You’re Still The One by Erika Kelly

Chapter Twelve

White candles flickeredin Knox Bowie’s couture wedding gown boutique. Gauzy curtains draped from plate glass windows overlooking the town of Owl Hoot, and a profusion of silk, tulle, chiffon, and lace exploded from the racks.

“Oh, my God.” Stella stood in front of a stunning dress on a mannequin. She’d never seen anything like it. “I can’t believe you get to make these for a living.”

Knox smiled. “Me, neither. And it’s as fun as it looks.”

At the back of the store, Gigi scanned racks of gowns in every style. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to choose one. I love them all. Ball gown, mermaid, sheath, A-line…”

“I like the separates.” Reading glasses perched on her nose, her mom sat at a desk, scrolling Knox’s online designs. “They’re less fussy but still fun and different.”

“I know it can be overwhelming.” Knox headed toward Gigi. “So, what I always suggest is that you keep the process fun. This isn’t a race to find the perfect dress in twenty-four hours or even two weeks. Take your time, look around, and keep your perspective.”

“But we’re getting married next spring. Can I get something tailored and delivered by then?”

“All the dresses you see on the website are produced in a factory. They’re my designs, but you order them like you would a dress from a department store. So, yes, you can order it, and we’ll take care of alterations during a fitting.” Knox made a sweeping motion around the room. “Everything you see here is what I custom-make for my clients. And I don’t take on more projects than I can comfortably handle.”

“Assuming we want custom, when do you need us to place an order?” her mom asked.

“With the holidays coming up, I’d love for you to just be a happily engaged couple. And maybe over the next month, you can flip through bridal magazines, poke around some ateliers online. And then we’ll get together the first week in January and get serious about this. Does that sound good?” She reached for Gigi. “I promise you this. You’re going to look at dozens of gowns and think they’re all lovely, but only one of them is going to grab you. The minute you look at it, you’re going to say, That one.”

“That one,” Stella murmured to the sparkling, mermaid-style dress.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look.

“It’s so you.” Knox came back to her.

Stella eyed her curiously. “You think?”

“Only someone with a big personality can pull it off. It’s a showstopper.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” She fingered the tulle flower petals covering the gown.

“Those are 3D appliqués. Each one is hand made. And look.” Knox touched the feather shoulder accents. “These are detachable, so you can take them off when you’re ready to dance. And this?” She turned the mannequin around to reveal a deeply cut back. “Pure drama.”

“It’s so you.” Her mom gazed at it in awe. “It’s going to hug your gorgeous figure—”

Gigi joined them. “The sweetheart neckline’s perfect for your big boobs. You should try it on.”

Stella laughed. “You guys, I’m not the one getting married.” Oh, crap. Oops. “Yet.” Flustered, she knew her cheeks had gone hot. Don’t look at them.

If she did, Gigi would know something was up.

Stella felt sick to her stomach about lying.

Here I am planning my sister’s wedding, getting closer to her, all while letting her think I’m engaged.

She forced her thoughts back to the moment. “Today’s about you. Come on, let’s look around.” But as she stepped away, she got hit with a vision of her wearing that dress with a red flower tucked behind her ear, walking down the aisle toward her groom.

Griffin.

There could be no one else for her.

Instead of a tux, though, he wore a white shirt tucked into black jeans. And black biker boots in place of dress shoes.

And he was looking at her like she was his whole world.

Her heart thundered, and her spirits soared.

“What kind of wedding are you having?” Knox asked.

For one stupid moment, caught in her reverie, Stella thought the question was directed towards her. But, of course, they were here for Gigi’s wedding. A real one.

And Stella’s fantasy crashed and burned.

Her sister let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t really know.”

When Knox shot a look to Stella, she felt the sting of failure clear down to the soles of her feet. “Well, we know a few things. She wants it simple, just close friends and family, and she doesn’t want something traditional, so with that as our starting point, I thought we could look at dresses, figure out her sense of style from that.”

“Oh, okay.” Knox seemed on board. “That makes sense. So, you haven’t chosen a venue yet?”

“No.”

Stella felt every bit the inexperienced wedding planner that she was. She’d been stupid to start with a dress. What if they chose a Cinderella ball gown and then wound up having the ceremony in their backyard?

“All right, well, let me ask you a few questions.” Knox went over to the desk and sat in the velvet armchair. Tapping on her keyboard, she said, “You spent a lot of time on stage with the Lollipops in elaborate costumes. Do you like the idea of making a grand entrance? Do you love dressing up?”

