Page 9 of Cozy After Snow

Ansley beams at us all.

“Do you guys want to see the shoes?” she asks.

“Hell yeah,” I answer for us all.

She gathers the sides of the gown in her fists and turns to run upstairs to her apartment.

When she returns, she is carrying a box that readsBadgley Mischka.

“These came in last week, and I’ve been dying to show you guys,” she says as she sets the box on the counter and lifts the top.

Tucked inside is a pair of Tiffany-blue satin stiletto heels with vintage pearl embellishments.

“I had them special ordered. They are my something blue.”

“Oh, Ansley. They’re magnificent,” Taeli utters.

“I have something for you guys too,” Ansley says.

“Us?” I ask.

She grins at me. “Yes, you didn’t think I forgot about the bridesmaid gifts, did you?”

Her mother hands her a wooden box filled with little blue boxes, and she passes us each two apiece.

Inside is a pair of pearl earrings with a matching open-heart pearl bracelet.

“Do you guys like them?” she asks as we all tug them loose and start to put them on.

“Are you kidding?” I ask.

“They’re gorgeous,” Anna says.

“And they fit, unlike this dress,” Maxi adds.

We all turn to her.

“What? Your dress doesn’t fit?” Ansley squeals.

Maxi’s eyes shoot to her. “No, it does. It’s just a little snug.”

“There’s no time to send it back,” Ansley says, panic rising in her voice.

Maxi puts her hands on her hips. “Calm down. I’ll just lay off dessert and cocktails for a couple of weeks. It’s not a big deal.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. It’s not bad. I just don’t want a boob to pop out on the dance floor and end up on the cover ofCountry Daily,” Maxi quips.

Anna looks down at her chest. “I think they’re supposed to fit like that. My girls are on full display too.”

Ansley’s brows furrow as she takes us all in, and Erin steps forward to defuse the situation.

“Hey, if anybody is stealing the spotlight and upstaging the bride and groom, it will be me and Jena doing the worm across the dance floor in this thing,” she snaps as she wiggles her hips.

Ansley’s eyes go wide. “You guys wouldn’t.”

“Play some Vanilla Ice and see what happens,” I dare.