Somebody Like You: A Darling, VT Novel

by Donna Alward

  “So I should try number three?”

  And so it went on. The mermaid was a definite no-go. The sheath style was pretty but the super-low back made her uncomfortable. The princess fluffy skirt dress made her collapse into giggles, along with everyone else.

  It was Willow who finally disappeared and came back with a dress on a hanger. “I know it has a sash, and you might not like that, but try this one.”

  Laurel looked at it. On the hanger it was nearly shapeless, and it had an overlay of lace that she thought looked old-fashioned and busy. But because Willow had grabbed it, she dutifully put it on.

  And fell in love.

  The lace fell over lustrous satin, dropping in elegant folds to the floor. The bodice was more modest than the others, with a scalloped lace V-neckline leading to lace straps just over an inch wide. The sash was a pale, pale periwinkle, like the softest of the lilacs in her mother’s garden. She looked at herself in the mirror and got a lump in her throat. The lace wasn’t busy at all. It was perfect. Soft, romantic, nostalgic.

  “You need a veil,” Tricia murmured, a reverent tone in her voice. “Something long. Hang on.”

  She came back in a flash, carrying a simple veil that was attached to clear plastic combs. She anchored it just above Laurel’s knot, and then spread it wide over her back and shoulders. Laurel looked around; the veil went nearly to the floor. Oh heavens.

  “Come on, what’s taking so long?” called Willow.

  Laurel slipped into the shoes she’d brought—her original wedding shoes—and took a breath. “I know I’m not even getting married,” she whispered to Tricia. “But I feel very bridal.”

  “You look bridal. Let’s take you out.”

  She stepped outside of the dressing room and there was silence.

  “Don’t you like it?” she asked, stepping up on the dais.

  “Oh,” Willow said. “Sweetie. It’s perfect.”

  She looked down and gathered the skirt in her hands. “Do you think?”

  Oaklee’s eyes were wide. “Holy shit. That’s the perfect dress. It’s stunning on you. Good job, Willow.”

  Laurel met Willow’s gaze. “You know me pretty well, huh.”

  “What are best friends for?”

  “Now, here’s an idea,” Tricia said. “The original picture has a sage-green sash on your dress. Should we match it, instead of the periwinkle?”

  “We can do that?” Oaklee’s eyes lit up.

  “Sure we can.”

  Oaklee looked at Laurel. “So this is it? This is the dress for the photo shoot?”

  Right. The photo shoot. Not a wedding. After all her self-talk to remember that, she’d conveniently forgotten. Right about the time that Tricia had expertly tied the sash.

  “This is the one.” She looked down at the tag. “Oh my stars. I’m glad it’s on loan. I promise not to get a thing on it.”

  “Don’t worry about that.”

  Oaklee nodded. “It’s publicity for the shop, too. A bunch of local businesses are helping out to get a stake in the promotion.”

  Once again with the hard business. It made her feel a little bit better about wearing a dress that was so expensive. “Oh?”

  Oaklee was on her phone again. “Of course. Laurel, you’re going to need hair and makeup done. We’ve got that covered at Sally Ingram’s salon. New shoes from Stepping Out. Flowers from Buxton’s Blossoms. Oh, and you need a ring. On loan too, of course.” She smiled brightly. “The jeweler is next.”

  “A ring? For a picture?”

  “What happens if you lift your left hand and there’s no engagement ring on it? People notice that stuff. Good heavens, have fun with it. I know I am. Maybe I should have been a wedding planner instead of doing social media.”

  She looked up from the phone. “And.… tweet number two. We have a dress. No peeking until the big day! #somethingoldsomethingnew. Can’t forget to use the hashtag every time.”

  Laurel had a feeling that by the end of the day she was going to tell Oaklee what to do with her hashtag.

  Tricia had one of the seamstresses come in and measure for a few alterations, and it seemed like no time at all and they were out on the bright street again, squinting against the sunlight. At the jewelers she picked out a gorgeous princess-cut diamond with diamond accents down the sides and milgrain detailing. Once more she goggled at the price tag, but since it was on loan, she started breathing again. The jewelry store would hold on to it until the morning of the shoot; then it could be picked up.

