Say Forever (14 page)

"So how about you come to the ranch for lunch? We need to get your measurements, so we can adjust my old dress."

"I'm sorry," I say through a strained voice. "I've got plans already."

"Come by the ranch tonight then. We need to get my dress to the seamstress before it's too late."

I exhale a slow steady breath while straightening in my chair. I will not let her bully me into wearing some other dress for
my
wedding. "Tia, thank you so much for the offer, but I want to give my gown a try. I'm not even finished painting it."

Her spine stiffens and she clucks her tongue as she sets the last dish in the rack. I watch her rigid movements as she dries her hands on a towel. I know once she turns around, she'll keep trying to wear me down, and I'm so not in the mood to argue anymore.

Luckily, just as she opens her mouth to speak, there's a knock on the door. Grace! I'd nearly forgotten we were supposed to go shopping for her maid of honor dress today. I jump up so fast, I nearly topple the chair behind me.

I race to the door and swing it open. Grace is standing in the entryway, looking as polished and poised as ever. I have no idea how her wavy blonde hair and golden skin always looks so flawless, like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

"Hello." She smiles and turns up her pert nose. "You ready?"

I sigh as Tia comes up behind me. I can feel her breathing down my neck like a tiger ready to pounce on her prey. I open the door wide and nod toward my best friend. "Grace, you remember Andrés's aunt?" I sweep my arm toward Tia and they both smile at each other. Grace and Tia already met at the surprise graduation party Andrés threw me. Even though it was only a few weeks ago, it feels like ages. I was so happy at that party, maybe because Marie couldn't attend, or maybe because it was before the engagement and the baby news.

"So where are you two headed?" Tia asks while she eyes me suspiciously.

I look back at Grace, willing her to read the meaning behind my pleading gaze.
Please don't tell her where we're going.

"Maid of honor dress shopping," Grace says with a little too much perkiness.

Damn. I cringe as I warily eye Tia.

She clasps her hands together and squeals. "Oh, you'll make a lovely maid of honor."

Grace beams at her. "Thanks."

Poor girl. She's totally oblivious to the fact that she's fallen into the snake pit of doom.

"Come in, dear. I was just finishing up the kitchen." Tia steps aside and motions toward the living room, as if this is her apartment. She smiles as my unsuspecting friend takes a seat on the sofa.

I sit beside Grace and nudge her knee. When Grace looks at me, I try again to warn her by making subtle overtures toward Tia as she sits across from us. Other than running out into the stairwell and pulling on the fire alarm, I don't know what else to do. I'm hoping Grace will understand my meaning and think of something to get us out of here.

Tia crosses one ankle over the other and eyes me pointedly. "Christina, did you notice Marie seems upset?"

I try to swallow the tension that clogs my throat like a lump of clay. "I noticed," I say dryly.

"You have to understand," Tia says with a dramatic sigh, "she and Andrés were very close growing up. I think she's hurt you haven't asked her to be a bridesmaid yet."

I gasp. "A bridesmaid?" She can't be fucking serious.

"Of course. She was the only girl cousin in their group. All of Andrés's other cousins are going to be groomsmen. She'll be left out if she's not in the wedding."

Grace clears her throat beside me, and I can tell by the way she fidgets in her seat that she finally understands the trap we've fallen into.

"Andrés and I discussed this." I try my hardest to keep my tone even, but I can't help the note of desperation that slips into my voice. "He's only asking Cesar to stand up with him. I was hoping for a small bridal party. Honestly, I don't want any bridesmaids other than Grace." I squeeze my best friend's hand, thankful when she scoots closer and squeezes back. " Besides, I don't think Marie wants to be in my wedding, anyway."

Tia gapes at me like I've grown a second head. "Of course she does."

As if on cue, Marie walks out of my bedroom. She smooths down her hair while fixing us all with a serene expression. She's not fooling me. I know the bitch that lurks beneath the façade.

Tia turns in her seat and angles her head toward her. "Marie, do you want to be a bridesmaid in your cousin's wedding?"

Marie shrugs, and I watch her knuckles whiten as she clutches a little black purse in front of her. "Sure."

My whole body tenses up when Marie looks over at me, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. I squeeze Grace's hand so tight, she gasps.

