Emma, however, had grown up buying her clothes at discount stores, and had been preached the value of blending in.
“Well?” Emma stood a little straighter, holding the dress up and steeling herself for the onslaught.
“No way,” Mindy said. “It’s terrible.”
Sophie shot Mindy a look and got up from her desk again, rushing over to where Emma was standing. “Oh, I don’t know. Gray is a hot color this season.” She took the hem of the dress in her hand. “I think the problem is that this isn’t really an evening dress. And it’s not very fun. This is a fun night. It’s a night for standing out.”
Emma had been afraid of that. “It’s not my fault that I’m not up to speed on the fashion world. Up until three months ago, I was working in an accountant’s office and had no money.”
“You know you can’t tell anyone about that,” Sophie said, holding her finger to her lips.
Oh, right. The family fable. Soon after Emma’s inheritance was announced, Mindy and Sophie had concocted a story to explain Emma’s absence from the public lives of the Eden family. They owned up to the poor behavior of their father, but not the fact that the truth had been hidden from Emma for her entire life and she’d lived with very little money. They felt it might reflect badly on their grandmother, and in turn, the store. Emma was to tell everyone that she’d spent her formative years with a private tutor in France, then moved back to the States to quietly pursue her education in finance. It wasn’t that far from the truth, except that she’d lived in New Jersey and been home-schooled. Emma would have fought the lie, but it made it easier to exist in this world of money and power. It was a shred of a pedigree, and she’d take what she could get.
“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything.”
“Anyway, that dress is a snooze fest. You need to find something else.” Mindy crossed her legs and bobbed her foot impatiently.
“I’ll go down to jewelry and find a necklace to brighten it up,” Emma said.
Sophie scrunched up her face. “I’m not sure that will be enough.”
Emma wasn’t going to stand here and endure their criticism. She did not want to appear weak or foolish in front of her half sisters. She still wasn’t sure they had her best interests in mind. “I’ll pick out a different dress then. Surely we have something in the store that will work.” Head held high, Emma marched out into the hall, but she felt anything but confident. There was too much sheer embarrassment coursing through her veins.
She darted into the safety of her office and flipped on the light. This had been her grandmother’s office when she was still alive. Every time Emma walked into this room, she was reminded of what might have been. What if the family secret had come out when she was a little girl? She would have had a chance to know her grandmother. She might have known her father. She might have been a completely different person, the sort of woman who had no problem picking the right dress for an event like tonight. But no, all of that had slipped between Emma’s fingers and she hadn’t even known it was there.
Sophie appeared in the office doorway. “May I come in?”
“I don’t want to turn this into a big thing, okay? I’ll figure it out.” Emma sought the comfort of the chair behind her desk, putting a big piece of furniture between herself and her half sister.
“I know that. But why don’t you let me come with you?”
“I’m a grown woman. I can pick out my clothes.” Emma didn’t want to sound defensive. The truth was that she needed help. She at least needed someone to tell her she didn’t look ridiculous.
Sophie took a seat in an available chair. “You know, the first time our grandmother took me to this event, I was a wreck. I had no clue what to wear. I really needed Gram to point me in the right direction.”
“Well, she’s not around to help me, is she?” Emma hated that tone in her voice, but it came from a very deep place. She’d been robbed of the relationship with her family.
“She’s not. And I’m sorry about that. But I’d like to help. I’ve been to this event four times now. I can help you find the perfect dress.”
Emma didn’t want to admit it, but this was what she’d been waiting for—the smallest of opportunities. A door opened. Plus, the clock was ticking. “I don’t know when I’ll have time. My schedule is hell, and I hate doing things at the last minute. I’m a planner. I don’t like surprises.”
Sophie stood. “Don’t worry about that. I need to run down to the designer department this morning, anyway. I’ll find a few things and you can pick from those. Sound good?”
“Just don’t go too overboard, okay? I’m not a showy person.”
“You don’t have to be showy to be a showstopper.” Sophie looked at her phone, which she always had in hand. “Meet me in the private fitting room in two hours.”
Emma didn’t have a great feeling about this, but what choice did she have? She couldn’t go to this event looking as if she didn’t belong. She desperately wanted to stop being the proverbial fish out of water. “I’ll be there.”
After a morning of crunching numbers, Emma found herself with Sophie in the private fitting room reserved for Eden’s most important customers. Emma had never tried clothes on in such a lavish setting. The room not only had a lovely sitting area with elegant upholstered slipper chairs in silvery velvet, it had especially flattering lighting, and came with a valet who took drink orders. For Eden’s wealthiest and most influential clients, this was their shopping experience—an oasis tucked away in a quiet corner of an otherwise bustling department store.
The valet appeared with two flutes of champagne.
“Really?” Emma asked, when Sophie offered her a glass. “It’s the middle of the day.”
“I’m hoping we’ll have a reason to toast and celebrate. I wanted to ask if you’ll be one of my bridesmaids.”
Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing. “Really?” As soon as she’d said it, she realized how inappropriate and knee-jerk her response was. If she didn’t want to feel like an outsider in this family, she had to stop assuming that role. “I mean, yes. Of course. I would love it. Such an honor.”
Sophie grinned and held out her glass. Emma clinked it with hers. “Perfect. I still need to figure out who’s designing the dresses, but I’ll let you know.”
Emma was in a state of delight and shock. Custom designed bridesmaids’ dresses? “Sounds wonderful.”
Sophie sank down onto one of the chairs, her skirt billowing in a poof. “It’s funny, but I think of Gram every time I drink champagne.”
“What was she like?” Emma sat in the chair opposite and took a small sip. It was so delicious. The bubbles tickled her nose.
“Gram was amazing. My idol, really. I loved her to pieces. But she rubbed some people the wrong way. She could be a ruthless businesswoman.”
Emma
