've dated recently and grimace. They were all pretty far from anyone's ideal standards. "Do you think you’ll ever get married?" Tammy asks absently, interrupting my thoughts.

I pause in my work to look up at her. "One day, hopefully soon. It's hard waiting for the right guy," I admit, before finishing up the last of the hemline.

"Yes, it is," She agrees sympathetically.

I stick the last pin in the bottom of the dress. "Ok, all done," I announce as I straighten up. "Now, just one last check before I sew anything, you’re sure this is where you want it and everything? You don’t want me to adjust anything else?" I ask.

Tammy models the dress in front of the mirror one last time. "Yes,” she declares with a tone of finality, “It’s perfect.”

"Great! You can change and I'll have it altered in a few days,” I reply happily.

"Thanks, you're a doll!" Tammy gushes.

She gives me a brief hug before disappearing into the fitting room.

I sigh softly and go behind the register to write out an order slip for Tammy's dress. Hers is a priority job. It’s been quiet today, with Tammy is the only customer in the shop. I think about how close she is to her happily ever after, and how I feel like I'm so far away from mine.

That brings to mind an earlier conversation. Tammy had been talking about how excited she was for her wedding night, making me wonder if she’s still a virgin. I mean, we're both around the same age.

To be honest, I still feel a little weird being a virgin at my age. I mean I'm not going to go give it up to the first person I see, and goodness knows that the cheaters and losers that I always end up with don't deserve it. I mean, I don’t exactly have my heart set on saving it for my wedding night, but I want it to be special and beautiful. I guess I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for it to happen.

I scoff at my thoughts. Like the perfect guy is going to just fall out of the sky. "Be realistic." I tell myself under my breath.

Tammy walks out of the dressing room. I put a smile on my face and take the dress from her, hanging it neatly on a hanger and wrapping it in a garment bag. "I'll start on it as soon as possible so it's ready in plenty of time." I assure her.

When I finish hanging up the dress, I turn around to look at her. She has tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" I ask in concern.

For a second I'm worried that she didn't like the dress, but she surprises me by hugging me once again. "I just wanted to thank you for everything," she says as she releases me.

She wipes her eyes on a tissue. "What do you mean?" I ask, puzzled.

"Well, for the dress and everything. It’s silly, but when I put it on, I felt like a princess. It's the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. You’re working so hard on it, and it's going to make my wedding day even more special," She replies hugging me again.

I give her a gentle hug in return.