One More Chance: A Small Town Love Story

by A. J. Wynter

  Megan’s stepsister, Ariel, clapped her hands and squealed when the primping and smoothing of the dress was done. “It’s perfect, Meg.” Megan’s parents had divorced when she was a child, and when her dad remarried, she found herself with a baby stepsister. Even though her dad’s second marriage was shorter than his first, Megan and Ariel had formed a strong bond and remained close over the years.

  Charlotte could tell that Ariel was one of ‘those’ girls whose wedding had been planned since she was a little girl. She was the bright-eyed optimist of the bridal party, and the most involved in the planning. Charlotte was at the other end of the spectrum. She never wondered what kind of dress she’d wear, what color scheme she would have, or hell, if she’d get married at all. She placed value on other things in her life, like her work, and told herself that she didn’t care if she ever got married.

  Somewhere in between Ariel and Charlotte was Melissa. She had married her high school sweetheart and worked at The Sugar Peaks Coffee Shop. Megan had confided to Charlotte that she would’ve been lost without her help.

  “What do you think, Melissa?” Megan asked, smoothing down the front of the ball gown. “Ariel would like a bedazzled paper bag.”

  “Guilty,” Ariel shrugged and smiled.

  “It’s just...”

  Charlotte could see Melissa struggling and interjected. “It’s a no from me.” The shop girl’s smiled faded as Charlotte picked apart the dress. “It’s not you. It hides your ass. I know you; you’re going to be pulling on this all night.” Charlotte grabbed the strapless bodice and jostled it around. “Especially when your boobs get even bigger.”

  “I think it’s a little, um, stiff.” Melissa agreed. “You two are getting married in Chance Rapids, not at the Palace Hotel ballroom.”

  Megan cradled her belly through the layers of silk, lace, and sequins, “I just worry about this showing.”

  “It’s not 1965,” Charlotte said. “Embrace that bump, that little baby should be the highlight of the ceremony. It’s the only reason for all of this.”

  Megan’s mouth dropped and she slowly turned to face the trio of bridesmaids seated on the tufted sofa.

  “That’s not what I meant,” Charlotte said.

  “What did you mean, Char?” Megan put her hands on the billowing fabric.

  “I’m going to pick out another dress,” the shop girl said, backing away from the brewing confrontation.

  “Wait.” Charlotte held up her hand and pointed at the shop girl, “I’m going with you.”

  The girl paused, frozen in place. She looked to Megan for instruction, but Megan was still staring at Charlotte.

  “Do you think I’m making a mistake?” Megan asked.

  Charlotte took a deep breath, her pointed finger keeping the shop girl frozen in place. “Absolutely not Meg. You and Josh are soulmates. If you would give me a second without jumping down my throat, all I meant was that we are rushing to get this wedding done before the baby comes.”

  The shop girl’s shoulders dropped from her ears and her fake smile returned.

  “I’ve been pretty hands off this whole thing, but there is no way in hell I’m letting you walk down the aisle in that monstrosity. Melissa, you coming?” she barked.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Melissa stood up and so did Ariel.

  “You sit down,” Charlotte pointed to the couch and Ariel sat obediently.

  Charlotte grabbed Melissa by the forearm and dragged her off to the back of the store, marching back shortly with an armload of dresses.

  “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Megan pulled Charlotte aside.

  “Sure.” Charlotte handed the stack of plastic covered dresses to the salesgirl. Charlotte knew that she was being high maintenance, but she wanted to make sure that Megan was making the right decision.

  The two women stepped outside of the dressing room and into the main store. Megan shoved her hands in the pockets of the thick terry cloth robe.

  “Is something going on?” Megan asked.

  “No, why?” Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her.

  “If someone gets to be a bridezilla, it’s me. Not you. You were rude to Jessica and condescending to Melissa and Ariel. I won’t have it.”

  “Who is Jessica...?”

  “See, you’ve gotten so high up on that horse of yours – Jessica is the saleswoman helping us. If you would’ve been paying attention instead of sitting on your phone the entire time, you would know that. I’m asking if something is wrong because I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. There’s got to be something wrong for you to be acting like this because if there isn’t, somewhere along the line you’ve lost who you really are.”

