One Fine Day - Olivia Miles Page 0,1

of easy confidence that Sarah could only someday hope to have. Abby had suggested that she scale her bio way down, and Evie had agreed that the eight-hundred-word count was too much. And Melanie, another friend, even if she was her other boss, had suggested she refrain from mentioning that she worked at a bridal salon, just in case it sent the wrong sort of message. “Toss it in casually. On the first date,” she’d suggested instead.

But now there would be no first date. Or second date. Or date to Hannah’s wedding. All that she had gotten out of her investment (well, emotional investment, because surely that had to count for something) was a cancelled date with a guy named Rick from Shelter Port—three towns over.

Was Rick even his name? She narrowed her eyes on this thought as she pounded down the steps of her apartment building. And did he even own that golden retriever featured in all his photos, or had he borrowed it, to appeal to women who fell for that sort of thing? Women, admittedly, like her. After all, she thought, as she rounded the corner onto Main Street, who cancelled a date that they had made, right down to a reservation at the fondue restaurant (how romantic was that?) without any excuse or suggestion of a rain check?

A man with a secret, that’s who.

Or maybe, she thought, as she came to a stop outside of Bayside Brides and took a long sigh as she looked at the beautiful display of summer gowns in the window, the strapless tulle ballgown being her current favorite, a man who just wasn’t interested in finding the one, settling down, and living happily ever after.

Either way she saw it, it was a man who didn’t care that he would never meet her. For all he knew she was his soul mate. The one.

She snorted. There was no such thing as the one. At least, not for her.

“It’s official!” she announced as she pulled open the door to Bayside Brides and stepped inside the shop, sending off the wedding bells that hung from the hinge by a blue ribbon. The closest to the real thing she would ever get at this rate. “There’s no such thing as a happily ever after. It’s all a fairy tale! Sure, things start out all sweet and promising and full of hope, and then—”

From the counter, Melanie Dillon froze in alarm, and it was only then that Sarah noticed the woman being fitted into an ivory lace gown near the mirrors. Chloe Larson, co-owner of the shop along with Melanie, stared at Sarah in icy silence, her expression never losing its professional calm, before saying, “We had an early appointment today, Sarah. Mind grabbing our newest order of veils from the back room once you’re settled in?”

Well now she had done it. Sarah opened her mouth to apologize but she knew that now wasn’t the time, not with the bride staring at her in a mix of both horror and, dare she say it, pity. From the steely look in Chloe’s eyes, there might never be a time. It could just be that she lost more than her belief in finding love today. She may have just lost her job, too.

She swallowed hard as she beelined for the storage room, but she managed to catch Melanie’s worried glance before she made it through the door.

She hadn’t even hung her handbag on the coat rack before Melanie appeared. “What happened? I thought you had a date tonight!” she hissed.

“Had being the operative word.” Sarah gave her a long look. As much as she appreciated the sympathy in her friend’s expression, she also hated the way it made her feel as if she might cry. And she couldn’t cry. Not when Chloe was fuming mad at her. And oh, that made her want to cry more than ever. “He cancelled,” she said, tossing up her hands.

“Well, maybe he got sick,” Melanie said, but Sarah just shook her head as she searched the new boxes that had arrived yesterday for the veils that Chloe wanted.

“He didn’t even bother to use that excuse. Besides, it’s July. Who gets sick in July?” She pulled her phone from her bag and pulled up his text. She held out the screen to Melanie.

Melanie frowned. “Maybe something came up?”

“Maybe he went on another date, last night, and they really hit it off. Or maybe he was never really interested in the date at all