The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.58 Sei bellissima

The rhythm of Harry's heart beating steadily against my back pulled my conciousness into a dreamy dance, one that I did not want to wake from.

I tugged carefully at Harry's arm and pulled it up close to my chest so I could kiss his hand.  

he shifted slightly and tightened his grip around me. 

"Angie!" a voice hissed, but it wasn't Harry's deep rasp. 

I turned around to see Gemma standing over me in her night gown, poking my arm. I jumped slightly and hit Harry in the face with my elbow. He rubbed his cheek and just nuzzled his face into my neck.

"Let's get to the studio early, before he wakes up" she grinned eagerly and nodded at Harry. She threw me my robe and tugged at my arm. 

I pulled the covers up higher and glanced over at Harry, who was still sleeping serenely. 

"No, I don't want to do the photoshoot" I whispered to her. 

Gemma huffed in annoyance.

"Oh, come on, he won't ever find out" she waved a hand in the air. 

"No" I shook my head as I recalled what Harry had told me last night.

Gemma yanked at my arm and pulled me out. I quickly put the robe on.

"Well let's at least look for your dress, then" she sighed. 

I was about to respond when she pushed me into the bathroom and threw a dress at me.

After dressing and washing up, we had breakfast in silence. Gemma was watching me curiously the whole time, as if I was a picture that was used to being stared at.

The moment I finished my last spoonful of cereal, she pulled at my arm and grabbed Harry's car keys. She texted something into her phone and grinned, then she drove us to a bridal shop I had never even noticed before. Well, I had seen it, I just knew I couldn't afford it. But Gemma didn't seem to care.

"Styles" she told the mannequin-like woman at the front desk. It wasn't until she blinked her pale blue eyes that I realized that she was alive.

Gemma nearly squealed when the woman led us over to the back room that was filled with rows and shelves of more white lace than I imagined to be in Heaven.

"Angel's paradise" a woman grinned and clapped her hands eagerly. 

Gemma and I turned around to see Jordan in her blue and black blouse and suit, holding her clipboard to her chest.

"Jordan?" I asked even though there was only one person who had a clipboard glued to her chest and whose lips were permanently fastened in a cheerful grin. Her assistant and the mannequin-like lady stood close behind her.

"Angela, did you really think I would miss the day you chose your dress?" she asked me with the cock of her dark brows. 

I shook my head "no."

"And especially since that picky fiancé of yours won't be here to distract you or insult my top chef" she added with a disapproving shake of her head.

I thought about Harry lying in bed still, completely out of this "girly" loop that I myself felt very distant from. I had never had more than one girl friend and now I was bombarded with half a dozen girls who were more eager for my wedding day than I was.

Well, I was excited, but there was a knot in my stomach that reminded me that nothing ever went right for me and Harry. Plus, I hadn't expected all this detail or planning to be so important. The way Jordan and Gemma and the mannequin woman were scavenging through dresses and listing candle brands and lingerie companies, I might as well have been marrying my wedding day instead of Harry.