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I’d gone on a lot of serious ht battles, searched for spies, confronted the powers that be, and gone undercover in the ical mafia But none of that haddress

For one thing, spending as much ht for my entire wardrobe for a couple of years was an affront to my practical nature “I don’t knoe need to do this,” I grumbled in between sips of coffee “I already have my mother’s dress”

My friend Gemma placed a hand on my shoulder “Oh, honey, I’m no friend to you if I let you wear that Trustthat wasn’t outdated when your mother wore it, and you’ll be able to afford it Prices at these sample closeout sales are around seventy-five percent off retail”

“That’s not that big a bargain,” I said “I’ve seen those retail prices”

I had to ad dress I was just less crazy about paying a year’s worth of rent for a gown that was only good for one thing Even if I had second thoughts aboutforelse A sale like this wasthat didn’t look like Scarlett O’Hara’s worst nightmare because I could take the dress home today

When Gemma, orks in fashion, told me about this sale, she’d said it was a secret, the kind of thing you had to know someone who knew someone to even be aware of Apparently, there were a lot of people who knew soner wedding gowns at steeply discounted prices And so, I waited with at least five hundred other woar

I supposed this expedition was kind of fun I ith my friends—not just Gemma, but also e friend Connie, and my friends from work, Isabel and Trix We had flasks of coffee and a box of doughnuts, and it was like a sluot up really early

Gee of the operation, and as the time drew near for the warehouse to open, she drilled us in the battle plan “Okay, we’re in a good position here We h that we should still have a chance at the good dresses Not everyone here will find so they want to buy, and they won’t all want the sa as Katie When they open the doors, there may be a bit of a stampede, so be ready to move with the flow of the crowd, and try not to let anyone behind you pass Isabel, I want you to block and clear the way for the rest of us”

Isabel stretched her arot you,” she said with a ferocious grin I was fairly certain that Isabel was part giant She could probably have carried us all in, tucked under her arot in her way

Gearound” She handed out diagraot it laid out, so here are your quadrants Katie and I will float, based on what you’ve found”

She handed out pages full of photos of wedding dresses “Here are our targets If you see so outside these parameters”

“Nothing with too ht,” I instructed “Y’all know me, so you probably knohat I like”

“When in doubt, siant,” Gee size, so the samples should fit okay with some alteration We’re prepared to do some quick try-ons on the floor, and we’ll only battle for dressing rooms for those that s and a tank top under my coat, so I could try on dresses overrooenerally knehat she was talking about when it ca, so I’d put myself in her capable hands

Gemma checked her watch “Brace yourselves The doors should be opening at any nment? Then, huddle up”