Designing Abigail Kilton's Dress - #1 The Wedding Dress

Chapter 5 - I Think You Forgot To Mention Something

Up until that moment, Kayleigh Moore thought she'd seen just about every expression possible adorn Marcus Burrows's face. After all, he'd been like an older brother to her for many, many years. But she had never seen the mixture of shock, fear, shame and disbelief that adorned his features at that moment.

The man's mouth opened and closed several times, but it took a couple of attempts for the words to make it out. And when they did, they didn't really make much sense.

"Kayleigh? What... Why are... I... uh... Hi!"

Kayleigh pursed her lips and stared back, not knowing what to say or do. She was conscious of the many pairs of eyes on them, preventing her from demanding an explanation as to why he was there. Not that there was much to explain. She could pretty much guess the whats and the whys on her own.

His features softened and his shoulders sagged, confirming Kayleigh's worst fears and just when she was about to walk away, somebody cleared their throat loudly.

"Er... excuse me... but who are you?"

Kayleigh tore her gaze away from the guilty-looking man and turned to the great Abigail Kilton. She couldn't, however, look her in the eyes. Just gazing in the direction of her pretty skin and perfect blond hair opened a black hole in her insides.

"She's an intern, Ms Kilton. She started with us today," Greta Borg intervened, looking just about ready to explode.

Abigail inspected Kayleigh from her brunette crown to her non-designer black pumps.

"And how does the intern know my fiancé?" she demanded.

Kayleigh raked her brain for an answer other than, 'He just spent the night making love to me,' but came up dry.

"We know each other from Southwold. She was my neighbour growing up," Marcus replied with an ease in his voice that didn't match the panic in his eyes. "She's Leon's baby sister."

Kayleigh, whose eyes were now focused on the mess at her feet, winced at his words. After everything that happened between them just hours ago, the words baby sister had never felt wrong.

"Leon?" Abigail mused with a furrowed brow.

"Leon, Abi. Our best man?"

Best man?

This time, Kayleigh had to clench her fists to stop her hands from shaking. Her brother was going to be his best man and she didn't even know he was engaged?

"Welcome to the team, Ms Moore. But do keep her away from the crystal, will you, Greta?" Mr Kilton smiled breaking the tension in the room. Greta Borg let out a titter that didn't suit her at all before turning back to Ms Kilton.

"So, going back to the dress," she said, her tone business-like again, "I think if we remove a couple of layers from the skirt, we can fit in the slit you were talking about."

"No!" Abigail protested shaking her hands in the air. "I can't wear this now. Mark has seen it!"

"Darling, you know I don't believe in these silly superstitions," Marcus tried to reason with her, eyes occasionally flicking back to Kayleigh. "Besides, with all the changes you mentioned, can you even say it will be the same dress?"

Kayleigh watched their interaction. Her eyes zeroed in on his palm. It fitted perfectly over the curve of Abigail Kilton's back. His head leaned towards her as he spoke to her with the same patience he showed her when he used to tutor her years ago.

Kayleigh's nails dug deeper into her palms. She dropped her eyes back to the floor and muttered something about getting a broom before rushing back out of the hall. Once she reached the pantry, she closed the door and started pacing up and down the room, running her hands through her hair, pulling out strands from her high ponytail in the process.