Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Terra looked at Taurex.
“What do you think?”
He studied her, his golden eyes both admiring and speculating.
“I agree with Lisa,” he said at last.
Everyone stared at him.
Taurex frowned.
“What?”
Terra smiled.
“So you want princess style too?”
He shrugged.
“I am beginning to understand the term.”
That made her laugh but then it was time to try again.
Dress after dress followed. There was a lace sheath that made Terra feel like a doily. Then a strapless gown that required so much structural engineering around her breasts she was afraid to breathe. Then an off-the-shoulder dress Lucy adored but Terra found itchy. And a romantic chiffon gown that came close but somehow still wasn’t right.
Through all of it, Taurex watched her with his arms crossed over his broad chest.
He didn’t grow impatient, and he didn’t check his communication device or complain that women took too long or say all the dresses looked the same—which was exactly what Jackson would have done.
Instead, he studied each one as seriously as he had studied the cake flavors and flower arrangements, and whenever Terra asked what he thought, he answered honestly but gently.
By the seventh dress, Terra was starting to think she might not find anything that felt right.
Then Jenna brought in one more gown.
“I’ve been saving this because I wanted to see what direction you went first,” she said. “But I think this might be the one.”
Terra put it on and when she came out to look at herself in the dressing room mirror, her breath caught in her throat.
The gown was ivory rather than stark white—the color warm and creamy against her skin. The bodice was constructed from layers of delicate lace laid over a softly structured satin base, with a deep sweetheart neckline softened by illusion tulle so it was sensual without being overly revealing. Fine floral embroidery traced upward from the waist and curved along the neckline, accented with tiny seed pearls that caught the light without sparkling too aggressively. The sleeves were sheer lace and fell just off the shoulders, leaving the graceful line of her collarbones bare while providing enough coverage over her upper arms to make Terra feel comfortable.
But the skirt was what made her fall in love.
It began at her natural waist rather than squeezing tightly around her hips, then flowed outward in a full A-line sweep of layered satin and soft tulle that moved like water whenever she took a step.
It wasn’t the enormous princess skirt of the first dress, but it had enough fullness to feel romantic, enough structure to give her shape, and enough softness to make her want to turn in circles just to watch it move.
Terra stared at herself—it was perfect. If she was really getting married, this was the dress she’d want to get married in.
“Oh,” she whispered. “Oh, my…”
Jenna smiled behind her in the mirror.
“Well, you seem to be speechless. That’s usually a good sign.”
Terra touched the skirt.
“I feel…”
But she couldn’t finish. Beautiful wasn’t quite enough.
In this dress, she didn’t’ see the flaws Jackson had complained about or the hips he said had gotten too wide or the breasts he claimed weren’t as firm as they used to be.
She saw a bride who was a grown woman and a mother. A woman who had survived a bad marriage and divorce and humiliation and fear and had somehow come through all of it still capable of loving someone again.
She felt like royalty—not a twenty-year-old princess waiting for her life to begin but a queen who had already fought her battles and finally found someone worthy of standing beside her.
Terra swallowed hard.
“I want to show them.”
Jenna’s smile widened.
“Then let’s go.”
Terra gathered the skirt and stepped out of the fitting room. For some reason, she suddenly felt nervous—ridiculously nervous—though she didn’t know why.
She walked toward the staging area and climbed onto the little platform, letting the gown fall around her. The mirrors caught her from three angles at once, showing the curve of the fitted bodice, the sweep of the skirt, as well as the delicate line of lace disappearing into the train.
Turning around, she looked at her family.
“Well,” she asked, trying to sound casual even though her heart was pounding, “What do you think?”
Lucy’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, honey. That’s it—that’s the one.”
“Mommy, you look so pretty!” Lisa exclaimed, jumping out of her chair.
Cody grinned.
“Mom, you look great.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
But Terra was already looking beyond them at Taurex.
The big Monstrum hadn’t moved. He stood exactly where he had been before, but something about him had changed completely.
His golden eyes were fixed on her, but he wasn’t smiling. In fact, he looked almost stricken.
Terra’s heart seemed to skip a beat.
“Well?” she asked softly.
Taurex rose from the chair he had eventually been persuaded to use and came toward her. Everything was quiet and the room seemed to disappear.