says with a grin. “Unless it’s too fast for you?”
“It’s a lot to take in,” I reply, and glance around the room at my best friends. They’re smiling and Landon’s hand on the small of my back is reassuring. Wow, this is overwhelming.
But, it’s what I’ve always wanted.
“Okay,” I say, and shrug. “Let’s do it!”
“Right on!” Kat says, clinking her glass to mine.
“I know I’m a selfish bitch,” Addie says, and laughs, “but I’m a little happy you’re doing this before I’m the size of a house too.”
“Oh my God, our babies are going to grow up together!” I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight. “And we get to go baby-shopping and stuff too!”
“I know, I’m so happy,” she says, sniffling. “And I’m warning you, everything makes me cry. Everything. I heard a Britney Spears song in the car this morning and had to pull over because I couldn’t see the road anymore.”
“I’m already a little weepy,” I say with a nod.
“Oh, goodie,” Mia says, rolling her eyes. “We’re going to have two emotional pregnant women on our hands for the next nine months.”
“But then we get two babies to snuggle,” Riley says with a smile. “And I didn’t have to give birth to them.”
“Me neither,” Kat says, fist-bumping Riley. “I’m not having kids. Y’all can just keep shooting them out for me and I’ll spoil them like crazy. Aunt Kat is going to be their favorite.”
“One at a time,” I say firmly.
“Unless there’s two,” Landon says thoughtfully.
“What?” My gaze whips up to his. “You don’t have twins in your family.”
“On my dad’s side,” Mia says with a nod. “There are a few sets. So good luck.”
“You’re mean,” I reply, looking back and forth between the two. “And if there’s even a tiny possibility of that, we definitely need to do this before I really do look like a house.”
“It’s okay, baby, you’ll be a beautiful house.”
THE FIVE OF us all took the day off from the restaurant just a few days later to go shopping. That’s unprecedented. We’ve only ever left it unattended once or twice before, and that was for Addie’s dress shopping and her wedding.
It’s a nice tradition.
We walk into a boutique wedding-dress store in downtown Portland, just down the block from the mall, and I am immediately overwhelmed. The girls all split off, oohing and aahing over frilly dresses in every corner of the store, calling out suggestions for which ones I should try on.
And I’m just . . . paralyzed. There’s so much to take in. There are mannequins in white dresses with veils and flowers. There’s a display table with a guest book and a basket full of pink rose petals.
Chandeliers dripping with crystals float overhead, casting the space in soft light, and there are deep, soft couches placed strategically before trifold mirrors with a pedestal where the bride can show off the gown she’s chosen to try on.
Holy fucking shit! I’m getting married.
“You must be Cami,” a middle-aged blond woman says with a smile as she approaches me and shakes my hand. “I’m Lori, your consultant. We spoke on the phone.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I reply, surprised that my lips even work.
“Are these your bridesmaids?”
“No,” I reply, still feeling a bit guilty about this. “My fiancé and I decided to just have one person stand up with us, and I could never choose between these four, so I’m having my sister as my matron of honor.”
“It’s perfect,” Addie says, pulling dresses out to study them. “You need to stop feeling guilty. None of us are mad at you.”
“If I say I’m mad at you, can I pick out the dress?” Kat asks with a laugh. “Just kidding; I’m totally not mad.”
“You look a little intimidated,” Lori says with a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
“This is all happening a little fast,” I say with a smile.
“How long have you been engaged?”
“Two days.”
She raises a brow. “And when is the wedding?”
“In eleven days.”
Now her jaw drops. “Afraid he’ll change his mind?”
“No.” I laugh now, starting to loosen up a bit. “It’s a long story.”
“Okay, well, the important thing is that you’re here now. You gave me a description of what you think you’d like over the phone.”
“She wants to try on a few different things,” Addie informs Lori from across the room.
“They’re making me,” I correct her, rolling my eyes.
“Trying on a few things is a good idea,” Lori assures me. “Wedding gowns are very different from other dresses. Plus, this