Look After Us by Elena Matthews Page A

heated coals and broken glass all at the same time. The sweltering Texan heat isn’t helping either, making my choice of wearing Converse this morning a regretful one. Blisters feel like the bane of my life right now.
    I’ve been helping Alana and Mia with wedding errands all day, getting everything ready for the big day tomorrow. I had no idea what went into planning a wedding, but with the flurry of different deliveries of flowers, hired tents and furniture, decorations, twinkly lights, and not to mention all the last-minute additions that seriously make your head want to explode, I most definitely underestimated the planning behind it all. It’s definitely an eye-opener for when I finally plan my wedding. Although, if this is what it takes to make one day run smoothly, I’d rather elope to an exotic beach somewhere with a handful of our family surrounding us.
    After returning from one of the many errand trips of the day, hauling a garment bag with Mia’s wedding dress inside—a dress that probably weighs more than she does—I head on upstairs and hang the garment bag on the back of the door of the guest room. Alana and Mia follow, each carrying two garment bags containing the bridesmaid dresses, and hang them on a garment rail. I frown, confused, when I take in the four garment bags. I was certain Mia was only having three bridesmaids—Riley, Jo, and her cousin Rachel—but maybe the fourth garment bag is Alana’s mother-of-the-groom outfit.
    Mia lets out a long yawn, her eyes brimming with tears. She still looks terrible with her pale complexion and dark bags prominent under her eyes.
    “Why don’t you go and lie down for a little while?” Alana says to Mia, whose eyes look as if they’re struggling to stay open. She gives a shake of the head but before Mia can argue, Alana beats her to it. “I’ll finish up … we haven’t got that much to do now. I just have to go through the seating plan again and speak to the caterers to make sure everything is on schedule for tomorrow.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes. Go and rest for a little while.”
    Mia smiles and presses a kiss against Alana’s cheek. “Thank you.” She begins to walk away but suddenly halts in her steps as she turns back to face us.
    “Oh, I nearly forgot.” She wanders over to the garment rail, and after a moment of looking through each garment bag, she finally stops at the dress on the far end. She begins to unzip the bag, removing a caramel colored gown from inside. It’s only when she holds it up do I finally see just how stunningly beautiful the dress really is. It’s a strapless gown with a plunging neckline. The bodice is tight-fitting, leaving the rest of the dress to flow flawlessly to the floor. The sheer material has a lace overlay with exquisite gold and caramel beading and sequins adorned into the lace. The beading, with very few sequins, dominates the bodice, but the beading and sequins seamlessly scatter and fade away with the flowing material.
    “Wow, it’s beautiful,” I say with an awe-filled whisper. If the bridesmaid dresses are this breathtaking, then the wedding dress must be out of this world.
    “This is your dress.”
    I look at the dress then back at Mia with my mouth agape in utter shock. “Mine?” I barely mutter.
    “Yeah. I got your size from Ashton and from the picture he sent me, I knew you’d look amazing in just about anything.”
    “I don’t understand though,” I begin as my eyes admire the delicate beading on the bodice. “You barely know me.”
    “You’re family … well you will be when Ashton finally walks you down the aisle, and that’s all that matters. You get to be the sister I never had and I’ve always wanted a sister. Instead I was given a brother who irritates the crap out of me.”
    A bubble of laughter leaves my mouth, and I can’t help the tears that begin to fall at being welcomed into Ashton’s family with open arms. I’ve been in Alana’s home for just a little over a