Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 552 -

*Natalia*

"Gorgeous!" Alina cried with wide sparkling eyes.

The dozens of beautiful models strutted down the runway in designer white dresses, princess styles and ball gowns, sheaths and A-lines, and even white jumpsuits and tuxedos.

The music blared in my ears, as did the person behind the mic as he announced the names of the designers behind the outfits. Though my best friend sighed dreamily, absolutely in love with the fashion show before us, I just stood there awkwardly.

It wasn't every day I got to attend a bridal show, especially one with big designer names as Alina had explained to me, but my interest in the fancy fashion was waning very quickly. I had hoped to see some dresses on bodies like mine, but I didn't have the hips or chest to fill out these designs, not like the models on the runway.

Maybe I was just being a little too self-conscious, but I didn't think any of these dresses would look as nice on me as they did on these models. I sighed, glancing around at the cheering women around me, wearing fancier outfits than anything I owned and diamonds on their nails.

I couldn't help but feel like I was standing alone in this crowded room like I didn't belong.

"Alina," I called out to my best friend amidst the loud music and chaotic happiness of the potential brides around us.

She looked over at me with a wide grin and I told her, "I'm going to check out the booths!"

"The what?" she yelled, cupping her mouth, but I rolled my eyes, pointing out of the runway area and into the massive booths set up outside. She nodded, giving me a thumbs up before turning back to the runway and cheering as a new set of dresses and tuxes came out.

I shook my head at her enthusiasm, wondering where on earth she got it all as I made my way through the thick crowd and back out onto the main floor. I hadn't expected to spend my weekend at a bridal show, but when Alina suggested it, I figured I might as well check it out.

I still had so much planning left to do for the wedding, especially with the dress I still hadn't found.

I rubbed my arms, feeling a bit chilly on the massive showcase floor of the Expo. With the dress show going on, the main floor was pretty sparse in terms of people. Most of the booths had only a couple of people crowded around compared to earlier when it was so packed I had to shove my way through just to get from one end to the other.

I trailed by the various booths that were selling bouquets coated in resin or lacquer that would make them last forever... or jewels to be crafted into handmade jewelry. There was even a booth just for shoes, each decorated by hand. Nothing in particular caught my eye until I almost walked past a tiny little booth on the end, clearly not as high-end as the others, with a young woman perhaps in her twenties standing behind it with a large smile. "A sample for the blushing bride-to-be," she called out, her bright red hair tied into a braid on her shoulder.

Intrigued, I paused for a moment at her empty stand, my attention caught by her little booth of vintage-looking accessories as they stood out over the massive venue of white and pink.

"These are beautiful." I smiled at her, searching the table she had set up.

Many of the antique pieces were crowns or combs of bronze or silver with that beautiful aged look to them. Many were adorned with jewels like emeralds or amethyst, still as glittering as the day they were set. "Thank you. All are vintage crowns and headpieces." The woman grinned. "I'm Efie. It's sort of my hobby to fix them up and make sure new brides can use them. My grandmother used to tell me they carried the wishes of brides from the past." "That's a sweet thought," I said, a little touched.

I grazed the tip of my fingertips over a few of the metal pieces, in awe at how utterly bright and new they looked despite clearly having been well-worn and used over the years. Some of them I could imagine to be hundreds of years old. My eyes were drawn, however, to one specific piece-a crown, which looked as if it once held a bridal veil attached to it, sat innocently in the middle, a showpiece of the collection. It was a simple comb, the teeth dull and aged but enough to still hold. There were blue sapphires the same color as the sea dotted along the intricate floral metal, and my heart ached at the sight of it.

"It's the same color as your eyes. How beautiful," the red-haired Efie said with a soft smile, gently plucking the comb up and holding it next to my face, right beside my eyes. "It would look absolutely beautiful on you."

Gently, she offered it out to me, and mesmerized with the piece, I smiled to myself as I held it in the palm of my hand.

"How much?" I asked cautiously.

She laughed to herself, giving me a soft smile.

"It is my favorite piece," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with one finger then just shrugged, "How about an even fifty?"

My eyes went wide for a bit, shocked at the number before I realized how old this piece was and how much it must have taken to get it back to this state. There were probably only a few people in the world who had the delicate hand to do so and suddenly, the price made perfect sense.

"Of course." I grinned, reaching into my pocket for the bundle of cash Tallon had thrust into my hands when he learned where I was going this morning.

I had tried to tell him no, but he'd insisted. I found a fifty among the cash, noticing the little giggle Efie did as she noticed the huge bundle of cash that looked like I'd just robbed a bank and come straight here.

"My fiance's... excessive," I explained, a bit embarrassed as I handed over the cash.

"No problem." She laughed, putting the cash away in a lockbox under the table before gently folding the crown up in tissue paper and tucking it into a prepared white box. "Here you are."

