Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 823 : One Month Left

*One Month Later*

*Cat*

“Cat!” Anna tackled me into a hug as soon as she crawled into the backseat beside me. She squealed loudly, holding me so tight I felt like she might squeeze out my organs. “I’m so excited, Cat! I can’t wait to be your maid of honor. My dress is ready, right?”

I patted her back furiously, gasping for breath from the stranglehold she had around my neck until she finally pulled back. I inhaled deeply, my lungs no longer screaming for air as I fought to catch my breath.

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly, gently patting me on the back as I coughed a few times. “I’m just so excited.”

“So your plan is to kill me?” I shot her an incredulous look.

She laughed embarrassedly. “I don’t really know my own strength anyway, I guess. Remember that plus-one I talked to you about? Yeah, well, he convinced me to start working out with him and I guess it’s working.”

She flexed her arm excitedly, and I was pretty shocked to see her muscle did look fitter, though she still had that slender look to her.

“I’m happy for you, so long as you don’t try to strangle me next time.” I gave her a playful warning and she laughed, both of us relaxing now as we chatted about how things had been going.

Anna told me all about school and what her next steps after graduation were. She’d also been sort of an impulsive person, so it didn’t surprise me that she was having trouble planning the future assignment her teacher had given her.

Still, I tried my best to give her advice.

Anytime Anna or I became too loud, I saw Tony send us an annoyed look through the rearview mirror, but he didn’t say a word. In fact, I was pretty sure I’d never heard him talk other than the occasional grunt.

Eventually, though, as Anna and I chatted, our conversation naturally moved into to the wedding.

It felt like the wait had gone by in the blink of an eye and now, there was only one month left before Elio and I were officially going to be wed. As my maid of honor and best friend, Anna was the happiest, though perhaps a bit too happy for me.

Still, I was glad to have her by my side, especially since today was such an important step.

“So, what’s today’s plan? You didn’t really give me an idea of what was so important,” Anna said, her trust in me on full display.

“You’ll see,” I said with a grin, knowing it would drive her nuts.

Sure enough, Anna let out a whine, grabbing my arm to try to bribe me into telling her, but that wasn’t happening.

It wasn’t until we arrived at our destination and Anna and I slipped out of the car that it all became apparent to her.

“No way!” She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

I grinned, nodding excitedly as she turned to me. “Simona called this morning,” I told her happily as we both looked at Simona’s studio, empty except for two or three cars. One I recognized immediately as my mom’s and another was Olivia’s.

“What are we waiting for then? Let’s go!” Anna grabbed my hand, practically yanking my arm out of the socket as she pulled me into the studio in a rush. I laughed behind her, just as excited as she was.

The studio was exactly the same as we last saw it, except a little messier with a few new mannequins piled everywhere and fabrics slung all over the tables.

“Here you go, Mrs. Valentino!” Rory cried out, rushing past us with a plate full of cookies like he couldn’t even see us at the guest tables where Olivia and Mom were sitting, drinking tea.

“Thank you, Rory,” Olivia said kindly as Rory set the plate of cookies in front of them, brushing his messy hair from his face.

I’d never seen him look so frazzled and as he spun around, he jumped three feet in the air as he spotted us.

“Simona!” he cried, staring at us like we were ghosts. “She’s here!”

Before I could say another word, Rory went rushing into the back studio room, leaving me and everyone else speechless.

“Any idea what’s going on?” I asked, confused.

“Simona was asked to do a fashion show a week ago. They only have a month to get nine dresses done,” Olivia explained with a sympathetic look.

I wasn’t the greatest at knowing how a dress was put together, but even I could tell a month was way too soon for that big of an order.

“I hope my dress didn’t inconvenience her then,” I said, biting my bottom lip.

“Nonsense!” The studio door burst open and Simona stood there in all her glory, looking only a little disheveled besides the massively dark bags under her eyes. “It was my greatest pleasure to work on your dress, Caterina! Now, come, come, you simply must try it on!”

“Can I help too?” Anna volunteered with a bright grin.

Simona nodded, waving us both back. I didn’t even have time to greet my mom before Anna and Simona were pushing me into the back studio.

I had to admit, it was incredibly embarrassing to be stripped down to my underwear by both my best friend and Simona, but I simply shut my eyes, pretending I was a Barbie doll as they dressed me up.

“Your wedding is in a month, yes?” Simona asked through the bobby pins she held between her teeth. “How are preparations? All done yet?”

“Almost,” I said with a sheepish look. “The wedding is fully planned, but my fiance and I can’t seem to agree on a honeymoon.”

