Vivianne

I didn’t expect that Dominic would arrange for a whole team of stylists for my dress appointment. My vision was walking into a dress shop, trying on the handful of dresses I’d picked from the photos, and getting back to the office. 

But no.

When my sister and I stepped into the overly air-conditioned room of Mario Vincelli’s dress shop, I was immediately set upon by no less than six people. “Which of you is Miss Vivianne?” asked a very flamboyant man in a rainbow suit. I raised my hand, staring at the platinum tips on his spiked auburn hair and wondering how he managed to get them so white.

“Wonderful! Come this way, lovey. My name is Caleb, and I’m going to be your right-hand man today. I apologize that Mr. Vincelli couldn’t be here himself. Who is this you brought with you? A twin sister perhaps?” 

“Yes, this is my sister Analise.” 

Caleb gave her a big smile and gestured to a chair and table of snacks in the corner. “Make yourself comfortable, sweetheart. We’ll be back in a while!” He linked his arm through mine like we’d been best friends for decades and dragged me through a door to my left. Two of the other employees followed.

He led me to a barber’s chair in front of a brightly-lit mirror. “Sit down, lovey, and I’ll get the style books. What length and color are you thinking?” 

I raised one eyebrow and stared at Caleb in the mirror. “I thought I was just here to try on dresses.” 

“Oh no, darling! How could you possibly choose the dress if you don’t have the hair and makeup?! We’ve been instructed to make sure everything is perfect for the future Mrs. Voss. No expenses spared! So you choose anything you like, little lady, and I’ll make sure your dreams come true.” 

While I knew this was all about publicity, the amount of money that Dominic was throwing at this fake wedding made me a bit nauseous. I’d made the mistake of looking up the ring he gave me online. While I couldn’t find the exact one, the price of similar rings was staggering. As I thought about it, I couldn’t help looking down at the glittering stones on my finger. 

I had to admit, the ring was gorgeous and I’d already come to love it.

Caleb dropped a stack of books on the counter in front of me and inwardly, I sighed. “I know this looks intimidating, sweet, but I know these books like I know the number of grey hairs on my head. You just describe your ideal wedding hairdo, and I’ll find examples for Ms. Bethany.” 

There wasn’t much of a choice. So I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to picture what I’d want to look like on my actual wedding day. “I think I like my hair color the way it is. I wish it were longer, though. Elaborately braided updos that remind me of fae queens have always been my favorite wedding styles. I don’t have time to grow my hair out like that, though.” 

“That’s what extensions are for! I think I know the perfect style.” He dove into the pile of books and began flipping through one, eyebrows tucked together in concentration. I watched his irises flicker from page to page, until a broad grin spread across his features and he placed the book in my hands. 

He pointed to almost exactly what I’d pictured in my mind. The hair had been pulled back into a loose bun, with the top layer being divided into three sections and tucked into the bun. The first was a soft, loose braid, the second a tight, thin braid, and the last had been loosely twirled. 

I didn’t even have to say anything. Caleb saw the sparkle in my eyes, and punched the air triumphantly. “I can see it on your face, this is the style! Let’s get to work, ladies.” 

For the next hour, the pair of stylists meticulously added extensions to my hair while Caleb fluttered around like a nervous hen. “You’ve made the perfect selection, Miss. This style is going to make those cheekbones of yours even more prominent and accent that lovely jawline!” 

When they were finished, I looked in the mirror and gasped. I had rolled my eyes at Caleb’s preening, but he was right. I slowly turned my head back and forth, marveling at the transformation the two women had accomplished. 

“I love it.” 

Caleb beamed, and the two hair stylists were replaced by two new ladies. “Next, makeup! These ladies are the best in the business, my dear. Are you okay with just letting them make the decisions?” 

That sounded perfect. Letting them choose meant I didn’t have to admit that I didn’t know the first thing about makeup. The blonde woman brushing powder on my cheeks cooed as she lifted my chin to check her work. “You’re going to make the perfect Mrs. Voss.” 

“Agreed. I can hardly wait to see you in the gowns, Miss. You’re going to be a stunner.” The other makeup artist wiped away a stray bit of eyeliner before nodding and declaring her work done. 

Mrs.Voss indeed…on paper, yes. But there was no way in a frozen-over Hell that I would ever let it be more than that. The man was conventionally handsome, intelligent, and knew how to command a room. But that didn’t mean he could command me or my heart. That was how we’d been such a successful business partnership for so many years.

This whole thing was ridiculous. I looked at myself in the mirror and shook my head. The beautiful woman staring back at me was a stranger. 

But it was time for the stranger to finally accomplish the task I showed up for: trying on dresses. Caleb took my hand and pulled me back into the main space, which had been transformed in my absence. A six-inch rise platform stood in the center of the room, with three full-length mirrors in front of it. A curtain had been added to the corner of the room, and a rack of dresses waited nearby. 

“Finally! I thought you’d escaped out the back and left me here with an entire tray of brownies.” Analise waved a half-eaten brownie at me and smirked. I probably should have left her home…But I needed the moral support, and someone else who knew this whole thing was just a farce.

“Alright darling, now for the fun part! Feel free to go through the rack and pull anything that catches your eye. Darla will help you try them on.” Caleb gently pushed me toward the dresses, and I stumbled over my own foot. 

Thankfully I regained my balance on my own and made it to the rack without further embarrassment. The first thing I did was check the closest dress for a price tag. However, I didn’t find any tags at all on any of the dresses. 

“Don’t be shy,” Caleb encouraged when I took too long to pick anything. “You can’t possibly make a poor choice. All of these were hand-created by Mr. Vincelli himself and are sure to be stunning on you.” 

That didn’t make me feel better.