Tia turns back to me. "Then it's all settled. Should we follow you to the fitting or go in one car?"

Chapter Thirteen

Christina

Luckily, I'd forgotten to remove artificial flowers and other props from the back of my car, so Tia and Marie have to follow me in Tia's SUV. Tia says she's not good with her new navigation system and she tries to make us go with her. Thankfully, Grace makes up some story about getting motion sickness in big trucks. I fill Grace in on all the details as Marie and Tia follow us. By the time we get to the dress shop, Grace is seething with anger and ready to punch Marie in the face.

A physical confrontation is the last thing I need right now, so after I talk my best friend off the ledge, we get out of the car and walk through the parking lot to the bridal shop. That's when I notice Tia's truck isn't in sight.

"Oops," Grace says with mock innocence as she tosses her halo of hair over one shoulder. "I must have lost them."

But just as we're walking into the shop, my shoulders fall when I see Tia's big silver truck stopped at the light across the street. Mom and Nora have already taken over a corner in the rear of the store, leaning back in oversized chairs and drinking some bubbly concoctions while the saleslady piles sample gowns on a rack in front of them. Grace halts like she's run into a brick wall and makes a gagging sound while gaping at the dresses. I do a double take when I see the hideous array of gaudy colors, and I'm wondering if a rainbow vomited all over the dress rack.

"Christina, darling," Nora calls as she waves us over.

I trudge toward them, having to pull Grace along while she makes more gagging and choking sounds. Christmas music filters in from the speakers above, and I swear it's louder than last time. I thought Christmas was over already.

Nora doesn't bother standing up as she blows air kisses at me and Grace.

I offer a hesitant smile, but Grace pulls a face and turns her attention to her fingernails.

Nora doesn't seem to be affronted. Judging by the look in her hooded gaze, she's already three sheets to the wind.

"We've already found several fabulous dresses for your lovely bridesmaid." Nora's words slur together in a jumbled mess, as if all of them are in a race for the finish line and her tongue is tripping them along the way.

My mom eyes Nora through slitted lids. Maybe she'll see hiring her is a bad idea.

"What's in this stuff?" Mom asks as she frowns at her drink and then sets it on the little table beside her chair.

I introduce Grace to my mom and Nora, and then a bell jingles. I look over my shoulder to see Tia and Marie storming through the door. Eyebrows knitted together, they glare at Grace as they make their way toward us.

I cringe when Grace cocks a hand on her hip and locks gazes with Marie.

I can already tell this is going to be one fun wedding.

Before anyone can say anything, I decide to intervene. "Tia, you remember my mom from my graduation party?"

Tia stops glaring at Grace long enough to smile at my mom. "It's so nice to see you again, Mrs. Domingo." Her voice rises several octaves as she holds out her hand.

My mom stands, and rather than shaking Tia's hand, she opens her arms for a hug. "Call me Jenny." She pulls Tia into a hug. "Since we're going to be family," she adds with a wink as she pulls back.

The tight lines around Tia's mouth soften. "You can call me Rosa."

"Who do we have here?"

Mom smiles warmly at Marie, and it makes me want to vomit. Marie doesn't deserve a smile. What she deserves is a kick in the ass.

"My niece, Marie." Tia eyes Grace with derision. "Christina's
other
bridesmaid."

"Oh, how exciting!" Mom clasps her hands together, beaming at all of us.

"Yes, yes, very exciting," Tia says with a flick of the wrist.

I can already tell she's got another agenda, and my gut ties itself in a knot when I fear what it may be.

"So... " Tia says as she taps her chin. "Christina tells me the wedding will be in San Antonio."

"Yes." Mom sighs as her eyes glaze over dreamily. The poor woman is totally oblivious to the estrogen overload in the room, which I'm beginning to realize is toxic in large doses. "Nora has already booked the hotel. It's going to be beautiful."

I hear a small giggle, and then watch as a rack with gowns topples behind my mom, followed by another, and another. I cringe as the wedding dress dominoes continue to topple. The saleslady shrieks and rushes to the disaster. She must think Austin is having its first earthquake, but I know what force of nature could be capable of such destruction. My brothers.

Mom shrieks and spins around. "Gio, Manny, where'd you go?"

I gasp, and my mouth suddenly goes dry. "You brought my brothers?"

