Wedding Bell Blues Read Online Free PDF Page B

purple. There was a beaded belt around the waist and beads dotting the back of the skirt.
    A junior bridesmaid, Aly repeated to herself. Did Joan know what that was and would she possibly let Aly be one?
    â€œMy stepsister Carina chose it,” Joelle went on.“She picked out three options for me, and then I got to choose the dress I liked best.”
    â€œIt looks fantastic,” Aly told her. “Just the color of Give Me a Grape.” Purple happened to be Aly’s favorite color, along with green.
    â€œThanks,” Joelle said. “Maybe I could get my fingers and toes done at the Sparkle Spa before the wedding.”
    â€œOf course,” Aly said. “Just let me know when, and we’ll make an appointment.”
    A tall girl with a purple streak in her hair came over to Joelle. “Let me see, Jo,” she said.
    Joelle spun around. “This is my friend Aly,” she said. “Aly, this is Carina.”
    â€œCongratulations on your wedding,” Aly said. “I like your hair.”
    â€œThanks, Aly,” Carina said. Then she turned to Joelle. “The dress looks perfect.”
    â€œI think so too,” Aly said. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”
    Joelle nodded.
    â€œAre you walking down the aisle at Carina’s wedding?”
    â€œShe sure is!” Carina answered. “And she’ll even carry a bouquet of flowers.”
    â€œA purple bouquet,” Joelle added.
    â€œThat sounds awesome,” Aly said. One day she might like a purple-themed wedding of her own.
    All this talk about Carina’s wedding was nice, but Aly saw Ralph leave the store. She needed to get back to Joan, so Aly said good-bye to Joelle and hurried across the shop. “Joan, have you ever heard of . . . ,” she started to say just as Isaac walked over with Suzy and Heather.
    â€œOh, there you are,” Suzy said. “I was about to go looking for you. I thought maybe you got stuckunder one of those poofy skirts or something. Ha!”
    Aly smiled. “Not stuck,” she said.
    â€œOkay,” Joan said, looking at everyone. “Now that you’re all here, are you ready to find out the colors you’ll be wearing?”
    â€œI am!” Brooke squealed, bouncing on her toes.
    â€œMy flower girls,” Joan said, “will be wearing pink with a turquoise sash.”
    â€œPink!” Brooke said. “I was wishing for pink!”
    â€œMe too!” cheered Heather.
    â€œWhat shade of pink?” Aly asked.
    Joan thought for a moment. “Like Pretty in Pink polish.”
    Brooke and Heather both clapped.
    â€œAnd my bridesmaids—including my matron of honor—will be wearing turquoise.”
    Aly looked at her mom. Her mom was smiling.
    â€œI knew you’d like that, Karen,” Joan said.
    At that moment one of the Something New saleswomen brought over the dresses.
    â€œJoanie Baloney, these are the most scrumptious dresses ever. Aren’t they, Heather?” Brooke said.
    â€œI can’t wait to try mine on,” Heather exclaimed, grinning.
    Aly was happy Brooke and Heather liked their dresses, even though they still looked too babyish to her. But Mom’s turquoise dress was magnificent, with beads and flowers and a train trailing down the back of the gown. That decided it.
    Even if it meant making Joan a little bit mad, Aly just had to have a beautiful turquoise dress like Mom’s and walk down the aisle at Joan and Isaac’s wedding. Aly swallowed hard. Was she really brave enough to ask?

eight
Turquoise Delight
    A ly knew if she waited one more second, all her courage would disappear. She closed her eyes and blurted, “Joan, I really, really want to be a part of your wedding and walk down the aisle and wear a new dress. I just learned there’s a job called ‘junior bridesmaid.’ May I please be one? I’m sorry if it causes ­trouble . . .