Save the date, p.1
Save the Date, page 1
Table of Contents
Synopsis
Introduction
Jaime Clevenger, New at Love
Kay Acker, The Wedding Party
Louise McBain, Trouble in Mind
Tagan Shepard, Out with the Old
Celeste Castro, Queen for a Day
Dillon Watson, The Magic of the Coin
Cade Haddock Strong, Inn Trouble
Kate Gavin, Liberty
M.B. Guel, Grounds for Panic
Jessie Chandler, Send Out the Clowns
E. J. Noyes, Something (Really) Old
About the Authors
Bella Books
Synopsis
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence for her shoe.
A woman realizes she was meant to decline a wedding invitation, but only after she’s arrived. Can she borrow some of a stranger’s charm to make it through an awkward night?
A power outage during a rehearsal dinner. A vanishing bride. A distraught groom. How’s an innkeeper to keep up? Especially when the bride reappears with a strange request: help her escape her own wedding.
It’s awfully easy to bring “something old” to your wedding when one of the brides happens to be Death’s 700 year-old Head Minion.
As if a museum wasn’t enough of a draw for a history nerd, throw in holograms, a secret wedding, and a mysteriously well-informed woman and things really get interesting.
Weddings are so much more than parties. They’re a gathering of family and friends. The start of an adventure. And most importantly, they’re a celebration of love. From Bella Books comes a collection of short stories sure to put you in the mood to say “I do.”
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First Bella Books Edition 2021
Editor: Ann Roberts
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ISBN: 978-1-64247-232-5
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Introduction
Back in May 2020, an avid wlw fiction reader I follow on Twitter sent out a tweet:
“Question for you married folks:
How long did you date your spouse before getting married?”
(@notsoteenwitch Twitter, May 21, 2020)
The answers queer folks gave to that question were so telling.
“About 15 years before we were legally married. Considered ourselves married long before that.”
(@CHaddockStrong, Twitter, May 22, 2020)
“Jamie and I were together for 8 years, but if it was legal, we would’ve gotten married much sooner.”
(@HeatherBotteon, Twitter, May 23, 2020)
“31 years.
(The government made us wait from 1977-2008.)”
(@Kallmaker, Twitter, May 22, 2020)
My own answer was five years, and that was based on a Civil Union in Vermont. Because we weren’t residents, it had no legal effect. We had to marry again when it was legalized nationally.
When my wife and I met, our relationship was a felony in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The law wasn’t overturned until March 2014. It was called the Crimes Against Nature Law. There is a special kind of cruelty in one’s government calling them a crime against nature.
Our right to marry—to have our love acknowledged and legitimized by our governments—has been a long-standing fight for the queer community across the world. Generations of queer folks lived and died without ever having that right. Generations put their blood, sweat, and tears into giving us the opportunity to love legally. In much of the world, that fight is ongoing. In America, that right is so fresh, and so fragile.
Because of that fight, however, we in the queer community sometimes overlook one important aspect of weddings:
They’re awesome!
They’re big parties with free food and booze and CAKE! People get drunk and do stupid things! There is terrible dancing and, if you’re very lucky, terrible karaoke-style sing-alongs!
More than dancing and singing and, yes, even more than cake, what makes weddings awesome is what’s at the center of all of them.
Love.
Love between the couple and the celebration of that love with family and friends.
Save the Date is a chance to celebrate all the best and worst of weddings. This anthology will have it all: action, disaster, meet-cutes, and romance galore. There’ll even be an appearance from Death herself. Mostly, there will be a celebration of our wonderful community and the passionate women at the center of it.
So join us as we gather something old, something, new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence for our shoe!
Tagan Shepard
New at Love
Jaime Clevenger
“Wait, she’s gonna be packing? In a strapless dress?”
Macy Evans bit her lip and focused on the hem she was busy pinning. Blushing wasn’t an option. Neither was jumping into the conversation to volunteer that packing in a dress sounded red-hot.
Most of the customers at Pin-Up Girl Alterations came from the bridal shops in town, so she fitted more than her fair share of brides and bridesmaids. Pre-wedding gossip and jitters were par for the course. But the topic of strap-ons had positively, one-hundred percent, never come up.
“She hasn’t decided yet on the dress.” The bride-to-be, Sarah Fitzsimmons, pursed her lips and shifted her weight from her right to her left foot. “Honestly I think a dildo would be subtler under a dress but she looks damn good in a tux too.”
“Everyone looks good in a tux,” the maid of honor said. “Knowing Izzy, I bet she waits til the last minute to decide.”
“I know,” Sarah huffed. “I love her but sometimes spontaneity is annoying.”