“That’s what Stella asked me.” Gigi collapsed on the loveseat. “And I realized I don’t want to play dress-up for my wedding, but I want an amazing gown.”

Knox smiled. “Excellent.” She clicked away, then turned the screen to face them. “Okay, let’s narrow it down. Do you like simple, structured…like this?”

Gigi scrunched her nose. “No, that’s too…stark. Is that the right word?”

“Yes, it’s a great word.” While Knox was extremely chic and hip, she seemed so down-to-earth and caring.

“It feels like something a cool New York City woman would wear. I like wearing pretty clothes, I just don’t want to feel artificial with tons of hair and make-up.”

“Got it. Okay, take a look at this one.” Knox showed her a simple but lovely dress. “This is a fit and flare, which just means the top is fitted and the skirt flares out a bit—nothing as dramatic as a ball gown. We can do any kind of sleeve you want…hang on.” She tapped again to show a page full of sleeves. “A cap sleeve, draping, long…anything you want.”

A spark lit Gigi’s eyes. “Okay, this is good. I definitely want sleeveless.” She wheeled her arms. “So, I can move around.”

“Perfect. Now, for a bodice, how sparkly are we going to go? Do you like pearls, beads, crystals? Here look at this one. See the beaded flowers up here?”

“Oh, pretty. I love it, just maybe instead of flowers we could do musical notes?” Gigi asked.

Knox gave her a beaming smile. “We can absolutely do that. What a great idea.”

Bam. An image popped into Stella’s head. “What if we had the reception in the Owl Hoot Amphitheater?”

Her sister grew excited. “Oh, that’s a cool idea.”

“We could get a bunch of food trucks—”

“Food trucks?” her mom sounded disappointed.

But Stella had a vision, and she kept going. “Imagine the trucks lined up at the back of the space in a semi-circle. We could have everything from salads and burgers to biryani and pad thai. We could have cake and ice cream sundaes and doughnuts. The guests would get to pick and choose what they wanted to eat. Just as if they were at a concert. And your friends could get up on stage and perform. Like, instead of speeches, they could sing to you and Cassian.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Gigi jumped up and hugged her sister. “Oh, my God, I love that so much.”

“Do you?” She pulled back to look into her eyes. “Really?”

Gigi pulled away. “I do. It’s perfect.”

Everyone was smiling hard, and Knox went back to her screen. “Maybe, since it’s outdoors and you want room to move, you’d like something like this.”

While the dress was feminine and flirty, the neck and hemlines sparkled with shiny silver grommets.

“That is so rock and roll.” Gigi pumped her fists. “I love it.”

“I could tell you were pretty lukewarm over the fit and flare,” Knox said.

“It’s pretty…I mean, they’re all beautiful, but that one…that’s so me.”

“Are you sure, sweetheart?” Her mom asked. “Knox said you could take time over the holidays and look some more. You don’t have to settle on the first dress you like.”

“Positive. As soon as Stella talked about the amphitheater, it all came together for me. This dress is perfect.”

“All right.” Knox got up. “Why don’t we take some measurements and get some details?”

“Well, hold on,” her mom said. “I think we’re being hasty. We started looking fifteen minutes ago.”

“I know it might not make sense,” Gigi said. “But the things that matter to me aren’t who’s catering or what flowers go in my bouquet. I just want my sister to plan it, and my mom to be with me every step of the way. I want Coco to make the cake and Lulu to do my hair. And this dress, it’ll make me feel…like me.” She reached for Stella and her mom’s hands. “And now, with the major details taken care of, we can just look forward to the day I finally marry the boy I’ve loved for more than half my life.”

In that moment of silence, while everyone let Gigi’s words sink in, Stella was seized with an absolute sense of rightness.

In her job.

In her life.

In her family.

I’m exactly where I need to be.

The only thing that would make this moment more perfect—she looked down at her fake engagement ring—was if she and Griffin were together for real.

Hurt crashed over her.

Because even after that perfect afternoon in the cabin, nothing had changed. They’d picked up Austin, stopped at Bliss for ice cream, and then they’d gone back to the Inn.

Standing on the pathway, she’d hoped he’d invite her in. Expected him to. After what they’d shared only hours ago? How could he not want to be with her?

But he hadn’t.

So, she’d gone back to her cottage alone.