  “This is really, really strange,” she commented, as the trio then went to Buxton’s Blossoms. “I feel like such a fraud!” It also felt incredibly real, and she had to keep reminding herself that it wasn’t.

  “Don’t be silly.” Oaklee grinned at her. “We’re thrilled you and Aiden are willing to do the shoot. It’s going to be awesome. The then-and-now thing is going to be a dynamite angle for the press release.”

  “What about flowers, Laurel? What do you like?” asked Willow.

  She frowned. “Last time I had roses and calla lilies and it was all very elegant and fine. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s not who I am. Even if it’s pretend, I think it’d be neat to have something I like. I mean, I’m not out to please a mother-in-law this time.” She snorted a little. “Or a fiancé. Dan had definite ideas about the flowers.”

  “So you can get exactly what you want. Are you more a wildflower girl?”

  “I’m a … a backyard garden kind of girl,” she said. “How about lilacs?” She brightened. “And peonies. Oh my, yes. Purply lilacs and blush-colored peonies and something white. Baby’s breath? It’d have to be delicate around those other blooms. Peonies can be really showy. And just enough fern to go with the sash on the dress.”

  “What do you say?” Oaklee asked the lady behind the counter. “Can we do something with lilacs and peonies?”

  The woman pulled out a catalog, went to a page, and pointed at the arrangements there. “We can swap out these flowers for the ones you want. It’ll be a little fuller—lilac and peonies are a fuller flower than lavender and roses, but the colors you mentioned would work beautifully.”

  Willow leaned over and looked at the page. “We can get the sash from the gown and match the ribbon.”

  “Oooh!” Oaklee’s smile was wide. “Girls, I think we’ve got a good handle on this. Laurel, you go ahead and set up the appointments you need for hair and makeup at Sally’s. Oh, and Sally also agreed to bring you in on the Friday for some pampering. Facial, manicure, the works.”

  “Oaklee, it’s too much.”

  “Hush.” She leaned over. “You know, you’re the town sweetheart these days. You brought the garden center back to life, and then you helped that homeless guy … George? And now you’ve agreed to do the picture. Believe me, everyone’s eager to help.”

  “You’re sure…”

  “It’s done. Compliments of … the town of Darling.”

  “I doubt it was the mayor’s idea,” she muttered. “I doubt I’m on his list of favorite people these days.”

  Willow put a hand on her arm. “Brent doesn’t blame you. I’m sure of it. He probably feels horrible about what happened.”

  “We’re all good, right, ladies?” Oaklee looked up from her phone once more. “I’ve got to get back to the office. I’ll be in touch, Laurel, to firm up details. But for now I think you’re set. I’m leaving the shoes to you.” She grinned. “Just have them bill me at the office.”

  “Thanks,” she said, and after Oaklee was gone, she let out a big breath.

  “Well. That was something. I feel like I’ve just been spun out of a tornado.”

  Willow laughed. “Come on. Let’s go get tea. You can tell me what’s going on with you and Aiden.” Willow had left the café under the care of a supervisor, something she rarely did. “Let’s go to the tearoom,” she suggested. “We’ll have tea and scones in the garden and little cakes and girly things.”

  “You don’t
want to check in at the Pig?”

  “Even I like to have something different once in a while.”

  They went to the tearoom and were seated in the English garden in the back. The scent of roses was heavy in the air, and Laurel took a deep breath. “You know, it’s kind of funny. I work around flowers all day long, and I don’t actually have a lot of time to stop and enjoy them. This is nice.”

  They were brought tea—the real stuff, loose leaf—and milk, honey, and sugar. That was followed by a tray of scones, clotted cream, little sandwiches, and tomato and goat cheese pastries. They switched to a pot of Earl Grey and nibbled on lemon poppyseed cake and strawberry tarts.

  “Oh my gosh. I’m so full.” Laurel sat back and patted her tummy. “Little things add up to big things, apparently.”

  Willow bared her teeth. “Okay, you’re my best friend. Tell me if I have poppyseeds in my teeth.”

  Laurel burst out laughing. “God, we’re classy.”

  “Hey. I am so.” Willow grinned. “Okay, enough tea already. I’ve been more than patient. Time to get down to business. What’s happening with you and Darling’s Finest?”