Sarah tapped her foot and Macy resisted the urge to grab ahold of the dress. All she needed was five minutes of no moving. Just five bleeping minutes.
“If she’s wearing pants, there’s gonna be a bulge,” Sarah mused.
The maid of honor nodded at her in the mirror. “Would that be a problem for you?”
As essential as the big mirror was, sometimes Macy hated feeling like she was in a fishbowl while she worked. Everyone stared at her from all different angles and the number of not-helpful comments on how she should do her job were annoying to say the least. But there were no critiques this time, and even better, she was making the mirror work to her advantage—stealing glances at the maid of honor while pretending to be checking out how the dress hung on the bride.
As soon as she’d walked into the shop, Macy had been certain the maid of honor was a dyke. And the way the woman looked back at her had sent her pulse through the roof.
“I think I might be distracted during the ceremony if I can see it,” Sarah continued.
“The bulge?” The maid of honor laughed. “I figured you were worried because the in-laws would talk.”
Macy wondered if there was any not-awkward way to ask the maid of honor’s name. She had all of the bride’s info, but no reason to ask about the maid of honor since she hadn’t mentioned needing any dress alterations.
“Oh, I don’t care what the in-laws say. I’m in love.” Sarah lifted her shoulders and then swished her hips back and forth, sending the hemline on a rollercoaster ride.
Macy barely held back a frustrated growl as one of her grandmother’s oft repeated adages came to mind: “Love is sweet but overrated compared to a perfect hemline.” She was one pin away from being done.
“I think you need to stop wiggling,” the maid of honor said.
“I’m not wiggling.” Sarah glanced down at Macy almost as if she was surprised Macy was still working on the dress. Sarah held perfectly still for about two seconds, but before Macy could set the last pin, she spun around and narrowed her eyes at her friend. “When was the last time you had to stand still in a pair of heels while someone stuck pins in you?”
“Um, never. But I’d think you’d be used to holding still with all the times Izzy’s tied you up.”
“You can keep your trap shut back there, Devin.” Sarah wagged her finger in the mirror, chastising her friend, but a smile stretched from ear to ear. She looked down at Macy again. “Sorry about all t he wiggling. I’m a little nervous. Never thought I’d be doing something like this. Getting married, I mean.”
“I get it,” Macy said, reaching again for the hem. Her thoughts were entirely distracted now, however, by the silent back and forth that was going on in the mirror between Sarah and Devin.
Sarah made a finger gesture in the mirror but Macy missed whatever Devin had done or mouthed to earn it. A moment later Sarah spun around and said, “Remind me why I brought you along?”
“Because I’m the only friend you have who will watch you get pins stuck in you for an hour?” Devin grinned. “Remember that time you tried to get a tattoo?”
“Only you would bring that up now. Only you.”
Suddenly the two of them were laughing. Macy didn’t stop herself from looking at Devin. She loved the way her laugh warmed the room. However, that wasn’t the only thing she liked.
Devin stopped laughing and looked right at Macy. The smile didn’t leave her face but she added an, “I’m not sorry” half-shrug either meant for Sarah or for her.
Macy smiled back and Devin chuckled again. Her gorgeous dark brown eyes were quick to crease with her smile and Macy felt an overwhelming urge to hold her gaze longer. She’d thought the other times she’d caught Devin looking her direction had been accidental or careless, but this time when Devin didn’t glance away, she knew it was intentional. And it turned on every nerve in her body.
Aside from her distractingly pretty eyes, Macy guessed that Devin was otherwise someone most people wouldn’t notice. She’d probably pass through a room and no one would be able to recall exactly what she looked like. That wasn’t exactly a bad thing. She had no features anyone would complain about—smallish nose, roundish face, medium-length, light brown hair that was mostly hidden under a faded blue Cubs baseball hat, and average height. Her blue jeans and loose T-shirt concealed a good bit of her body, but her forearms were well muscled and her bulk had an athleticism to it that made Macy guess she’d find more muscle if she went looking.
But there was something about how she carried herself, and even the relaxed way she took up space on the sofa, that seemed to broadcast how much she didn’t care about other people’s opinions of her. Or maybe it was that she was so accustomed to no one looking her way, she’d forgotten to be nervous like most people were. Being completely at ease and comfortable drew Macy to her all the more.
“So am I done?”
Macy looked up at Sarah. She’d paused too long and now fumbled for an excuse. “I have to see how it moves with you. Mind taking a little walk around the room? You can tell me how the length feels.”
Sarah clearly was no expert at walking in heels and teetered more than once, then tugged at the waist of the dress. “I think the length’s fine but maybe it’s too much lace?”
