The Deal Taker (Book III)

Chapter Four - Make Me Pretty

“Jeez, buy me a drink first.” I reached behind my back and pulled down the zipper, letting the dress drop.

White filled my vision and, I swear, I didn’t breathe for nearly a minute. I was suffocating in fabric. When my head popped out I practically choked in air while Lacey rolled her eyes as if I were being dramatic. She zipped it right up and stared at my reflection in the mirror with her expert eyes. Her lips puckered and she seemed about as disappointed as I’ve been every time I get salad.

“Nope. You look like a little girl playing dress up.”

I stared at my reflection, planning to disagree. But she was totally right, I looked like a little girl. I was lost in this dress and, because of my lack-of-boobs, I didn’t look my age. The color was so blindingly white I could barely focus. “Yeah, no. Have anything black?”

Lacey gave a look of disapproval before pulling another white dress off the rack. “You don’t wear black on your wedding. Off-white, maybe, or blush pink if it fits.”

She helped me out of this dress before pulling another one over my frame. This one was far less puffy, yet it was far more sparkly and flashy. The neck was heart-shaped and had jewels across the stomach and thick beading all around. My feelings towards the dress were obvious when I slumped in it.

“…You don’t look like an excited bride-to-be…” Lacey murmured and began pulling this one off as well.

I forced a smile, knowing I had to convince her of my supposed happiness just like the rest of them. Lying to Lacey was a little challenging considering she was the one person I could complain to about vampires and she’d completely understand, even though she is one. But now I had to lie right to her face. Just last month I was storming out of this mansion and she told me to run from here. Now she’s helping me with wedding dresses for a wedding neither of us saw coming. “I’m just not into dressing up. I’d elope if I could,” I explained, acting embarrassed.

She looked at me like a cop would look at a suspect. “I’m surprised at how fast this has all come together, especially since you’ve complained about him so often.”

My smile never faltered. “Me too. I hated him for the longest time…” Now I made my expression conflicted yet thoughtful. “…I guess I was just fighting these feelings this whole time. I’ve been lying to myself for months now.”

Lacey hung one of the dresses up as I stood there in my underwear. “When did you realize it? That you loved him?” Her tone held an edge to it, which I quickly noted as her trying to get the truth out of me.

“About a month or so ago, I guess. It’s been a blur. I came to see him about something and it just kind of hit me. You can’t help who you fall for.”

She pulled on another dress over my body and began fastening the corset roughly. “How did the proposal happen?”

Matthew and I had spoken about how our proposal story was going to be. I drew in a breath and smiled as if I were remembering it. “It wasn’t a big deal. We had spent the whole day talking in bed and Matthew asked me. There were a few other special moments, but you know I’m not one for the mushy stuff.” I tried to keep it vague because I knew I was forgetting some stuff I had discussed with Matthew.

Lacey pursed her lips and finished fastening the corset as tight as possible. “I’m sorry. I’m not in the position to pry.”

I turned around to look at her with a look of disgust. “Not in the position to pry? You do know I don’t give a crap about positions, right? There’s no such thing as superiority or power, just jackasses with big egos.”