Knox broke the silence by opening a drawer. “I love that. I seriously love everything you just said.” She pulled out a notepad and pen. “Come with me to the dais. You two get comfy on the couch.”

Her mom led them to a purple velvet love seat. “That was brilliant.”

“What was?” While she loved her mom, she still didn’t feel entirely comfortable with her. Not that they felt like strangers but more like there was a chasm between them. So much had happened in their years apart. It would take time to feel like they’d caught each other up.

“The way you read Gigi so well. I would’ve pushed her to make some decisions, to get a handle on what direction we were going in. But you intuitively knew to back off and let her get a sense of what she wanted in her own time.”

“Oh, thank you. The way Knox looked at me…I thought, Oh, my God, go back to Dallas and get your old job back. You have no idea what you’re doing.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Her mom held her hand. “I finally got my baby girl back. But Diane sure knew what she was doing when she called you. You’ve always been so good at reading people. When you were little—I’m thinking three or four—your dad came home from his father’s funeral. And the minute he walked in the door, your sisters jumped on him, so excited to have him back. But you…”

Her mom smiled. “He got down on his knees so the girls could hug him and throw a million questions at him, and when they got distracted opening the gifts he’d brought, you crawled onto his lap and wrapped your little arms around his neck. You patted his shoulder, and in the sweetest little voice, you said, ‘It’s all right, Daddy. It’ll be all right.’” Her eyes glistened. “That was the first time your dad cried since getting the call about his father.” She squeezed Stella’s arm. “You’ve always been special like that. And now you’ve found a way to turn that into a business.”

“I plan weddings. I’m not exactly a therapist.”

“Well, thank God for that. Can you imagine how far you’d go with your patients? Signing them up for classes, taking them to the mall for make-overs?”

Stella started to disagree, but what could she say? “You’re probably right about that.”

Her mom wrapped an arm around her and tugged her in close, stroking her hair the way she used to do when Stella was little. “You’d be a terrible therapist because you’d get way too invested in each client. No, this is better. You get to make dreams come true. I can’t think of a more perfect career for you.” Her mom gave her a gentle shake. “Look at Gigi. She came in worried and anxious, and now she’s glowing. You nailed it.”

“Thanks, Mom. It means a lot to hear you say that.”

“I’ll be honest with you. It hasn’t been easy, not knowing where you were or what you were doing.” She picked up a lock of hair. “You’ve grown into a beautiful, elegant woman, and I missed out on all of it.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sure I would’ve come home a lot sooner if I hadn’t kept messing up.”

“How did you mess up? You had a successful career in PR. You got a job with the top wedding planner in New York City. So what if you ran off and got married? That was a little blip.”

“I was eighteen, and I…” Clarity struck with a jolt. She knew exactly why she’d gotten sucked into Logan’s life. “I wanted to be someone else. I’d done such a terrible thing, and I could hardly stand myself. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Lulu’s expression when I tried to apologize. I couldn’t get Griffin’s voice out of my head when he told me he was done with me. And Logan…he literally swept me into a whole new world, where I could reinvent myself.”

“That’s why you changed your name? We thought it was so we couldn’t find you.”

“Oh, it was. If I’d been proud of my marriage, I doubt I would’ve changed my name. I made all new social media accounts, so that I could be this new person. I was just so ashamed, knowing I’d ruined my sister’s life…”

“Okay, let’s not be so dramatic. You didn’t ruin her life. She’s never been happier. That woman was born to be a chef, so moving to Paris was the right move. And of course, she wound up with Xander, and there really isn’t a better man for her. No, what you did was betray her trust. You took away her agency. And there’s a pathway back from that. You just have to find it.”

“You’re right. And I will. When things settle down…” She flicked a glance at her mom, and they both smiled.

“Or now. Now’s always good.”

Stella laughed. “Okay, Mom.”

“Look, honey, you were eighteen. We all do stupid things at that age. I know I did. My point is that we would’ve been there for you. You didn’t have to go through any of it alone.” She shifted towards her. “You understand if you’d called to tell me about Logan cheating, I would’ve caught the next flight to Dallas, right? My first stop after landing would’ve been the grocery store to get you six pints of caramel dark chocolate ice cream.” She stroked Stella’s hair. “You’re not alone. You have your family behind you.”

“I think I get that now. But at the time, I had a lot of grieving to do. I’d lost it all, and I just had to figure out who I was outside of Calamity.”

