A Touch of Cinnamon

Chapter Fourteen

"Hey, sister of the bride, wake up!" a voice calls from my bedroom door, and I wince as my bedroom light turns on. Blinking heavily, I search the room for the source of the disturbance, only to find Ava standing in the doorway. Her arms are folded across her chest over a flowy yellow blouse, and she's watching me with perfect pink lips curved up in amusement. I groan and roll away from her, covering my head with my blanket. "Oh no, you don't," she says, and in a flash, she rips my blanket off my body, leaving me a shivering pile of flesh and pajamas. "Seriously. Get up. We're leaving in twenty minutes."

My eyes flicker to the clock on my nightstand, and I see I've only been asleep for a few hours. "Ava," I whine as my fingers begin searching for another blanket. "What do you want?"

"Apparently," she says as she walks into my room and moves toward my bed, "there was some kind of mix-up with my dress. They couldn't do the alterations I requested. Which means I have to find a new dress as soon as possible in order for it to be ready for the wedding at the end of August. And since you and Viv are the only members of my bridal party who are in town, you are both stuck coming with me today. So get up."

I glare at her before rolling back over, but she's already one step ahead. She grabs my bare ankle and tugs, forcing me off the bed and onto the floor. "Ava!" I yell, now really ticked off. "Seriously, stop! I just got to bed a few hours ago! Can't we do this later?"

She flicks her blonde hair out of her face before saying, "No, we can't. It has to be right now. And what were you doing out so late anyway?"

I blink, trying to remember, when the memories of the morning hit me. Vale and I, relaxing on his car as we watched the sun rise over the mountains. His lips against mine, his fingers brushing my own blonde hair out of my eyes. A smile begins to form on my lips. But seeing my sister in my bedroom forces me right back to the present. "None of your business," I growl as I get to my feet, wiping the invisible dirt from my shorts.

Ava shrugs her shoulders. "Fine. Don't tell me. I don't care as long as you're in the car in twenty minutes."

My eyes turn to slits as I glare at her again. "And if I'm not?"

My sister smirks at me as she replies, "Do you really want to find out?" It's not a threat. Not really. But I know her, and I know how crazy this wedding has made her already. She's literally a step away from turning into a straight up Bridezilla. I don't say anything, and she takes my silence as an answer. "Great. See you in twenty, sissy."

I watch as she turns around and leaves me alone in my bedroom. My jaw is hanging open in disbelief. The absolute audacity of my older sister. I stare at my closed door as if she's still in the doorway. Then I sigh, knowing that even if I do try to go back to sleep, my mom will just come in here and wake me up again. So, shaking my head in frustration, I open my closet and pull out a cute blue checkered dress that ties up in the back, and make my way to the bathroom to get ready.

As I'm closing the bathroom door, I hear Ava's voice talking softly in the living room to who I assume is Viv. She only ever takes on that tone of voice when she's talking to our youngest sibling. Shaking my head again, I close the bathroom door and begin getting ready for the day. And in fifteen minutes, I'm all dressed up and somewhat ready to shop for wedding dresses. Which, by the way, I can't believe I'm doing again. It took Ava forever to find a dress she actually liked, and now we have to start all over? Unbelievable.

Everyone is in the car by the time I make it out the door, which isn't surprising at all. I slide in the backseat next to Viv, who gives me a shy smile as I close the door forcibly, making my displeasure known to everyone in the car with me. Viv winces, and I immediately feel bad. I give her a tiny smile in return, and this seems to settle her down.