April Youngblood is in Las Vegas for one reason--to secure a huge, game-changing partnership for her family’s business. April’s been fighting for five long years to show her big brother that their father's dying wish, she be named CEO, wasn’t a huge mistake. Vegas is her chance to prove she really is the best person for the job.
“Um, Pauline?” Luke glanced at the fitting room as April spoke. “I think we’re missing some dress here.”
Pauline walked in April’s direction. “Come out and let us see, dear.”
“Do I have to?”
“I’m sure it’s beautiful,” Pauline encouraged. “Let’s have a look. You don’t even have a mirror in there.”
April’s nervous chuckle filtered through the door. “I don’t need a mirror to know there’s definitely not enough fabric here.”
“April, get out of there and show us the dress." Luke stood moving toward her. "It can’t be as bad as you think.”
The curtain ruffled as she stuck her head out, but kept the rest of her covered. “You’d better not laugh.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
April sighed but finally stepped through into their full view.
And Luke was definitely not laughing.
The pale pink dress didn’t have straps but some sort of soft ruffles that fell off both shoulders. And the hem…Luke couldn’t stop staring at the miles and miles of leg peeking out from the little ruffles that hit her mid-thigh.
“It’s awful. I knew it.” April spun to go back in the dressing room, making the damn thing even shorter.
Luke shook off his shock and finally found words. “No. April, you look amazing.”
He stepped toward her as she turned back to him with another sigh.
“I can’t pull this off. It’s too…” She glanced down, waving a hand in front of her.
Luke took April’s flailing hand in his, stroking a thumb over her knuckles. “It’s perfect. You are…you’re incredible. And not just because of this dress,” he whispered.
The weight of those words sat heavy on his chest as the truth of them sank into his core.
“I know it’s probably shorter than you usually wear...” Pauline said as she stepped beside them.
April scoffed, and Pauline chuckled before continuing, “But it really does look beautiful on you.”
“I’m just a little worried you might upstage the bride,” Luke added, finally drawing the briefest hint of a smile from April.
April stared down at her bare feet, light blue toes wiggling on the carpet. She turned to the mirror once more, swishing her hips side to side like a bell so the fabric skimmed her thighs. “It really is a beautiful dress.”
“The color looks great on you as well,” Pauline encouraged.
Luke stepped up behind April, his hands on her hips as he leaned into her ear. “Every man at this wedding is going to be wishing you were on their arm instead of mine.”
He met her gaze in the mirror, telling her with his eyes what he could never say aloud. That he’d never stopped thinking about her, even when she was with his best friend. That he’d avoided the two of them together whenever possible for that very reason.
That he knew, without any doubt, there wasn’t a woman out there more perfect for him than her.
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