Fifty Shades Of Love, Sex And Tears

Chapter 45 - Truths and Lies

Charlotte's POV
"Hey," I cheered as I placed my bag on the stool round the high table where Kate, Teddy and Elliot were sat. "You want a beer?" Elliot asked before I'd even taken my coat off, clearly realising I needed one, "A very large one please." I declared placing myself besides my laughing best friend.

"Been one of those days?" Teddy asked knocking his shoulder into mine making me groan. "What have you been up to?" Kate asked sipping her wine casually, here we go the Kavanagh questioning.

"Wedding stuff, work, Christian's parents, charities." I began listing everything briefly that was currently on my plate. "Don't even mention tomorrow night please." I added as an afterthought when Kate reached for my hand.

"You know you don't have to do it by yourself..." Kate began to suggest until Elliot interrupted asking about Teddy's latest exhibition plans.

That was one of Elliot's talents I loved the most because although he can seem dumb and in his own world at times he always knows how and when to change the subject of a conversation.

Not only does it avoid awkward discussions it also allows my mind to wonder...

"Glass of champagne," a younger lady asked as I entered the hidden away boutique in Kent. Glancing at my watch, noticing it was barely 10 o'clock I smiled, it could be earlier. "Yes please," I politely said making myself comfortable on the soft white couch.

"Miss. Twell, how wonderful to see you again." Heather, the designer, and owner of the boutique greeted me. I smiled as she began explaining what we had already discussed the week prior when I first met her one night at the office. I had fallen in love with her style which had an air of simplistic elegance, just what I wanted.

"Abby let me know you had found a venue so that will help picking out a dress." She said calmly before leading me behind a curtain where she began measuring me. I knew that normally she would have someone else do this part but with the privacy of mine and Christian's wedding she didn't want to risk anything, even though they'd all signed NDAs.

"So I have pulled all the gowns you mentioned liking for you to try and hopefully we will find you a dress." Heather declared when a girl similar to my age entered with a rack of dresses, "This is Allie, my daughter who can help you with anything." She continued before leaving the two of us alone to have fun, many would say.

However I was in hell or close to it.

Every dress I had tried on didn't work even though on paper they looked stunning on those with similar body shapes to me. I had made my way through the rack along with the bottle I swore I'd only have one glass of.

"We've tried every style and they just don't work," I complained to the mother and daughter, "Either the base style works but the additions don't or the other way round." Heather nodded clearly understanding, "Nothing is you."

I nodded slouching down into the armchair, not noticing Heather was in front of me until she grabbed my hand, "You could design it yourself?"

"I don't know... I'm a publisher and we don't have time and..." I began listing off reasons why not excluding the fact I wasn't planning to spend loads on a dress I'd wear once but was interrupted. "But I'm a designer and a dress maker, we can do it, you just might need someone to drive you home once we're done."

I laughed, reaching for my glass which was now full. "So I want to see my shape but not in a flaunting manner and not too sexy..." I began spieling off ideas as Heather and Allie pulled out a notebook smiling.

"Twell!" A slap on my shoulder brought me back, "Where'd you go?" Kate asked topping my glass up. "Work," I muttered out a lie, taking a big gulp. "I asked what you were wearing tomorrow, so we don't clash."