Just before I reached out to grab the piece, a smile on my face from the purchase, we both heard the startling sound of heels clacking on the floor in a full-out sprint toward us.

I barely had time to look up before a woman with dark brown hair nearly crashed into the booth with a loud, "Am I too late?"

It was a thin woman, roughly the same size and height as me, with dark brown hair in a medium cut hanging loose and falling around her shoulders. I was startled as she corrected her posture and her face came into the light, to see how similar she looked to me.

Even our current outfits with neutral colors were quite similar. From a distance, we could be twins or perhaps even mirror images of one another. The only difference, I noticed startingly as she glanced at me and then Efie, was that her eyes were a pale light brown, unlike the blue of mine that Tallon often told me he loved so much.

"The sapphire comb, is it still here?" the woman asked hurriedly, her eyes wide with hope.

"Just sold I'm afraid," Efie told her with an apologetic smile.

I recognized the tightness around her mouth, the unusual polite tone that was very different from how she had spoken to me. I was no stranger to customer service jobs. I had performed a good handful of miserable ones, and I could tell immediately that Efie had already dealt with this woman and she did not like her one bit.

It was an uncomfortable realization, considering how similar the two of us were and that I was now holding said sapphire comb.

"Oh, jeez." The woman sighed in disappointment, a silver credit card held in her hand as she slumped. "If only I hadn't bought that necklace set earlier."

I felt a bit bad as I slunk away from the booth, intending to just walk away with my new purchase in the box until I heard the loud call of "Natalia!" from across the venue, at the same time another loud call of "Bianca!" rang out.

I spotted Alina right near one of the white rooms, a huge grin on her face as she waved me over. Standing next to her similarly was a tall blonde with tan skin.

"Yes?" I called out just as the woman beside me did as well.

We turned to each other with wide-eyed looks and then broke out into smiles.

"Natalia, I guess?" The woman laughed, an easy-going look to her as she finally stopped leaning on the booth.

"Yes," I smiled. "And you are Bianca, I'm guessing?"

"The one and only," she said proudly, giving me a surveying look. "I love your shirt."

"Thanks. I like your skirt," I told her, glancing at the tan mini-skirt and nude tights she wore under it. She truly did look classy with the look, and it somehow matched the nude blouse I had worn today.

"Why, thank you. Come on, then, we'd better not keep them waiting. The fittings must be happening. Are you a soon-to-be bride too?" she asked excitedly, gently grabbing me by the elbow as she led us over to where Alina and Bianca's friend were waiting.

"I am," I grinned."We're having the wedding in the fall. You?"

"Same!" Bianca cried cheerfully, her whole face lit up with excitement.

She rambled on about the decor and ideas she and her partner had decided on-an outdoor wedding with bright autumn colors-and I told her about the cake tasting Tallon and I had scheduled the next day.

Alina and Bianca's friend, who I learned was named Gianna, met us at the very long line before we could talk any more about weddings and dragged us into what looked like a dressing room with various other women rushing around in wedding dresses.

"They're having a showcase to try them on before they go public!" Alina told me excitedly. "I put a few aside for you to try on!" She dragged me into one of the changing rooms, throwing a sleek dress at me, and I rolled my eyes. "I'm so excited for you to try it on!" Alina said as I changed from my clothes into the dress. It was a bit troublesome zipping it up in the back without help but I managed, patting down the smooth and fine fabric as it fell snugly against my body.

It was beautiful-a mermaid/sheath combination that wasn't quite a bright white but an off-color that complimented my skin tone perfectly. I smiled as I stepped out with a shy look. Alina gasped at me, covering her mouth with wide and misty eyes.

"You look gorgeous!" she gushed. "Oh, it's perfect, just like I imagined."

I laughed at her enthusiasm. It was a beautiful dress, but I knew it wasn't "the one," though I had to admit I felt a little emotional trying on a wedding dress for the first time.

A moment later, Bianca stepped out wearing the exact same dress. The two of us looked at one another in surprise and then she giggled, holding a hand over her stomach.

"Looks like we have a similar style as well, Natalia," she smirked, giving a little twirl. "I do think we make quite beautiful brides. What do you think? My fiance is going to love this dress on me. What about you?"

"I'm not sure," I swished the fabric against my knees, a smile on my face as I thought of what Tallon might look like if he saw me in this dress, walking toward him. "Tallon's quite a simple guy, but I think he'd love any dress regardless of the style."

"Tallon?" Bianca jolted, her smile fading as she faced me fully. "Tallon Valentino?"

A bad feeling welled up in the pit of my stomach and I nodded, feeling very self-conscious all of a sudden. "Yeah, he's my fiance."

"Well, how about that?" she huffed, crossing her arms with a small smirk. “I didn't think he'd ever get married but apparently, I'm wrong."

"How do you know him?" I asked cautiously, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Valentino?" She turned to me with a gleam in her eye. "He's my ex-boyfriend."