  Charlotte subconsciously took a step back. Megan hadn’t physically hit her, but her words stung just as badly as a slap to the face, if not worse.

  “I’m sorry Meg. I’m dealing with a tough client and with all this wedding planning, you and I haven’t really had the chance to sit down and talk. I found out some news about my past. I thought that I was okay with it, but I guess I’m not.”

  Megan gestured to the two regal looking chairs in the corner and the two of them sat down. “What is it?”

  “We should get back,” Charlotte replied.

  “You’re my best friend. I care about you more than a damn dress.”

  Charlotte hesitated, then sat down on the edge of one of the uncomfortable chairs and proceeded to tell Megan all about the letter that either her sister or her mom had hidden from her.

  “Have you asked Lauren?”

  Charlotte shook her head. “She’s been so busy we haven’t had the chance to talk about it – and I just found out yesterday.” Charlotte collapsed back into the chair, “There’s no excuse for my behavior, Meg. I’ll apologize to the girls and make it up to them, I promise. Someone took this whole experience away from me, without even asking me...” Charlotte spread her arms wide and gestured around the bridal shop. “I want you to have the perfect wedding since I didn’t.” Charlotte leaned forward and put her face in hands, her elbows on her knees. “I’ve been terrible.”

  Megan stood up and embraced her friend. “Charlotte, I’m going to say this out of love, so don’t take it the wrong way, okay?”

  Charlotte looked up and wiped her eyes, leaving an inky trail of mascara across her cheek. “I can take it,” she smiled, her voice cracking.

  “You’re thirty-three years old. That’s not old. You haven’t lost the opportunity to do anything, so stop feeling sorry for yourself. You’re going to be the most gorgeous bride this town has ever seen IF you decide to get married.”

  Charlotte sat up rigidly in the chair and stared at the carpet. Megan had never spoken to her like this before. Charlotte was the one who doled out the tough love. She looked up and saw Megan standing with her arms wide open. “Remember, I said that with love,” she smiled. “And today, all I need from you is to be my friend and give me your honest opinion about the damn dress, so I don’t end up looking like a cake topper. Stop trying so hard and just be my friend.”

  “Shit,” Charlotte whispered and wondered if there was a bridesmaid equivalent to bridezilla. She stood up and let Megan squeeze her tightly.

  “You go try on that first dress. The girl, I mean, Jessica, knows which one the frontrunner is,” Charlotte said and headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back,” she said as she jogged out of the store in search of the closest liquor store. She found what she was looking for and raced back to the bridal shop, breathing heavily.

  “Jessica,” she smiled at the saleswoman. “Could you please bring out your best champagne flutes?” she pulled a bottle of the most expensive champagne she could get at the local liquor, and a non-alcoholic sparkling cider from behind her back.

  “Coming right up,” she replied.

  “And get one for yourself too,” Charlotte yelled as she disappeared into a back room.

  “It’s
time for us to have a little fun,” Charlotte smiled and expertly popped the cork. “Ladies, I’ve been on edge lately. I’m so sorry for being a total and utter beehive.”

  “Beehive?” Megan raised her eyebrows.

  “I’ve been spending too much time with my niece,” she laughed. “I apologize for being a total raging bitch.”

  “Apology accepted,” Melissa said.

  Megan walked out of the dressing room and all three of the bridesmaids gasped. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were pink as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dress was simple, yet elegant; like if Kate Middleton had gotten married on a beach, this is the dress she would’ve worn. With its body-skimming silk and lace with cap sleeves, Megan looked like an angel.

  “Now, that’s what I’m talking about,” Charlotte said and handed Megan a champagne flute with sparkling cider. “But, it’s not up to me,” she caught herself, asking, “Do you like it?”

  “I love it,” Megan sighed. “But I think it’s a little out of my budget.”

  “Actually, Miss, that dress is on sale right now for two thousand dollars,” The shop clerk smiled.

