Page 43 of Not-So-Perfect Princess
“This is amazing, Enrique,” Brandt said. “Thank you so much.”
Even Brandt had been fooled.
Enrique kissed the top of Julianna’s hand, the gesture as meaningless as the over-the-top display in the music room.
“It was no trouble at all.” Enrique’s smooth tone made Alejandro want to gag. “Anything for my princess bride.”
Julianna’s eyes didn’t sparkle, but they brightened. She looked relieved, pleased with what she saw in the music room and with her fiancé. “Thank you.”
Warmth and appreciation rang out in her voice. Perhaps she would be content, even happy, in this marriage. But Alejandro couldn’t shake his misgivings.
Enrique’s chest puffed out. “There’s more.”
Alejandro had to admit he was curious, but in a train-wreck-waiting-to-happen kind of way.
With a grand gesture of his arms, Enrique motioned for the curtain to be opened. Two young women, both dressed in the same hot pink above the knee dresses and black sling-back stilettos, opened the white silk curtains to reveal a wedding gown on a busty mannequin wearing a diamond tiara and a long lace veil.
“Surprise,” Enrique shouted with glee.
Julianna gasped again. Not in a good way this time. A look of despair flashed across her face before her features settled into a tight smile.
Alejandro didn’t blame her for the reaction.
A cupcake. That was his first impression of the gown. The frilly dress with big puffy sleeves, sparkling crystals and neatly tied bows would look perfect on a Disney princess, but not on Julianna. She would look like a caricature of a princess bride in that dress.
Julianna should wear a more sophisticated, elegant gown with sleek lines to show off her delicious curves. He imagined her walking down the cathedral aisle in such a dress and pictured himself waiting for her…
What the hell?
Alejandro shook the image from his head. He wasn’t looking for a girlfriend, let alone a bride. Especially one who was already engaged and held the key to his freedom.
Julianna stared at the spectacle of a dress in front of her. Tears welled in her eyes.
“I told you she would like this.” A smug smile settled on Enrique’s lips. “She’s crying tears of joy.”
Alejandro balled his hands. He barely managed to keep his fists at his sides. He wanted to punch his brother in the nose and knock some sense into his inflated, ego-filled head.
The guy had to be a narcissist not to realize Julianna was horrified, not joyful. Either that, or Enrique was that dense about women.
“That is my sister’s wedding dress?” Brandt asked with a tone of disbelief.
Enrique nodded, visibly pleased with himself. “I told the designer to create a royal wedding dress fit for a fairy-tale princess bride.”
“When?” Julianna muttered. “When did you tell her that?”
“A while ago,” Enrique admitted. “When my father decided I should wed.”
Julianna pressed her lips together. Alejandro didn’t have to be a mind reader to know what she was thinking. Enrique had requested the gown for a generic bride, not with Julianna in mind.
More proof this show today was for Enrique’s benefit, no one else’s. He knew exactly how he wanted things. Who cared about anyone else, including his bride who hadn’t even been considered in the dress design?
Alejandro had come up against his brother’s ego many times. He’d lost most battles and won a few, but he’d never been so angry with Enrique as he was now.
“Try on the dress,” Enrique urged.
Alejandro waited for Julianna to speak up, to say she wanted to pick out her own wedding dress.
She squared her shoulders.
He smiled. This should be good.
“Let’s go see how the dress looks on me, Yvette.” Julianna set off toward the wedding dress with her maid in tow.
Alejandro stared in disbelief. Julianna had no problem yesterday speaking up to him, showing sass and spunk when it came to Boots’s name and being helmsman. He couldn’t understand why she remained silent now.
He glanced at Brandt. Surely the crown prince would stand up for his big sister? But he followed Julianna without saying a word.
What was going on? Alejandro watched from the other side of the music room as they approached the atrocious wedding gown.
