The Window Seat (badLuckbrides #1)

Chapter 6

Ashlyn

Ten Days Until Wedding

"Oh, Kathlyn that is so gorgeous. I think that's the one," says Aspen, her hands pressing into her own chest. She was the most dramatic person I'd ever met. I wondered how Kathlyn found a friend in her, considering they're two completely different people. Aspen's so high maintenance, so LA, but mostly just a wannabe because she grew up in Oregon.

We all lined a beige, tufted sofa in a ritzy wedding boutique. Women in black blouses and trousers, flouncing the marble floors in heels like it's second nature. Kathlyn's just walked out before us in her second dress choice and stands with her hands to her sides, waiting on our responses.

"I don't know, spin around." Evelyn twirls her finger and she does. "I'm not too crazy about the puffy skirt—what about something sexy, like a mermaid tail dress?"

Aspen claps, crossing a leg. "Great idea, yes—Alex, please ask for a mermaid tail dress with a similar top. I love the sweetheart neckline."

He nods, stepping away.

"Sexy? I don't know if I want to be sexy at my wedding." Kathlyn squints. That's odd, considering her job revolves around sex appeal. She's posted more swimsuit pictures than sports illustrated.

"Well, I'm not saying walk down the aisle in lingerie, just show off your cute little curves a little."

"Yeah, she's right, you have great hips." Aspen nods. "That reminds me, I only have two weeks to make magic happen at the gym and it's not lookin' good, girls."

Alexander returns with two new dresses, both covered in plastic and hard to make out without holding them up straight. But they're white and lacy so they pass my test.

Aspen jumps up, looks them over with a bright smile, then leads her back to the dressing room. "I'm so excited to see these on you."

Leave it to Kathlyn to wait literally only a week before her wedding to purchase a dress, but that's her own fault for rushing into this like she did. She swears this guy is perfect. That's the only adjective she's ever used when I heard about him, but after meeting him, I can't say I agree. There's just something off.

I just hope this is all worth it in the end. All the fumbling and rushing and running around. I hope it's worth it to her when she's walking down that aisle wearing her perfect last-minute dress, marrying the perfect last-minute man at her perfect, last-minute wedding.

"Kathlyn's going to crack," I say, falling back against the sofa. All the women in here are like chickens with their heads cut off. Each one of them, running across the floors in five-inch heels and I'm just waiting on one to slip. It's giving me mild anxiety.

"Figures." Evelyn's on her phone scrolling through her Instagram feed like that's more important than our sisters dress trials.

"What do you mean, figures?"

"I mean, it's Kathlyn. Of course she's gonna crack. She shouldn't have decided all this on a whim."

"She's just under a lot of pressure." I sit up. I was always quick to come to Kathlyn's defense, especially with Evelyn who was always so careless when it came to her. To either of us. Most of the times she didn't even feel like a real sister, she distanced herself so much. But even though I know this is a crapshoot engagement, I'll stick it out for Kathlyn till it's over.

"Well, that's her own fault. But she'll figure it all out. Don't even worry about her, she'll be fine."

Before I can respond, Aspen's returned to her seat beside Alex, already smiling at him. "Isn't this fun, hanging with the girls?" she asks.