“That part’s hard to change.” Aside from the lining and layers of chiffon, the whole dress was lace, including the entire back side.
Sarah scratched at the neckline and then at her arms. “I know, but I want to be able to move in this thing and not feel like a weird mannequin.” She held her arms out at her side and took a few steps looking more like a robot than a mannequin but getting a good laugh from Devin.
“Maybe all the lace was a mistake…”
Devin shook her head. “You liked the dress when you picked it out. You sent me about a hundred pictures of it. And you look gorgeous.”
“She’s right,” Macy said. “You really do look beautiful.”
Sarah bit her lip. “You think so?”
“I do. The dress is a perfect fit.”
Behind her, Devin held up her hands in with an, “I told you so” look. “I might be the one who’s single, but I know a few things. Izzy’s gonna love you in that dress.”
“Well, yeah, but she thinks I’m hot in a bathrobe.” Sarah sighed. She put her arms down and eyed her reflection again. “I’m just not sure this is me. It’s an awful lot of lace.”
“Sometimes it’s hard seeing yourself in a wedding dress,” Macy suggested. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“It’s a little late for second guessing the dress anyway I suppose…Have you ever fitted someone who wanted to hide a dildo under a dress?”
Macy was caught off guard by the question but didn’t want to let it show. “No. But I could. I have friends who are into cosplay and I’ve worked with about every kind of material you can imagine.”
“I guess I’m wondering if you think it’d be better to wear it under a wedding dress or a tux,” Sarah continued.
“It’d be easier to hide it under a dress, for sure, and maybe more comfortable. But why hide something like that?”
Devin chuckled and Sarah grinned. “Good answer,” they said in unison.
Sarah looked back at Devin. “Jinx. Double blackout.”
“We’re not in grade school anymore. You can’t call double blackout.”
“I totally can. And I did.” Sarah turned back to the mirror. “You guys, this is happening. I’m wearing a wedding dress—and I’m actually getting married.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Lace and all.”
The dress moved with her seamlessly. At least Macy could say she’d done her part of the job. “You look amazing. Your wedding’s going to beautiful.” A little hiccup of fear was normal. All brides felt it at one point or another. Lifelong commitment was no joke. “The dress is perfect. And your fiancé sounds perfect too. I mean, anyone who can rock a ball gown, as well as a tux, and is ballsy enough to wear a strap-on, has my vote.”
Sarah laughed. “Thank you for the pep talk. Izzy is perfect.”
Macy eyed the dress one last time and gave a nod of approval. “Let’s schedule one last fitting two weeks before the wedding to make sure I don’t need to make any other adjustments, okay?”
Sarah nodded and took off her heels as Devin got up from the sofa and gathered their things. Macy followed Devin with her eyes, wondering how inappropriate it would be to ask for her number. It wasn’t that she hadn’t asked a woman out before, but lately she’d been spoiled by women asking her. And being at work was completely different than walking up to someone at a club.
Her cheeks burned with a blush as she considered some question that might get Devin’s attention. “So what’s the maid of honor wearing?”
Devin straightened up. “Fluorescent pink. No joke.”
“Fuchsia,” Sarah corrected.
Macy laughed at Devin’s pained expression. “Fuchsia can be nice.”
“Yeah, and don’t let her fool you. She looks sexy as can be in fuchsia.”
“Well, if you need any adjustments on that fuchsia dress, let me know.” Macy handed Devin one of her cards.
Devin took the card but seemed to hesitate. “I’m not actually wearing a dress. Sarah’s letting me get by with a bright pink vest with a matching bow tie. I really shouldn’t complain.”
“Fuchsia,” Sarah said. “And you shouldn’t. Because you’re going to look damn good.”
Devin started to hand the card back but Macy held up her hand. “You can keep the card. I do alterations on everything.”
“Okay thanks.” Devin eyed the card. “This artwork is amazing.”
“One of my cosplay friends drew it,” Macy volunteered. “And she is amazing.” She’d wanted to keep the name of the business from when her grandmother was running the place but “Pin-up Girl Alterations” had needed a new image for a while. She’d been thrilled with the artwork her friend Nina had sketched and was especially glad now that she’d thought to add her cell to the back of a few of the cards.
“My cell’s on the back in case you ever need an emergency seamstress. No one thinks it’ll happen to them but you’d be surprised the calls I get.” Chances were, she’d never see or hear from Devin again, but she could hope. “And good luck with your fuchsia vest.”
“It’s all about the cute bow tie,” Sarah said.
Devin groaned. “I’m going to look like a teddy bear.”
“I say own it.” Macy doubted that Devin would look anything like a teddy bear, but the smile she got in response made her wish she could see the outfit herself.
