70. Marina

70

MARINA

A s Amanda chattered on about the menu and the decorations, Marina's head was spinning with all the options and decisions that she had to make.

"How about I just leave it all up to you?" she finally said. "You are the expert, and I trust your opinion more than I trust mine."

The smile that bloomed over Amanda's perfect face seemed to indicate that was exactly the response she had been hoping for. "Are you sure? I can definitely do that, but usually, brides are more particular about what they want."

"Not me. I'll be happy to just choose the design for my wedding dress, and even that I'm not sure about. You will probably do a better job of choosing for me. I'm just worried about Peter not getting a say in his own wedding."

He had told her to do whatever she wished, but since he was so excited about the wedding, he must have some idea about what he wanted.

Amanda seemed surprised by the comment, but she recovered quickly. "Grooms are usually happy to leave everything to the brides, but I can ask him. If he wants to take part in the planning, he's more than welcome."

When Vivienne called back, Amanda handed Marina the phone so she could go over the sketches.

"Wow." Marina couldn't believe that the woman could sketch that fast, let alone come up with all those designs in a matter of moments. She must have had some on hand and only made slight adjustments, but still. "They're all so beautiful. I don't know how to choose."

Amanda clapped her hands together. "Well then, we'll have to put it to a vote. Vivienne, darling, can you email me these sketches? I want to pull them up on my tablet so we have a larger screen for our judges to look at."

"Of course. You'll have them in a few moments."

As Amanda pulled her tablet out of her fancy bag, she began calling over the other women in the café. "Wonder, Aliya, Sharon, Denise." She waved her hand in invitation. "Come over here. We need your expert opinions!"

The women gathered around, their curiosity piqued by Amanda's excitement. Marina felt a warmth spread through her chest as she looked at the group of women. Two of them had become close friends and the other two she knew as well.

In such a short period of time, these immortals felt like family.

"Alright, ladies." Amanda pulled up the sketches on her tablet. "We need to choose the perfect wedding dress for Marina. Let's vote!"

A lively debate followed. Wonder favored a sleek, modern design that she claimed would complement Marina's figure perfectly. Aliya argued for a more traditional gown with a long train, insisting it would make Marina feel like a true princess. Sharon pointed out the merits of a design that would allow for easy movement during the reception, and Denise said that all of them were equally beautiful and she couldn't decide.

In the end a consensus was reached, mainly because Marina added her vote to Wonder's, and the others agreed that it was the best one for her. It wasn't too constrictive or elaborate, would allow Marina to dance the night away, and it was unique and unconventional like Marina herself.

She could already imagine herself walking down the aisle in it, Peter's eyes lighting up as he saw her. Then again, his eyes lit up when he saw her no matter what she was wearing.

Mother of All Life, she loved him so much.

Amanda seemed happy with the choice as well. "Let me call Vivienne and tell her what you have selected."

"Wait." Marina stopped her. "Do you know how much she charges?"

Amanda put a hand on her arm. "Don't worry about it. Vivienne will give me a special discounted price, and Peter will happily pay her."

She hoped that Amanda was right about Peter being happy to pay.

"Vivienne, you've outdone yourself," Amanda declared when her friend answered the call. "The contemporary design won the popular vote and that of the bride-to-be. I'll get you Marina's measurements so you can get your team to work on it right away. Now, what about bridesmaids' dresses? They need to match the contemporary design…"

As Amanda hammered out the details with Vivienne, Marina's mind wandered to all the people she wanted to invite to her wedding. There were so many from her old life that she wished could share her special moment. A pang of sadness hit her as she thought of her friends from Safe Haven.

She waited for Amanda to end the call with Vivienne. "I have a question, and I'm not sure that you can give me an answer, but I don't know who else to ask."

Amanda tilted her head. "What's the question?"

"Would it be possible... I mean, I know it's probably not, but... could I invite all my friends from Safe Haven to the wedding? I mean, all my old friends who came from the Kra-ell compound and who are compelled to keep the existence of aliens a secret?"

It would be so satisfying to know that her ex was watching her marry a Guardian.

Amanda's expression softened. "Oh, sweetheart. I wish it was possible for all of them to come, but it probably is not. As far as I know, Safe Haven is booked for retreats for the next six months, and they need everyone to maintain the lodge, not to mention the security concerns, but you can invite a select group of close family and friends. Are your parents still around?"

"Yes, and I would also like to invite Larissa and a couple of other friends."

Not including her ex. He wasn't worth the trouble.

Besides, why would she want someone who did not wish her well at her wedding?

"That shouldn't be a problem," Amanda said. "Write down the names, and I'll send them to Onegus for approval."