  “But the tag says eight thousand,” Megan pulled at the cardboard tag pinned to the dress.

  “It’s a special deal. Um, because you’re buying off the rack and we don’t have to alter it. You know, seeing as your wedding is in a few weeks.” the shop girl stammered, and Charlotte smiled at her. The girl wasn’t a good liar, Charlotte was happy to pick up the extra six thousand to ensure that her friend had a dress that made her eyes light up.

  “You’re so beautiful, sis.” Ariel had tears streaming down her face as she hopped off the couch to hug her stepsister.

  Melissa held up her champagne flute. “To Megan and Josh.”

  “To Megan and Josh,” the group chorused.

  The door chimed and the group heard a commotion from the main room. “You’ll have to excuse me for a moment,” Jessica said. “I’ll be right back to help you out of your dress.” She set down her glass and left the sitting room.

  “Josh is going to lose his mind when he sees you in that dress,” Melissa smiled. “It fits like it was made for you.”

  The shop girl returned followed by a huge mountain of a man in a suit. He took a quick walk around the room and spoke into a radio, “All clear.”

  Charlotte sidled up to the shop girl, “What’s going on?”

  The shop girl whispered, “A celebrity is coming in for a dress fitting.”

  “Ooh,” Charlotte whispered back, “Who?”

  “I can’t say,” the girl responded. “Shall we get you out of that dress?” she looked at Megan and gestured to the fitting room.

  “I never want to get out of this dress,” Megan replied. “Although I should probably wait until the wedding day to spill champagne all over it.” Megan followed the shop girl back into the fitting room and Charlotte plopped onto the couch in between Melissa and Ariel.

  “There’s a celebrity coming in,” she whispered, eyeing up the bodyguard who stood sentry by the door.

  “Who?” Ariel gasped.

  “They wouldn’t say,” Charlotte replied and downed the last of her champagne. “Refill?” she asked, but before she could get up the bodyguard’s radio squawked and the doors to the sitting room opened. The most beautiful woman Charlotte had ever seen floated into the room on her mile-long spider legs. Charlotte had no idea who she was but assumed that she was either an actor or a model. A second bodyguard followed her in, nodded to the first and left the room, presumably to stand guard by the main door.

  “Would you like a glass of champagne?” Charlotte asked the celebrity. She rubbed elbows with the wealthiest people in the country and wasn’t going to be intimidated by some stick figure woman.

  “No thank you. I’m not going to be here long,” Charlotte was surprised by the twangy southern accent that came out of her mouth. She had been expecting a French accent, the woman looked like she had just flown in off the runways of Paris.

  “Serena.” Jessica had returned, her face flushed. “We have the dress ready for your final fitting. Follow me.”

  “I didn’t realize this was going to be a group affair,” she woman drawled as she walked toward the fitting rooms.

  “Oh, they’ll be gone soon, their appointment ran a little longer than expected.”

  Hell no. Charlotte thought to herself. Who did this woman think she was?

  “That’s Serena Cruise” Ariel whispered.

  “Never heard of her,” Charlotte quipped.

  “She’s only the most famous Instagram model right now.”

  “Instagram model,” Charlotte practically choked on her champagne. “She’s pretty high on her horse for being fake famous.”

  “No, she’s real famous,” Ariel replied.

  Charlotte opened her mouth to debate the merits of Instagram celebs, but decided to keep quiet. Megan returned to the sitting area looking more like herself in her uniform of yoga pants and a t-shirt. “Lunch?” she asked.”

  The Amazonian woman loomed behind her in a gorgeous aquamarine gown. She expertly stepped around Megan, and stood in front of the three angled mirrors, snapping selfies of herself.

  “That’s a beautiful bridesmaid dress,” Charlotte decided to play nice.

  “Bridesmaid, what?” the girl replied without missing a beat, pursing her lips at her phone and making peace signs. “This isn’t a tacky bridesmaid dress. I’m a guest at some hick wedding.”

  “Close friends of yours?” Charlotte muttered under her breath.

  “No, I don’t even know them,” Serena replied, oblivious to the dig.

