You're Mine

Chapter Thirty-One

Ashley

"This one?" I pushed the magazine onto Skye's lap. "It's cute."

"Yes, exactly, cute." She rolled her eyes and flipped onto another page. "This is your wedding! Not prom! Stop acting like you're broke."

We had been looking at wedding dresses for two hours now. Skye was handling most of the planning for me, so this was one of the few things I had to do myself. All I wanted was a small wedding with our family and friends. No press, no celebrity guests.. just peace and quiet.

Downtown, family and friends, reception and ceremony all in the same place. It was going to be beautiful and soon- Ryan was tying up some ends and we'd be going on vacation straight after. Where, I didn't know. It was a complete secret apparently.

Skye sighed. "Look, you've made all your cheques for the medical bills and sorted your will for your family- you have a good chunk of money left as well as the huge amount Cassian gave you specifically for the wedding. Why aren't you using it?"

"I am using it!" I declared but she stared at me until I gave in. "I feel..guilty using his money."

"Ash, he wanted you to be happy. You weren't together that long but you were friends long before that." She raised an eyebrow at me. "His fortune is limitless, it's hardly like you cost him a kidney. Just let him help."

"The dress is personal, more so than the rest- I want to use my own money for that okay? So that leaves me with a lower budget." I snatched the magazine back. "I can get a nice dress that doesn't cost me an arm and leg Skye."

"Fine.."

The door banged and we both looked up. Riley appeared, three cups of coffee in hand with a beaming smile that only faltered slightly upon spotting Skye. To her credit, she recovered quickly and greeted us both.

"How was work?"

"Oh, the busiest. I had so much course work to fill out and start and when I wasn't doing that, I was running errands for Erica- I've been there since 7am." Riley threw her coat down and put down the coffees in front of her. From the Java Bean- she'd obviously been along to see Fey. "No Hollie?"

"She's on the late shift and very moody this week- not the time to annoy her with wedding plans."

Hollie wasn't going to be a bridesmaid. I had asked, but she refused- she would be eight months pregnant by the time the wedding rolled around and there was nothing she wanted less than to squeeze into a matching dress and line up next to her friends.

We had tried to push- but with her swollen ankles, hot flashes and everything else that was happening to her, it felt a little cruel to force her. Besides, I didn't mind- as long as she was at the wedding, I was happy.

So that left my sister, Skye and Riley. The latter of course would be the maid of honour.

"Ah, I see. So, what are we here to plan?" She looked stressed- I felt bad for asking her to come tonight. She wasn't even a week into the new job and Skye could handle most of this. I just wanted my friends to feel involved.

I pushed a magazine towards her. "Uh..just wedding dresses. We can discuss bridesmaid dresses tonight too and I definitely want an opinion on..." I yanked out another notebook. "These flowers."

"Okay.." Riley scanned over all of them. "The dress is..cute."

Skye snorted and lifted the coffee cup, sniffing it. "Is this decaf?"

Riley didn't even look up at her, still looking over the few dresses I left stickies on. "Decaf, vanilla, almond milk latte right?"

"..Right. Thanks." She raised her eyebrows at me and I clamped down on my smile.