  Laurel looked down at her plate. “Oh. Well … I don’t know.”

  “That’s … ambiguous.”

  She smiled. She couldn’t help it. “We broke it off, you know, before George was hurt.”

  “After the ex-wedding.”

  She chuckled. “Yeah. Why I thought I’d be able to breeze through that, I don’t know. It was harder than I expected.”

  “It’s tough when you finally have to face some things.”

  Laurel put down her tea cup. “That’s just it. I wasn’t facing it. I was pretending and swallowing all my anger and disillusionment. We broke up because Aiden had the balls to call me on it.”

  “Let me guess. You didn’t like it.”

  Laurel smiled, feeling a bit sad and a bit sheepish. “Would you?”

  “Not likely.”

  They sipped tea for a few minutes more. Then Laurel looked at Willow. She was so kind. Funny, but sweet. Tough as nails, but fragile, too. Laurel liked that Willow, for whatever reason, wasn’t quite perfect. It made it easier for her to say what came next.

  “Know what I realized, Wil? When Dan and I split, I mourned the life I wanted more than I mourned the man. And that’s not right. I mean, I loved him. I did. But it’s…”

  Her throat closed over. Damn. Why did even thinking about Aiden make her so emotional lately?

  “It’s not like the way you love Aiden?” Willow asked gently.

  She met Willow’s gaze. Hesitated. Then shook her head. “No,” she whispered, “it’s not. Maybe it’s always been him. It sounds crazy, but…”

  Willow reached over and put her fingers on Laurel’s. “Love hardly ever makes sense,” she answered, squeezing. “I’ve seen you and Aiden together. There are just sparks there, you know? It’s like you both light up. Even when you don’t want to.”

  Laurel’s lower lip quivered. “I think we sort of made up. But we’re holding off until after the shoot. When George was in the hospital, we talked. We agreed to do the picture, you see. I couldn’t bear to even think of wearing a wedding dress before then. But it’s just a dress. I was so hung up on that and not the hearts involved. I’ve been such a blind fool.”

  “You’ve been hurt, and you had to work through it. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  “Well, I have something to prove. I can put on a dress and pose for a silly picture. And I think I’m smart enough of a businesswoman to realize that Oaklee is right. Having the initial photo with the two of us as kids and then twenty years later … it’s publicity gold.”

  Willow’s eyes shone. “You bet it is. And today was fun. Once it’s all over, maybe you and Aiden can start again.”

  Laurel sighed. “I want to. I think he wants to. We’ve…” her face heated a bit. “We’ve said the word, Wil.”

  “The ‘L’ word?” Willow put down her tea cup. “Oh, yay! It’s about time.”

  Laurel smiled softly. “I know. And it’s great, and it’s complicated, so we’re taking our time. Which is what I thought I wanted. But he’s only called me twice since George got out of the hospital, and both times it was about George’s living arrangements. Nothing personal at all.”

  “Maybe he’s waiting for you to make the first move.”

  Laurel sent Willow a wry glance. “You mean, go jump his bones or something? That’s not usually my style. The thought’s crossed my mind, though.”

  “I’m like that, too. About asking someone out, not jumping Aiden’s bones,” Willow corrected with a smile. “Which is probably why I’m perennially single. I don’t do the asking and I think most of the men in this town don’t quite know what to think of me.”

  “You mean with the pink and purple hair and the nose ring and the organicness?” Laurel grinned. “And let’s not forget the meditating and yoga. You’re new age, baby. You probably scare them to death.”

  “Pssh,” Willow replied, her eyes sliding away from Laurel’s. “I’m about as harmless as you can get. Like a cute and fuzzy kitten.”

  “Even kittens have claws,” Laurel advised. “I don’t know, do you think I should call him?”

  “What exactly did you guys decide? After all the I-love-yous and stuff?”

  Laurel played with the edge of her napkin. “I guess we just … I said … oh hell. That I loved him but needed to take my time.”

  “So he’s giving you the space you asked for?”

  Willow was right. She’d been the one to put on the brakes. “Maybe he knows exactly what he’s doing,” she answered, letting out a frustrated sigh. “He’s given me what I wanted and it’s driving me crazy. I think about him all the time.”

