Truth (Betrothed #10) - Penelope Sky Page 0,16
see. “Wow, it’s beautiful. Very elegant. I think it’d look great on you.”
“Would you wear it?”
I pushed the magazine back before I drank my coffee. “I’m not the one getting married. You are.”
“I know, but I’m curious.”
“Personally?” I asked. “I’d probably go for something sluttier. That’s just how I am. Probably low cut in the front to highlight my cleavage, you know, barely appropriate for a church. Something really tight, like a mermaid dress.”
She smiled. “I can totally see it.”
My father came into the room and joined us. “What are you ladies up to?”
“Picking out a wedding dress,” I answered.
“Ooh, let me see.” He pulled the open magazine toward him. “Very nice.”
Anna smiled, finding my father adorable.
He was a bit adorable.
“We were just leaving to try a couple on,” I said. “We don’t have a wedding date, but we’ve got to get this dress, apparently.”
“Well, I don’t think Damien and I are going to do anything big,” Anna said. “Something small. Just you guys. Casual.”
“Do you think I could tag along?” My father was usually anxious for lunch every single day, and it was the first time food didn’t seem to be his priority. If he wanted to tag along, he’d have to skip the meal.
Anna looked surprised by the question. “Of course…”
“I know it’s not traditional,” my father said. “But my wife would be there if she were still alive, so I thought I’d step in for her.”
My father was the sweetest man on the planet.
“I would be honored,” Anna said, placing her hand on his.
“Does that mean you’re going to help me pick out a dress too, Dad?” I asked playfully.
“Definitely,” he answered. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
I wanted to keep smiling, but that was hard to do. When I pictured the man I was most interested in marrying, I couldn’t imagine my family being supportive, couldn’t imagine my father being thrilled enough to join me in picking out a dress. And the thought made me sad.
Anna came out of the dressing room in a long-sleeved gown made of thin lace. The dress narrowed around her waist then flared out again, elegant and perfect for a winter wedding. “What do you think?”
“It’s nice,” I said, reacting neutrally to everything so she could pick what she really wanted without being swayed by my opinion.
“Is this the 1800s?” my father asked. “It looks like my grandmother’s wedding dress. You’re too beautiful to wear something that covers so much of your nice skin.”
She chuckled. “Alright, I’ll try another. Cat, could you help me?”
I walked with her into the dressing room then started to unfasten the miles of buttons down her back. “Don’t listen to my dad. If you like it, get it.”
“No, he’s right. It’s hard to pick out a dress Damien will like when he can’t even see it on me.”
“Well, he’ll like anything you wear. I promise you that.”
She looked at herself in the mirror as the dress slowly became looser and looser, relaxing off her shoulders and arms so she could eventually slip it off.
I glanced at her from time to time, thinking about the one subject that was usually on my mind. “Anna, I was wondering if you could do me a favor…”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Well, Heath and I talked.”
She stiffened at the subject.
“I think I’m going to hope for the best, hope Damien changes his mind…eventually. I was wondering if—”
Anna turned around when the last button was unfastened. “Catalina, I’m going to be honest with you. I want to help you because you’re my friend. I want you to be happy. But Damien is set in his ways, and I don’t want to upset him. We’re really happy right now, and anytime that subject comes up, he gets angry. I feel like I’m stuck in the middle, and I just…don’t want to be.”
She was the perfect person to meddle on my behalf because he might actually listen to her, but I understood her request, understood why she wanted to stay impartial and not stick her neck out for me. “No, I understand.”
She dropped her gaze in sadness. “I’m sorry, Cat.”
“I know.”
“And to be honest… I’m not sure if I like you being with Heath either. I’ve become so fond of your father. He’s so sweet. I can forget what happened with Liam because that was my ex who orchestrated all of that, but I’m not sure I can forget about what happened to your dad.”
“You’ve never met Heath. You might feel differently if you did.”
She shrugged. “Maybe. But