“Don’t be so grouchy.” She pushes into my room with a tray filled with muffins and hot chocolate. This is Lora-speak for “I’m still sorry.”

“I can’t believe you stayed here last night.” I rub my eyes as I push the blankets down and sit up.

“I did grow up here.” She sits down with the tray between us and grabs a muffin.

“Yes. But since then, you’ve formed an attachment.” I smirk. “Or another limb, you could call it.”

Lora rolls her eyes. “Just wait. When someone hits you…”

I hold my hand up between us. “No. Way. James was like the most loyal guy I know, the most level-headed and good, and look what happened there. No WAY am I doing that again.” Who would take the risk?

“You’ll stay single forever?” She scoffs as she shoves another heaping bite of muffin into her mouth.

“No.” I grab a chocolate chip muffin. “Maybe I’ll just start to like girls instead.” Crumbs fall out of my mouth as I talk, and we both end up giggling over it. A bit girly and pathetic, but it feels good.

“Uh…huh…” Lora smirks.

“So, what’s up?” I ask.

“So, I just got an email that my wedding dress is ready for me try on. Come with me?” she asks. “And then we’ll do cake?”

And I may not be a girlie-girl, but everyone wants to see wedding dresses. Well. And everyone should love cake.

***

“Okay. Lora. No way.” I wrap my arms around my waist as she tries to pull me from the dressing room.

Beige lace. Strapless. Small black waistband, and short. Like my legs suddenly look ten miles long because the skirt is that short. This was supposed to be her dress fitting. Not mine. I was tricked.

Also, as fun as wedding dresses are, it’s scary to be in a place where all the clothes cost as much as the average house payment. Racks and racks of them.

“Ziah, you only think it’s short because you never wear skirts, and your shorts are grandma shorts.” She makes a face.

I narrow my eyes, unappeased.

“Karissa and Mardie are both going to wear dresses that are similar but not the same. It’ll be fun!” Lora’s brows nearly reach her hairline as she changes tactics and goes for overly cheery.

I sigh. “Karissa and Mardie are the two girls that set you up with a list of dares that put you in the hospital to get stitches, and whose efforts resulted in your engagement. Am I right?”

Lora looks wistful instead of defensive. It all came out in the How I Met Derrick stuff last night.

“If it makes you feel any better, Derrick and Dylan are doing their first fittings today, too.”

I frown so I don’t smile. That does make me feel better. I can’t imagine Dylan will enjoy this any more than me. I also make the fatal mistake of loosening my arms enough for Lora to get a good hold and pull me out of the dressing room.

“Oh!” The store-owner peers over her thin glasses. “Well, aren’t you the sexy little thing.” And then she gives me a wink like this stupid dress was my idea.

I want to growl. Or snarl. Or put my ears back. Unfortunately, I’m Ziah and not an animal. I’m stuck scowling. The woman disappears into the back room again.

“Now here.” Lora holds me in front of the mirror, and I’m stunned for a moment.

I don’t look like me. I am sexy. The color shows off my tanned skin, and my legs look amazing. Not like they do in shorts, but amazing. Tall. I’m tall.

She pulls my ponytail up and tucks my hair in, leaving a messy bun. The small wisps of my hair frame my face and make my neck look long. Wow. I’m not this girl. Only now I am this girl. I didn’t think I could ever be the one who looks too hot to be touched. Wow. Just. Wow.

“And here.” Lora holds out a pair of platform heels, and I laugh.

“Yeah. Right. All sexiness would be gone as I plummeted to my death from those heights.”

“Just try them on, okay?” She pushes them closer. “I want you girls to look pretty, unlike some brides, who are determined to make her bridesmaids fade into the background in cheap satin.”

“I can’t walk in those. If you want me to break my leg before your wedding, I’ll put them on. But Lora…” I reluctantly reach out, and the shoes are practically slapped in my hands.

“If you start practicing now, they’ll be fine. Karissa and Mardie picked them out because every girl needs a good pair of black heels. Don’t be such a grouch. Cake’s next.” She grins.

Cake? She’s playing dirty again. Cake is like… Well, let’s just say that if someone were to put enough nutrition in cake for me to stay alive and only eat cake, I would.

“I forgot we were doing cake.” It’s the only part of this whole mess that I’ve been sort of looking forward to doing. The shock of the dress sort of wiped my brain clean.

“Shoes?” Her smile is too wide.

“Blackmail.” I try to frown, but I’m feeling better about Lora and me, so it doesn’t come off as mean as I want it to.

“I’m here!” Mom steps through the curtain that divides the large changing area from the front of the store. “Sorry I’m late!”

“Hey, Mom!” Lora pulls her into a hug. “I’m glad you could break away.”

“Lora?” Thin-glasses woman is at the edge of the dressing rooms. “I’ve pulled your dress.”

Lora half jumps and claps her hands together. “You put on the heels, and I’m gonna do my dress.”

“Mom.” I point to my dress.

Her brows go up. “I’ll talk to her, but you know your sister. You look stunning.” And then she just shrugs like it’s okay for her daughter to be wearing a miniature dress.

She’s right, though. There’s no arguing with Lora when she’s this determined. I slide my feet into the shoes, but they just feel so wrong. I never wear heels. Ever. All my dress shoes are flats.

They fit okay, so I take one small step and then another. And then another. I’m doing it. Sort of. But they feel like stilts, not shoes. The mirrored area in the dressing room is large. When people are trying on wedding dresses, I guess it has to be. I make a few laps, still not convinced I’ll be able to navigate the aisle without falling.

A bit of the sexiness is gone because my balance is crap in the heels, but it’s good. “No way I’ll be able to walk down the aisle in these—”

But then Lora steps out of the room in a wedding dress. A wedding dress. I know this should seem all obvious, but it didn’t hit me until now. My sister’s getting married!

It’s simple, antiqued lace and slim against her curves. The sleeves go to her elbows, but the cutout in the back is way sexy. The dress looks snug, but it still manages to flow around her as she walks. It’s both simple and complex, and every ounce of it is Lora. It also makes my beige lace bridesmaid dress seem more perfect.

“You’re beautiful.” I hold my hands to my mouth. “I mean really, seriously, beautiful.”

Mom wipes back a few tears as she touches the sheer lace of the sleeves. “Wow, honey.”

Lora takes two big swallows as she looks at herself in the mirror. “Yeah. Wow.”

“Lora?” Derrick’s voice carries from the front of the shop.

“Oh shit!” Lora freezes as she stares at the curtain that separates the two rooms.

Mom picks up the small train. “Go, Lora.” She points to the dressing room. “He can’t see you like this.”

Mom and Lora head to the dressing room.

I glance down and feel naked again.

“Go, Ziah! Keep him out of here!” Lora’s eyes are wide.

Yes. Me. Feeling naked. Again, not really feeling this dress.

“Lora?” Derrick calls again.

“Ziah! Go!” she hisses.

Mom gives me a stare, which feels wrong. I’d think she’d want to protect me from being seen by anyone in this miniature outfit.

“But—” I gesture to the dress, which gets me a finger point and a frown.

I carefully step across the room and through the large curtain into the front of the shop. But it’s not just Derrick. That would be only slightly uncomfortable. It’s also Dylan. Of course. Definitely feeling naked.