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"You guys…" I feel tears well up, overwhel day and all the friendly faces around rabs my arm and propels ly strong for such a petite pixie of a girl "No crying Your eyes will get all red and puffy, and believe ot the supplies?" she calls back to E off an ars to Juliet as she follows us upstairs

Lacey fixes me with a look "I’m a miracle worker, but I have only one rule Sit down, and shut up, and do exactly what I say"

"That’s three rules," I point out, laughing My tiredness is fading, pushed away by the infectious enthusiasht, she is a problem child," Lacey tells Juliet

"Hey!"

"Relax, kid" Lacey winks "By the ti to look like a million bucks"

"Can I look yet?" I swivel i here for an hour now, as she applieswith total concentration

"Nope"

"But we’re late, the party starts at eight--"

"Sit still, or I’ll poke your eye out with a mascara wand"

"And you better believe her," Juliet adds, perched on the edge of the bed, watching us "She nearly blinded h" Lacey smirks "I do the best s on me, is it?" I ask, fearful "Because this is a classy event, super-fancy"

"Relax" Lacey rolls her eyes, patting one last layer of powder on my face "That should fix it OK, look"

She turns od!"

"Pretty daood, if I say so myself" Lacey looks proud, but I can’t take eous version of one fron of pale tiredness, just flushed, rosy cheeks, and eyes that shimmer under expertly blended layers of pearly pink eyeshadow Juliet fixedstrands in gentle ringlets to frame my face

"Thank you," I breathe, overcome "Both of you I could never have done this on ht you couldn’t" Lacey bea theher watch "There isn’t er The other girls help, lifting the purple silk gently overit in place until the bodice is fastened tight, and the skirt pools out in a gentle sway arounddown the bodice I hand-stitched a hundred tiny crystal beads along the neckline and they shiht "What do you think? Is it toofantastic," Lacey echoes, beaht: I look like a vision, s every curve ofout in a flow of rippling silk, delicate as a suuess this is it"

They wait, but I don’t

"It’s not," Juliet reassuresto my side She steers me towards the door

"But what if he never wants to see ht in front of everyone?"

"Then you drink the free booze and h lare fro ork out great"

I’s to leave when a noise comes from outside, a loud yell

"Brit!"

We all stop

"Brit, I know you’re in there!"

My heart leaps I know that voice inover to theLacey and Juliet race afterfor the space to look out at the yard below

Hunter’s down there, looking devastatingly handso behind him

Garrett and Emerson exit the house "Hey, dude, calm down," Garrett starts, but Hunter doesn’t listen He looks up and sees me

He crosses the yard in a few short strides "Brit!" he yells up at us "I know you’rehere?" I call down, not believingyou with me" Hunter calls back He stares up at ot a dress, everything you need I’ without you"

I’m speechless

"Hellooo…" I hear Lacey et it"

"Shh!" Juliet elbows her

Hunter ht underneath the"Please, Brit, hear s "I screwed it up, I know I did, but I’ sorry I promised you I’d never leave, and I won’t I don’t care if it takes forever for you to forgive ht now, I need you to come with me Please Brit, can you just co lost

"I love you" His voice rings out across the yard, over the distant crashing of the waves "I don’t knohat else I can say I love you," he swears again, clasping his hand against his heart "I always loved you, ever since the very first night we , Brit"

I stare down at hi like a thunder in my chest

He ca to push away, he ca