  “Hi, guys,” Serena said to her phone. “What do you think of my dress?”

  She twirled and giggled.

  “It might be a bit much, but it’s better to be overdressed. Am I right?”

  Her voice raised an octave at the end of each sentence, everything that came out of her mouth sounded like a question.

  “She’s doing a live broadcast,” Ariel whispered.

  “Ok, guys. What do you think, will Logan Brush lose his mind when he sees me in this dress?”

  Charlotte tilted her head and wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her. She turned to Megan, whose eyes were wide, her mouth open in shock.

  Nope, she wasn’t hearing things.

  The world slowed. Charlotte assumed that Logan was single but realized that she had never asked him if he had a girlfriend. As she watched the model turning and posing for the camera, her face grew so hot she thought her head might explode right off her body.

  Her hands grabbed the champagne bottle, but they didn’t feel like her own. She could see her boots walking toward the photo shoot but didn’t feel like she was the one controlling them. She could see her hand pouring the champagne over the top of Serena’s head, but it didn’t feel like it belonged to her.

  She set down the empty bottle and turned to the wide-eyed trio on the sofa, “Let’s go.”

  As they walked away, they could hear Serena freaking out. “Oh. My. god. What just happened. Guys. I don’t even know that crazy old woman. It’s ruined.” Her squealing was the last thing they heard as they exited the store.

  Chapter 20

  LOGAN SAT IN HIS TRUCK outside the hockey rink. He dialed Ray, his agent for the third time and grunted when he got his voicemail again. Now that Logan was out of the public eye. his agent had been growing less and less responsive to his calls.

  “Ray, I need you to cancel that deal with the modeling agency. I can’t do it anymore. Do what it takes to get out of it.” He left another voicemail and clicked off the phone.

  He had tossed and turned the entire night, but when he woke up that morning, he knew exactly what he had to do. He had to cancel the contract for the appearances with Serena Cruise. He would return her donation to the hockey league’s charity. The league needed the money, but the deal had a clause stating that he couldn’t be seen in public with another woman for the du
ration of the contract. He signed the contract before Charlotte came back into his life, and as much as he wanted the money for the team, he wanted Charlotte on his arm more.

  Freddie was flaked out on the sofa watching hockey and mindlessly scrolling through his phone when Logan walked in the door.

  “How was practice?” Freddie asked, grabbing a piece of bacon from the plate carefully balanced on his chest.

  Logan dropped his hockey bag by the door and set his stick in the custom-built holder Josh had made Freddie for his birthday. “It was pretty good. The boys are getting worked up about the playoffs with the rumors that scouts have been showing up.”

  “Have they?” Freddie sat up and wolfed down the last piece of bacon.

  “Maybe,” Logan smiled wryly. “I wouldn’t want that to get out though. You know how this town is. If Riley knows there’s a scout in the crowd, he’ll fall to pieces.” Riley was Logan’s star center a hotheaded, but a very talented player.

  “I do know how this town is,” Freddie grinned. “Want some bacon, there’s some left in the pan.”

  Logan wondered how Freddie wasn’t nine hundred pounds. His kid brother ate bacon at least five days a week. He grabbed a piece from the frying pan and took a bite. It was crunchy like bark, just the way Freddie liked it.

  “Speaking of small-town gossip, I hear that you and a certain rich lady were skinny-dipping at the hot springs yesterday.”

  Logan groaned. “Are you serious?”

  “Oh, yes.” Freddie poured a cup of coffee and grabbed a mug for Logan. “Coffee?”

  “Sure,” Logan replied. “How the hell did that get out?”

  “I heard it from Muriel when I was getting gas. She heard it from one of the loggers. Who knows where they heard it?”

  “Sometimes I miss the city,” Logan grabbed the mug that looked suspiciously like one of the mugs from the G Spot and sat down to watch the hockey game with his brother.

  “Come on, you’re number 88. You can’t be anonymous anywhere, except maybe Antarctica, but I’ve heard that penguins are hockey fans too. How was the logging road up to the springs?” Freddie asked, his eyes glued to the TV screen.