Chapter 4: The Bridal Shop Showdown

After resting at home for another couple of weeks, Mom was finally satisfied there’d be no scar. She asked me to go out with my cousin to pick out wedding dresses. Before I left, she straightened my collar and hesitated.

Mom fussed over every detail—smoothing my hair, adjusting my earrings, tucking a stray strand behind my ear. In the kitchen, the radio played Motown hits while sunlight spilled across the linoleum. She always said the devil’s in the details, and she wasn’t about to let her only daughter walk down the aisle with a wrinkle out of place.

“Emily, have you really let go of that Howell boy? If you still care for him, as for that Lily girl—Mom can take care of it for you.”

Her voice was low, but fierce—the same tone she used when the neighbor’s dog dug up her roses. She wasn’t asking for permission, just letting me know she’d handle business, Carter style. I caught a whiff of her Chanel No. 5 as she drew me into a quick hug.

My eyes stung. When I was left alone at the church, when Chris ignored me in public, when I got hit hard during polo, I hadn’t cried. But today, with just a simple sentence from Mom, I almost couldn’t hold back my tears.

There’s something about your mother’s concern that undoes you, no matter how grown you are. I pressed my forehead to her shoulder, breathing in her warmth, fighting the lump in my throat. The world could freeze me out, but Mom always let me thaw.

Mom is from the old Dalton family in Ohio. Big families have all kinds of ways. Dealing with a Lily Mason wouldn’t be hard. Honestly, I could’ve handled it myself. In the past, it was only for Chris’s sake, afraid of hurting someone innocent. And to be fair, Lily wasn’t really at fault. The one who truly made me give up was Chris himself.

There was a kind of pride in knowing I could handle anything—boardroom drama, charity gossip, even a social upstart. But I didn’t want to win Chris by elbowing Lily aside. If he didn’t see me, then he never would.

I wiped my eyes and squeezed Mom’s hand in return. “Mom, if we don’t get going, all the best fabrics will be gone.”

She laughed and ruffled my hair, and we grabbed our bags, heading into the brisk March air. The sky was pale, the wind sharp, but for the first time in a while, I felt steady on my feet.

It was just a joke to lighten the mood, but, as luck would have it, it turned out to be true.

We pulled into the Madison Bridal parking lot, the storefront windows full of lace and satin, mannequins posed in frozen smiles. A bell jingled overhead, and the scent of fresh coffee drifted from the receptionist’s desk. My cousin Sarah was already waiting, tapping her phone impatiently, eager for the best deals.

At Madison Bridal, as soon as I reached the door, I saw two familiar figures. Lily was pointing at a box in the center of the shop, saying something. The saleslady looked uncomfortable, but with Chris by her side, she didn’t dare say no. She kept explaining, “Miss Mason, this fabric was reserved by someone two weeks ago—I really can’t sell it to you.”

Chris’s presence was enough to unsettle anyone, even in a place usually ruled by mothers and bridesmaids. Lily’s voice was barely above a whisper, but her insistence made the saleslady’s hands tremble as she adjusted her name tag. I watched the scene from the doorway, letting the cold air settle around me, feeling oddly detached.

When she saw me, the saleslady’s face lit up. “Miss Carter, you’re here!”

I smiled, reached out and picked up the cloud-patterned silk, turning to my cousin. “Sarah, look at this color—it’s perfect for a bridal veil.”

The fabric was soft as a sigh, pale blue shot through with silver—exactly what I’d pictured since I was a girl. I held it up to my cheek, letting the coolness anchor me. Sarah grinned, nodding her approval.

Off to the side, Lily looked at Chris with pleading eyes, gently tugging his sleeve. Chris frowned slightly, as if waiting for me to greet him like always. But even after the saleslady finished wrapping the fabric and sent Sarah and me out, I hadn’t looked his way once.

It was a small rebellion, not offering my usual smile, not smoothing over the awkwardness. For once, I let them feel the chill that had crept into my heart months ago. Outside, the sky threatened snow, but inside, I was ice.

He looked annoyed and reached out to stop me. “Emily, Lily really likes this fabric. Can you let her have it this time?”

His hand hovered just above my elbow, not quite touching. The old Chris would never have asked twice—he’d just assumed I’d give in. I let the silence stretch between us, daring him to see me as something more than a doormat.

Behind Chris, Lily looked smug, shooting me a challenging glance. In the past, I would’ve given in. But now, I just stepped back, putting some space between us.

I watched her for a moment, wondering when pity had twisted into entitlement. I remembered the first time I lent her a scarf, how grateful she’d seemed. Now, she didn’t even say thank you. I took a deep breath, feeling my spine straighten.

“You know, Chris, real gentlemen don’t take what isn’t theirs. I figured you’d know that by now.”

The words tasted sharp and clean as winter air. I watched Chris blink, caught off guard. I held his gaze just long enough to make my point, then turned away, the fabric clutched in my arms like a shield.

Chris was stunned, not expecting me to refuse so directly. His face darkened. Lily sensed things were going south and quickly said, “Chris, as long as I marry you, it doesn’t matter what fabric I use. Since Emily likes it so much, let’s not fight her for it.”

Her voice was soft, but every syllable was perfectly placed. She slipped her hand into Chris’s, letting everyone see whose side he was on. I wondered if she even remembered what it was like to lose.