  Willow laughed. “You’ve got it bad. And I think it’s awesome. You know what? I think you should just knock his socks off in that dress. I know the wedding isn’t real or anything, but it’d be a hell of a story to tell the grandkids someday.”

  “You’re not saying it should be official, are you?”

  “Of course not.” Willow looked away and bit into the last tart, then brushed crumbs off her lips with her napkin. “But it’d be a beautiful way to start over. You in a pretty dress, and Aiden in a tux. It’s romantic as hell.”

  It was. And maybe, just maybe, after it was over they could pick up where they left off, but without the weight of all their baggage. The idea was so exciting that she was ready to tackle the last errand of the day. “So what do you say? Hit the shoe store and then call it a day?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  They were back out on the street again when Willow stopped and put her hand on Laurel’s forearm. “Hey, Lor?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Promise me that if the chance for happiness comes your way, you’ll reach out and grab it?”

  Laurel frowned. “Hey, where’s that coming from?”

  “Just someone who wants you to be happy. Who thinks you deserve it lots.”

  “Same goes for you, then.” Laurel stopped and gave Willow a hug right in the middle of the street. “We both deserve it. And don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

  They went to the shoe store then, but Laurel couldn’t shake a strange feeling that Willow was hiding some sort of sadness. It wasn’t like her to get sentimental like that.

  CHAPTER 20

  Aiden adjusted the sage-green necktie once more and looked in the mirror. This was the craziest thing he’d ever done, and he was nervous as hell. Terrified. It could all go so very wrong.

  But if it went right, Oaklee would have one hell of a press release to send out on Monday.

  Rory came into the bathroom, holding Aiden’s tuxedo jacket in his hand. “There. I think I got all the cat hair off. Sorry.”

  “Hazards of living with a veterinarian,” Aiden said. It wasn’t Rory’s fault the kitten had crawled through the gap in the zipper of the garment bag. “How do I look?”

  “Dashing. Si
ck to your stomach.”

  “Correct on both counts.”

  “She doesn’t know?”

  “Not a thing. At least, that’s what Willow says, and she had tea with Willow the other day. And Oaklee’s backing her up. I can’t believe everyone’s kept this a secret.”

  “Particularly Oaklee,” Rory said, frowning. “God, that woman talks and talks and talks.”

  “Apparently she’s discreet. Jesus, Rory.” Aiden’s knees went weak. “What if Laurel says no?”

  Rory grinned. “My money’s on you. You can be downright charming when you put your mind to it. Besides, she told you she loved you. And you love her. Believe in that.”

  “Why don’t I feel better?”

  “It’s time to go.”

  “I need to sit down.”

  Rory laughed. Aiden was serious. His hands were shaking, for Chrissakes.

  It took nearly five minutes for him to get his gumption up again. “Okay. The shoot’s at two. It’s one thirty. I have to be there in ten minutes if I’m going to arrive before she does. God.”

  “Let’s go. I’ll text Willow and tell her to stall.”

  Rory was the one behind the wheel, thank God. Aiden’s heart pounded almost painfully. It had been two weeks of crazy, hectic planning. Willow had been in on it from the start, and so had Oaklee, who in particular had seemed to enjoy the secrecy and surprise elements. He couldn’t have pulled it off without her. Maybe Rory didn’t appreciate Oaklee’s efficiency, but she gave orders and got stuff done. Today was hopefully going to be the wedding day that Laurel had always wanted. And even though it had been nerve-wracking, he’d loved the idea of spoiling her silly.

  He patted the pocket of his jacket. The ring was inside. Oaklee had told Laurel that because of the cost, the ring would be in the possession of a town officer until the moment it was required. The town officer, of course, was him.

  “The weather’s playing nice,” Rory said, finding a spot along the curb. “Look, Aiden. Wow. There are people here and everything.”

  “Any update from Willow?”

  “Hang on. I’ve been driving, you know.” He shut of the car and then reached for his phone. “She says to text when we arrive. I’ll tell her the coast is clear.” He tapped in a few words and then looked over at Aiden. “Jesus, buddy. You’ve got about five minutes. Get yourself together.”