Mom heaves a frustrated groan as she climbs through the rubble. "The babysitter cancelled."

"I said it would be okay for her to bring them," Nora slurs, by way of drunken apology.

Mom finds them under the last toppled rack. They are giggling uncontrollably and flopping around like fish out of water as she hauls them up.

"What have you done?" Mom shrieks.

Manny, the youngest, squirms out of Mom's grasp and rushes to me. He clutches my leg, looking across at my mom with a trembling lip. "Sissy, save me!"

I reach down and haul him up on my hip. He reeks of tart cherries. His mouth is coated in a thin layer of grime and what looks like pink dye. When he wraps his arms around my neck, it feels like he's rubbing my skin with super glue.

"Ohhh, your hands are all sticky." Wincing, I set him back on the ground as I unstick his hands from my hair.

"You naughty boy! Where did you get that candy?"

Looking up, I see mom holding my oldest brother Gio at arm's length. Gio is kicking and squirming, acting like a mental patient trying to free himself of his restraints. His hands and face are covered in sticky paste, too, and I can only imagine the condition of the dresses.

"Christina, honey, I can't stay." Mom says apologetically as she wipes her hands down the sides of her pants.

"That's okay. I'll stay with her." Tia folds her arms across her chest. "I'd like to contribute
something
to this wedding."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I'm certain my mom is too frazzled to pay any attention to Tia's blatant sarcasm.

"Thank you, Rosa," Mom says as she pulls Manny from me and hauls the boys out the door.

I'm not sure, but I think I hear Gio say, "Miss Nora gave us the candy," but his little voice is drowned out by the sound of the bell.

I look at Nora, whose gaze is focused on the bottom of her champagne glass. Why would Nora give my hyper brothers candy? And at an expensive dress shop of all places? I had to have heard Gio wrong.

Grace is helping the salesladies as they try to stand up the racks. One of the staff cries out that a dress is covered in candy mess. They'll be sending my mom the dry cleaning bill, no doubt. A sneaky suspicion snakes up my spine as I eye Nora, who still hasn't taken her gaze from her glass. Her mouth is wrapped around the rim and she's staring down at it like a zombie in a trance.

"Those boys aren't going to be in the wedding, are they?"

Tia's sharp gaze is on me.

"They're our ring bearers."

Tia's eyebrows dip beneath her thick bangs. "Oh, because Andrés has a cousin who's slightly older and better behaved."

I shake my head. "I want my brothers."

"I know." Tia heaves an exaggerated sigh before she and Marie share a knowing glance. "I don't want them to lose the ring or ruin the wedding."

I fix each of them with a hard expression. "They're not going to ruin my wedding."

"The ring bearers don't carry the ring anymore. We put a decoy on the pillow." Nora waves a manicured hand with a flourish, flashing a lopsided grin before she holds up her empty glass. "Where's that girl with the champagne?"

The front door bell rings again, and Violet, Grace's girlfriend, walks through the door. She is dressed in her usual attire, faded denim jeans, western boots, and a flannel work shirt. She's recently cut off her spikes, and now her hair is cropped so short, she looks like she just got out of boot camp.

Violet waves hello to me before walking over to Grace and handing her a cellphone. "You forgot this in my truck."

"Did I?" Grace says as she pecks Violet on the cheek.

"Riding in trucks makes her sick, does it?" Marie grumbles behind me.

I cringe when Marie and Tia start firing off words in Spanish. They're bashing Grace, no doubt.

"I figured you'd need it." Violet lowers her voice, but her deep tenor carries far enough for me to hear. "Unless you were trying to avoid me."

"No." Grace's face flushes as she breaks eye contact with Violet. "I wasn't trying to avoid you."

Violet shrugs and turns to me. "Congratulations, Christina."

"Thanks, Violet."

I flash a weak smile, thinking how very much I don't want to be here. I can tell Grace and Violet are at odds. I just hope it isn't serious. The tension between Grace and Andrés's family is so thick it's stifling. I feel awkward while I watch Grace alternate between giving Marie and Tia icy glares and withdraw from Violet. And then there's my wedding planner, who's spread eagle in her chair while calling to the saleslady for more champagne. She's so drunk and disoriented, I have no idea how she's going to find her way home much less manage this wedding.