“And why not?” Simona said, dramatically. “The world is there for the taking! You could go anywhere! Kissing under the bright lights of the city of love or basking together on the sandy beaches of the tropical islands... cuddling together for warmth on the snowy mountains where it is just the two of you! If it is the right person, you can go anywhere.”

“That’s kind of the problem,” I laughed, my eyes misting up at her romantic visions. Each one sounded like what I wanted for a honeymoon. “There are just too many options. I know Elio wants to make it extra special for me, but I’d go anywhere with him if he asked.”

“Aww,” Simona and Anna said at the same time, eyes warm as they stared at me. Considering I was still half-naked, it was a bit awkward.

“Wherever you decide, I can tell the love between you two is truly something magical,” Simona said with a sweet smile. “Alright, turn, turn–let’s see the front now.”

I shuffled awkwardly to face them, pretending like I was somewhere else as they put the final touches on my dress–bodice laced up, hair pinned up by a very focused Anna, and finally, the veil.

It felt like a river running down my back, a soft silky lace that fell all the way down to my skirt, a trail of white that would follow me down the aisle. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“You’re ready,” Simona nodded with a bright smile. “A beautiful bride. Your beloved is a very lucky man.”

I beamed, feeling great in the dress now that it was finished, and though I couldn’t see myself, I already felt beautiful.

“You’re so beautiful,” Anna sniffed, tears dripping down her face as she gazed at me.

Simona held my hand gently, helping me down from the podium as she took me out. I was a bit nervous for my Mom and Olivia to see the finished product, but this was the dress Simona had designed for me.

The one I had chosen.

“Here is the bride,” Simona declared to Olivia and my mom as we stepped out in front of their view and their breaths caught in their throat.

I was a bit nervous, wondering what they thought until my mother’s eyes softened, getting to her feet as her they filled with tears.

“Cat,” she said, her voice filled with emotion as she stared at me in awe and wonder.

As her eyes glazed over like she was remembering something, I wondered if what she was seeing right now was when I was a little girl, just a baby clinging onto her leg and proclaiming I would never get married.

Or maybe she was thinking about how Dad would sweep me up into his arms, declaring that he was the only man I could marry.

“Can I see?” I asked shakily.

Simona obliged, helping me onto a platform. It was a full ring of mirrors and as soon as I looked into my reflection, I saw someone I didn’t even recognize–a beautiful bride, with a golden glow around her as she stood in a gorgeous dress, her cheeks with a pretty blush and bright eyes filled with emotion.

It was me, but a version of me that I didn’t even know was there.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathed, tears gathering in the corner of my eyes.

“You are, baby,” Mom said behind me.

I spun around to face them, not bothering to wipe away the tears that spilled. Olivia, Mom, and Anna surrounded me with tearful but happy looks, and I finally felt for the first time that I was truly ready to get married.

I couldn’t tell you how many times I thanked Simona and Rory for the dress, but it was more than a dozen. Simona promised to deliver the dress to the cathedral on my wedding day just so Elio wouldn’t accidentally find it, and then we all split up.

But before Olivia left, she caught me by the arm, pulling me aside with a quiet look.

“I wanted to ask, Cat, are you still... questioning things?” Olivia asked calmly, away from the rest of the ladies.

I stiffened, debating whether to tell her the truth before taking a deep breath. “I actually feel better,” I told her with a reassuring smile. “So no need to work about it anymore.”

Olivia gave me a knowing smile, almost sad in a way. “Okay, dear. I understand. But just so you know,” She leaned close to me, whispering softly, “Now that you’ve had that doubt, you’ll never be rid of it. I know from personal experience. I know you’re not ready yet so I won’t say anything but one day, you’ll have to tell Elio how you’ve been feeling.”

I swallowed uncomfortably as Olivia pulled me into a hug and said her goodbyes before she left. Her warning plagued my mind as Tony drove Anna and me home, and though I tried to brush her words away, I couldn’t.

If I told Elio... it would be a disaster.

I knew how hard he had worked as the Don, how proud he was of it. He would never want to leave. And I didn’t want to start that fight with him.

We were about to get married. This was the happiest time of our lives.

How could I ruin that just because of the little doubts I had?

It would go away eventually. Wouldn’t it?

Tony dropped me off at home and I thanked him quietly. Elio’s car was in the driveway and the living room light was on. I paused at the front door just before heading inside and took a deep breath.

I shoved all my doubts and fears away before opening the door with a bright smile.

“Hey!” Elio grinned, with Emilia in his arms as the two people I loved the most greeted me at the door. “How was your day?”

“It was perfect,” I said, melting as Emilia waved her little arms out toward me, wanting to be held.

I obliged, holding my daughter in my arms as Elio pulled us both into his embrace.

My doubts needed to be kept secret.

At least for a little while longer.