Free Sexy Love (Sexy Series Book 4) by Dani Lovell

contagious.
    Pretty soon we’re at one of the dress stores, a beautiful small boutique filled with whites and ivories and champagnes, and the unique smell, divine, the scent of a Jo Malone candle I once owned and keep meaning to replace.
    I didn’t think Bea would be one to visit one of those huge wedding dress stores, but I hadn’t quite expected somewhere so quaint and cosy, I hadn’t even known this place existed until we arrived here. Well, I suppose wedding dress shopping isn’t something I’ve done a huge amount of. I’ve never been dress shopping with a friend, I didn’t have too many good friends before Bea and Tilly came along. I’ve always been more focused on work and family than having a huge group of friends. I never want to give up these girls, though; they’ve become so precious to me.
    Within just a few moments, we’ve been offered a glass of champagne each by Joyce, the uniquely attractive, eccentric storeowner, and ushered through the main store entrance into a plush and indulgent fitting area. There is a raised platform stage in the centre and luscious fabric couches to recline on to watch the show.
    We sit for a while as Bea talks through her likes and dislikes with Joyce, and I listen intently as she describes the style of dress she has been dreaming of her whole life. It’s going to be such a wonderful feeling to listen to her ideals and then eventually, potentially witness her finding it, and her dream coming to life. Up until this moment, her dress has been something she’s always wanted but never actually seen, and I’m about to watch that change.
    “I know exactly your style, Beatrice,” Joyce says, in a deep and gravelly tone, addressing us all, “I’ll go ahead and select a few dresses for you to try and we’ll go from there, depending on what you like. I’ll be back in a few minutes, in the meantime, girls… enjoy, and help yourselves to more champagne,” she points over to a shabby chic, restored silver table which houses an ice bucket and bottle of champagne, before disappearing through an archway.
    She’s obviously been in the business for many years; she’s so natural with her customers and the job at hand. As she moves around the store, she looks as if she’s in her own home.
    I imagine Joyce to be around sixty… maybe sixty five years old, she has wild, coarse, copper-coloured hair and a complexion that tells you she adores the sunshine and a cigarette or twelve; her abrasive voice would confirm that, too.
    She rocks a dress sense to match her statement hair, crazy, bright and messy, but oh-so-fantastically full of personality and individual style. She must have a ring on every over-worked, swollen finger, huge multi-coloured gems set in various types of metal, and her fluorescent orange nails would normally have me reaching for the polish remover and cotton in an attempt to clean that muck off, but on Joyce, somehow it works perfectly.
    “Cheers!” Tilly says, holding her glass high, and we join her, raising ours, smiling broadly.
    “Cheers, congratulations, Bea. Thank you so much for inviting me along for this special moment.”
    She rolls her eyes playfully. “Lex, how many times? Would you stop saying that? Of course you’re here – you would always be with me for something like this. You’re Daniel’s sister! You’re my sister!”
    “Er…” Tilly interrupts, “And mine, thanks…”
    I giggle, “Well thank you. I’m honoured.”
    We clink and sip and share a knowing, excited smile just as Joyce returns with a younger girl, both with dress bags draped across their arms. They hang them on a nearby rail and the assistant begins to take the gowns from their bags.
    “Now, as you can see, I’ve only brought a few out for now, see what styles you like, and then we can get some more afterwards, sweetie, okay?”
    “That’s fantastic, thank you.” Bea responds, gratefully.
    I can see Tilly itching to get at the dresses, rocking in her seat, playing