The Dress Fitting He Promised I Would Not Attend Chapter 03

The Dress Fitting He Promised I Would Not Attend Chapter 03

Lily fumbled for her phone, angled it toward herself, then reached back and tugged at Ethan’s arm.

“I want to take a picture to remember this. Get in the shot with me!”

He sighed like it was such a hassle. “I don’t get you young girls. Everything’s a photo op.”

But his voice held that familiar tenderness in it.

He bent down and rested his chin on Lily’s shoulder.

“Can you make a different face for once? You’ve taken fifteen pictures and you look the same in all of them.”

“You’re so picky.”

I walked toward the front gate alone.

Their voices faded behind me.

When I got home, I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the airport.

My phone buzzed.

[Claire, let’s push the dress fitting a few days. Mason and the guys are getting together. They want me there.]

[Be good. Stop throwing tantrums. Once things calm down, we’ll go to Paris for the wedding photos.]

I turned off the screen and leaned my head against the car window, watching the scenery blur past.

Paris.

I’d planned it all two months ago.

Two weeks of research.

Different weather, different locations, different lighting, photographers who specialized in every style.

Then Lily showed up and wrecked everything.

Ethan took her everywhere.

He called it training.

But the longer it went on, the less he answered my messages.

Every time he said he was busy, I’d see on her feed that he was actually at some new dessert shop with her.

Playing hooky from work. Watching newly released movies.

And whenever I confronted him, he always had an excuse.

“I was just checking out the place. If the quality’s good, it gives us another option for the office’s afternoon coffee runs.”

“I passed the theater on my way back from seeing a client. The kid was excited about the movie. I didn’t want to kill her buzz.”

He even missed my birthday party. And our anniversary.

Disappointment piled up, little by little.

I brought up the idea of ending the engagement with my parents, who were in Vancouver at the time. They were dead set against it.

Then last week, Ethan actually pulled the plug on two long-term projects we’d been running with them. All for Lily.

That’s when they finally understood how bad it had gotten. They agreed.

Grandpa Arthur had always adored me. And even though he didn’t want to, he gave in.

“That boy did you wrong. Don’t be scared, sweetheart. Even if you don’t end up as my granddaughter-in-law, you’re still my girl.”

Another message from Ethan came through.

[You forgot the present I brought you. I’ll drop it off tomorrow.]

[Still mad? If you don’t answer, I’ll assume you don’t want it and give it to someone else.]

[You’re getting more difficult by the day. Who else would put up with this but me?]

I was waiting in the departure lounge when Ethan called again.

I figured I might as well tell him myself. Save Grandpa Arthur from having to explain.

I picked up. Noise exploded from the other end.

“So you just show up with your little assistant, and Miss Hastings doesn’t tear your face off?”

Ethan snorted. “She wouldn’t dare. I’m running Whitmore Group now. I’m not about to let her boss me around like before. That would be embarrassing.”

Another guy’s voice sighed. “Honestly, Claire is fine for flirting and playing around, but actually marrying her? That seems like a lot.”

A third voice jumped in. “She’s a princess. She’s never had to deal with any real crap. She’s been quiet for the past month, though. I’m surprised she can hold back that long.”

Ethan sounded drunk. His words came out slow and thick.