“I understand that, and I certainly did the same thing when I moved away from home when I was sixteen. That’s why I feel so much for what you went through, because I went through it myself.”

“Honestly, it made me stronger. That whole time, I never missed a day of work. It might not have been my best work, but I still showed up. And, you know, I started to feel better. And eventually I found my own groove. And then so much time had passed, I didn’t know what to say.”

“You could’ve said, Mom, want to come see my apartment in Dallas? And I would’ve come, no questions asked.”

“I wanted to make something of myself. I wanted to come home as a sophisticated woman. I didn’t want a trace of the stupid eighteen-year-old girl. And I thought I’d gotten there…until the Xander mess happened with the tabloids…and I couldn’t believe it. I just…” She let out a huff of disbelief. “I ran to New York.”

“Honey, look at me.” Her mom cupped her cheeks and turned her so they looked each other in the eyes. “You’re forgiven. Do you hear me? Would you like to know how everyone here remembers you? As the beautiful young woman who had a smile and a kind word for every single person she met. They remember you for the way you made them feel. Sweetheart…you are forgiven.”

Love for her mom hit her so hard she slumped against her. There was nothing she’d missed more than her mom’s strong, unshakable support. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you so much. With you gone, it was like walking around with half a heart.” Her mom squeezed her. “Promise me, no matter where life takes you, you’ll never leave us again.”

“I promise.” When she pulled away, she wiped the tears from under her eyes. “Do you think Lulu will ever forgive me?”

“I’m going to bet she feels the same way you did. So much time has passed, she doesn’t know what to say or do. But honey, she’s moved on, she’s happy. And I think you’re going to have to reach out to her, tell her you’re here, you miss her, and you’d like to talk to her the next time she’s in town.”

“It’s just that I’ll never get back what I had with her. I mean, she was my best friend. My person. And I ruined it forever.”

“Well, relationships change. Don’t you think life would’ve taken you in different directions anyways, once you left home and made your way in the world? All you can do is build something new, and maybe it’ll even be healthier. Stronger.”

Her mom was absolutely right about that. “I feel so much better. It’s like I’ve been stuck in this sand trap, and I didn’t see a way to climb out. But I do now. And it doesn’t seem nearly so scary.”

“She won’t be here for Thanksgiving, you know.”

“I didn’t, but with the Wildcats playing that day, I figured she’d stay in Dallas to be with Xander.”

Her mom leaned in. “How are you and Griffin going to handle the holidays? I know it won’t be easy for him to lie to his family. Maybe he should come to our house.”

“I’ll bring it up, but I don’t think he’d even consider that.”

“This must be torture for you. To spend time with him, to pretend you’re close, but to not really be with him.”

Oh, but I did get to be with him. I had his body pressed to mine, his hands grabbing, stroking, claiming me. I had those deep, passionate kisses that reawakened every dormant feeling I’ve ever had for him.

And then…it was like it had never happened.

“It is. He’s the only man in the world for me, Mom, and I don’t think I get to be with him.”

“Give him time.” She touched Stella’s arm. “So, what about Austin? What’s he doing for Thanksgiving?”

“He’s going to his grandparent’s house.”

“Oh. Is that what he wants?”

“Not at all, but he won’t tell them that.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t it his choice?”

“No, they tell him what he’s doing and when. They’re super old school and believe kids should do as they’re told. Like, they didn’t want him playing guitar in their house and when he did it anyway, they took it from him.”

“What?” Gigi strode over to them. “Playing an instrument is a good thing. It’s good for your brain and your motor skills. Plus, it makes you super cool.” She grinned.

“Right? Instant panache. But, yeah, I feel bad for him. His dad’s been out of contact for a week now, his grandparents are tough on him…” And idea popped into her head. “He’s turning fifteen in a few weeks. I wonder if he’d let me throw him a party. He doesn’t really have friends at school yet, but maybe we can pull something together with just our two families.”

“I think that’s a lovely idea,” her mom said.

“And Coco could make her amazingly decadent chocolate cake,” Gigi said. “What if my birthday present to him is guitar lessons? We have enough time between now and then that Austin and I could do a little show for everyone.”

“That’s an amazing gift, and I think it might be just what he needs to come out of his shell. And it’s just family so it’s not like it could get out of hand.”

See what I did there? I thought about consequences.

How do you like that, Griffin?

Hm, maybe she could win him back after all.