FG 3 - The Wedding Blitz (19 page)

“Hawkins was worried about your health—

“Ah,
noooo
.”

“We hired a…co-planner to help with the workload. You still have complete control over how everything goes,” I quickly added. “She’s just going to be
your…
second in command.”

“Who is
she
?”

“Someone Hawkins’ mom knows,” I explained.

“And it just gets better,” he snickered as he made a stabbing motion at his heart.  “Let’s just go back to talking about Bora Bora.”

“Oh Riley, no,” I pleaded. “I swear I will keep that bitch in check. This is your wedding. Nothing’s going to change that.”

“You
better
keep her in check,” he joked.

“I will, I so will,” I promised as I curled up with his free arm around me and we snuggled together for the rest of his time at the hospital talking about anything but the wedding and the new wedding planner.

On the drive back to the house though, I couldn’t help but start to wonder what Riley’s big surprise was going to be. But when I had to park Hawkins’ black Saab three fourths of the way down the driveway because three large vans were already parked there, I realized that
the surprise
was bigger than I had anticipated.

“Ah Joie, why don’t you head up to the bus so I can see if things are in order,” Riley waved his hands at me and I turned to head up the bus. Once inside, I was surprised to find Lizzie.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were up here. What’s going on in the house?”

“I have been sworn to secrecy,” she admitted as she finally stepped out of the way of a black and white Crate & Barrel box.

“Wow, we already got a gift,” I moved in and noticed that the tape around the box was already unsealed. I turned to Lizzie in astonishment, “Did you open this?”

“Warren told me not to,” she said in a small voice.

“I told her not too,” Warren added from the kitchen booth facing us.

“These are for after the wedding, Lizzie,” I opened the box and found the card on top of the gift which was hidden under layers of wrapped paper packaging.

“I’m so sorry, Joie, I know I shouldn’t have,” she apologized when I realized she had opened the back of the card as well. “I’m the only one who took a look—

“Is nothing sacred?” I rolled my eyes as I opened the small envelope and turned over the card. “It’s from Hawkins’ mom,” I nodded. “Man, that woman’s on the ball. What was it a set of steak knives?” I joked letting Lizzie know that she was off the hook.

“Something not nearly as interesting as that,” she snorted.

“You’re killing me with the suspense,” Warren laughed though I wasn’t sure he was being a hundred percent serious.

“You can tell Warren, if he can keep it a secret but I’m waiting for after the wedding.”

“Joie, it’s time,” Riley appeared at the opening of the door and motioned for me to come.

“I’ll seal it back up,” Lizzie assured me. “Go.”

I headed down the steps and smiled as I took Riley’s extended hand before he turned to lead me into the house that looked like it had been turned into a bridal store because it was filled with racks and racks of wedding dresses and tuxedos. Something about the soft firelight shining against the embellishments and beads on the dresses made them seem even more beautiful and the event even more personal. It may not have been sampling desserts but I knew Riley wouldn’t let me walk down the aisle looking like a fool either. 

“These are the empire-waist gowns,” he ran a hand along the first rack of dresses we walked past whose white material extended down and out from the bust line. I stopped to look at one with a silver embellished belt.

“This would hide my bump the best,” I realized.

“You’re bump’s not that obvious yet, Joie,” he shook his head. “Besides this isn’t about hiding something, this is about your big day.”

I smiled at a petite woman who looked like she could be someone’s little Russian grandmother standing by the window seat across the room. Beside her feet was a square platform which lifted a good twelve inches off the polished cherry wood floor. I now realized why Riley needed the floors to be spotless.

She wasn’t the only one in the room smiling at me as we made our way down the racks of dresses. It seemed like a different person was positioned in between each rack probably to make sure nothing happened to the very expensive looking dresses, and with good reason I realized when I noticed that one of the empire-waist dresses was made by Vera Wang. 

“These are your trumpet gowns,” Riley continued to point out a rack of dresses that flared out just below the hips which I thought looked a little bit too ruffled and dramatic for my taste. 

“And these are your mermaid gowns,” he held up one of the gowns which flared out at the knee and placed it against my chest to look at it. I didn’t really get the whole mermaid look but I didn’t stop Riley when he handed the dress over to one of the women standing nearby who took it down to the seamstress by the window.

“These are your ball gowns,” Riley continued his way down. “They’re meant to have a fitted bodice and a dramatic full skirt. I would love to get you into of these but I know it’s probably the most out of your comfort zone.”

“I’ll at least try one,” I insisted to his obvious delight. “This one’s perfect for emphasizing that over the top feeling I want to accomplish when you arrive in the row boat.”

“These A-line gowns are the perfect compromise though, if the ball gowns are too much for you,” he grabbed up a couple and quickly handed them over to the staff.

“What are these called?” I held up a slim form fitted dress that I could actually see myself wearing if I wasn’t so conscientious about my baby bump. “Look at the button detail along the back and down the butt,” I smiled. “Now this is a dress Hawkins would like.”

“No doubt, let’s try on this one two,” he took it off the rack and then glanced over my shoulder in the direction of the front door. “Good, Lizzie, you’re here. I already have some bridesmaid dresses prepared for you.”

“But these are gorgeous,” she gushed as she quickly moved in to work her way through the rack. “Can’t I at least try on a few for when Warren finally pops the question?” she popped out her bottom lip and gave him her puppy dog eyes.

“You can
try
on as many as you like,” he half rolled his eyes. “But remember that this is
Joie’s
day.”

“I don’t mind if she finds a wedding dress she likes too,” I let Riley know. “When are we ever going to do this again? And you know
,
Warren’s going to ask her eventually.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Lizzie murmured under her breath as she smiled at the closest rack, nor knowing where to start.

