Fishing For A Dream [Book Three]

Chapter 24 - Silver Lining

Boiling. Britain was in a heatwave, and London was boiling.

Armed with my trusty wedding planning folder, Polaroid camera, and a handheld fan, I drove to meet Rose, Dee - and their mothers and sisters - in a bridal store in Queens Park. Going against tradition, the two women had decided they wanted their dresses to complement each other over keeping them a secret. They'd thrown the idea of me being the decider of whether the bridal gowns would go together, and as a wedding planner and Rose's Maid of Honour I would go to both fittings after all, but I didn't want that type of pressure. So, just like their hen party, they chose to simply do it together.

I had the air-conditioning on high in the car, and I was wearing the lightest, skimpiest, cotton summer dress I could get away with during the day time, but still, the back of my knees were moistened with sweat as I sat in traffic. It was too hot, and as much as I loved my friends, I was not in the mood to watch them loved-up and trying on 800 dresses. Rose wouldn't be too bad, but Dee was the worst when we were getting ready for nights out for tearing apart her wardrobe in search of something to wear, before going back to the first outfit she'd tried on. I dreaded to think what she would be like about probably the most important dress a woman will ever wear!

Rose

Are you close?

Layla

Five mins. Traffic. My knees are sweating.

Rose

K. We'll wait x

I have wet wipes! And it's not much cooler in here

Truth was, I was feeling bitter. Harry and I were still in an awkward place where we talked almost nightly but said nothing. Before L.A. I was almost looking forward to going to bridal showrooms so that I could look at dresses with the thought that maybe I'd be shopping for my own one day in the near future. (I wasn't getting ahead of myself, I was simply excited to be... excited.) But that was gone, and despite all of the sunshine, I couldn't help but feel gloomy.

Finding a parking space, I raced up the quiet road to the Charlie Brear showroom, located in an old, restored, coach house.

"Oh, here she is!" Dee announced when I walked in, Peach Bellini in her hand.

"Sorry, sorry! I knew I should have left earlier," I replied, apologetically, kissing her and Rose on the cheek before going to say hello to everyone else. I made my way around the room of women as they browsed through the gold racks of dresses, then headed for the woman who I knew would give me comfort and perspective.

Carol met me halfway, coming to greet me like I was one of her own. "Hello, my darlin', how are you?" she asked, hugging me quickly. Stepping back, she lovingly stroked my loosely curled hair and frowned. "You look miserable. Still having issues with your fella?"