At Last by Susan Vaughan

Author:Susan Vaughan [Vaughan, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romantic Suspense, novella, Short story, bridesmaid, military hero, romance, suspense, mystery, wedding, reception, wedding attendants, wedding music
Publisher: Susan Vaughan
Published: 2016-04-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Surrounded by the swish of satin and the fragrance of roses and sweet peas, Andie smoothed her knee-length dress. In a few hours, the wedding and reception would be over, with only minor disasters, all averted. Then she could breathe again.

Beside her, Cleo’s mom helped her daughter wriggle into her strapless white gown. Across the living room of the senior Chandlers’ suite, co-opted as their dressing room, Trudy pinned stray strands into Mimi’s curly chignon. And Felicity? In the bathroom or bedroom, doing who knew what. She seemed to be fussing to herself.

Andie checked herself in the floor-length mirror. Her hair wasn’t long enough for the curly chignon, but the hairdresser had pinned it back in a small cascade of curls and perfectly matched the coral streak in her hair to the bodice’s shade.

Falling from the waist, the satin skirt swirled with gorgeous hues of coral, salmon, mauve and other shades Andie couldn’t name. Cleo had designed the fabric, copying the dawn sky from one of her paintings.

The dress was so fantastic Andie was terrified she’d drop cake or something worse on it and ruin the only painting of Cleo’s she could ever afford to own.

What would Mike think when he saw her? Remembering last night heated her inside and out, and she pressed a palm to her stomach. He’d told her the truth about why DSF staff were skulking around. And then he’d been hungry for her and sweet and romantic, and he made her feel all soft inside and want more than she’d thought she could have.

“What are you grinning at?” Cleo asked.

Oops, grinning like a fool at nothing. Well, not nothing. “You. You’re amazing, and in a little while you’ll be more than my best friend. You’ll be my sister.”

Irene was lacing up the back of the ivory gown. Cleo was beyond pretty, and in that gown, simply stunning. Below the embroidered bodice, the long satin skirt flared slightly and had a short train, temporarily buttoned up and out of the way. She looked radiant and so happy that Andie’s heart swelled with love and admiration.

“Me? You’re the amazing one.”

“You two are going to make me cry even before the ceremony.” Blinking back tears, Irene placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “Andie, I’ve thought of you as a second daughter for years. I’m beyond ecstatic our families will be joined.”

Tears stung Andie’s eyes. She kissed the older woman’s cheek. “Thanks, Mom Irene. Me too. But no messing up the mascara.”

“How much time, Andie?” Cleo asked.

“Ten minutes. Give me a sec, and I’ll go see if the men are ready.” She also wanted to try phoning her roommate one more time before she had to give up her evening purse to Trudy, who was the Guardian of Everything, including keeping everyone on schedule.

She left them checking the bridal bouquet, white and coral roses and tiny trailing daisies, and walked across the living room to Mimi and her mom, who’d caught her eye in the mirror and beckoned to her.

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