“Fine, but we still have to find you a bridesmaid dress and we’re pressured for time with all of the fittings we’ve got to get done.”

“I’m already on the second rack,” she assured him.
             

“I’ve already found some simple but sultry dresses down here, Lizzie. You’d look good in this one,” I held up a dress with an opened back with lace along the hem and across the back of the shoulders. 

“That’s very Marilyn Monroe, I like it,” she approached me and took the fabric in her hands.
             
“Good, you found a dress that you like. Now Lizzie, go with Joie, and Erica Alyson here will help bring up your dresses so that you can change in the bedroom.”

An hour later, Lizzie and I had so much fun swapping and trying on dresses that the decision was clear for both of us. I had decided on a trumpet gown because it flared out enough at my hips to meet Riley’s envision of a full flowing dress but at the same time I got to keep the button detail down my back and behind, which I knew Hawkins would appreciate. It also didn’t hurt that Riley was literally rendered speechless when I walked down the steps dressed in the Vera Wang gown. Lizzie ended up picking the same type of gown but with a deeper cut across her chest bone because she wanted to surprise Warren with a classy demure look he had never seen her in before.

“You two aren’t concerned that you’re wearing the same type of dress?” Riley asked.

“Are we?” I felt my face pinch as we eyed each other’s gown.

“I’m going for the Kim
Kardashian
look,” Lizzie made the distinction clear. “And
Joie’s
going for the Eva Longoria slash Kate
Beckinsale
look.”

“That sounds about right,” Riley nodded his head back and forth in agreement.

“Let’s get your measurements,” the small seamstress, whose eyes crinkled when she smiled, waved for me to come forward onto the platform.

I knew Hawkins was busy working on a surprise project for the baby’s room but fortunately when he finally came out I was only dressed in my bra and underwear.

“What are you doing?!” Riley shrieked. “
It’s
bad luck to see the bride in the dress before the wedding!”

“Sorry,” Hawkins instantly covered his eyes.

“But I’m not actually wearing the dress, Riley,” I pointed out. “And I’m pretty sure he’s seen this look before,” I couldn’t help but smirk.

“You know, she does have a point, Riley,” Hawkins snickered.

“Well hurry up then,” Riley sighed. “I’ll text you when I’m ready to have the guys fitted.”

“Sorry I almost saw the dress, Riley. I feel really, really terrible about it,” Hawkins quickly looked me up and down and shamelessly winked at me before turning to leave.

“Oh yeah, he’s devastated alright,” I sighed sarcastically. “I can just see the concern building in his eyes.”

“I’m about to cry a river,” Hawkins called over his shoulder before exiting out the door.

“Kids today,” the petite seamstress shook her head as she continued to measure me. 

Once she was done pinning the dress to my exact proportions and it fit perfectly to my body, I let Lizzie take my place on the platform.

“We still have to pick out a bridesmaid dress for you, Lizzie. So stop swaying around and let the
woman do
her job,” Riley sighed as I got dressed in my tank top and grey Victoria’s Secret sweat pants again.

“Excuse me…? Hello?” an unfamiliar woman’s voice called out from the front of the house.

“Yes?”

“Is this the Hawkins’ residence?” a tall woman, with sunglasses on, took another few steps closer toward us, her high heels clicking sharply on the floor.

“Yes, it is,” I answered and stood up halfway to greet her. She had poker straight auburn hair that fell just below her shoulders, her make up looked professionally spray painted on and she was dressed to the nines in a long tan jacket with buttons down the front and a contrasting black belt.

“Is she here for you?” I turned to Riley sitting beside me on the window seat. 

“Oh my, these dresses are fabulous!” she exclaimed, giving me my answer. When I saw a ring binder filled with papers secured underneath her arm, I was certain that she was the wedding planner Hawkins’ mom had raved about.

“You must be, Joie,” she approached Lizzie in her wedding dress. “I’ve heard so many…
lovely
things about you.”

“And I’m sure they’re
all
true,” Lizzie smirked over at me since we all knew where she had gotten her information.

“I’m, actually, Joie,” I held up a hand.

“Oh…right, I’m
so
sorry, I was just confused by the dress,” she cupped her mouth and added, “
which
is
gorgeous
by the way.”

“Now her, I like,” Lizzie said as she smoothed out her hair and admired herself in the reflection of the glass window.

“Why don’t you do something productive and go pick out a bridesmaid dress?” Riley sighed with his hand resting underneath his chin.

“I’m not sure we’ve been properly introduced,” she held out her hand for Riley’s. “I’m Viviane Ramsey and you are...?”

“Just Riley,” he shrugged and I quickly explained, “The other wedding planner.”

“Well
just Riley
, why don’t we compare notes?”

“You already have notes?” I asked, somewhat surprised.

“I’ve been made aware of your situation, yes,” she paused to look down at my bump.

The tendons in Riley’s neck tensed so hard they practically popped out around his neckline since he obviously did not like what she was insinuating—that this was a shotgun wedding and nothing more. I had to gently squeeze his hand to stop him from saying something he’d regret or more importantly I would.

“We’ve already picked out the colors which are black and white,” I quickly got the ball rolling. “We were fortunate enough to be allowed to display Dale
Chihuly’s
famous art work for the night. It’s really the inspiration behind the theme of the wedding.”

Viviane quickly opened her planner and began to take notes in flawless cursive. “So you’ve planned the cake,” she began to make a check list after listening to what both of us had to say—well really just me. “You’ve taken care of the food and…the dresses,” she checked that off her list with a glance up at Lizzie who was currently being fitted into her bridesmaid dress, a long black satin mermaid dress. “Have you thought about the seating arrangement or possible gift ideas to give the guests yet?”