"Nope, nope, nada." Brooke shook her head at the wedding dresses on the rack. She thanked the tired saleswoman and walked out of the shop after tipping big. No way was she going to be a bridezilla, like the last girl that came before her appointment. The poor staff was overwhelmed by her screaming demands.
Man, wedding dresses sucked in California. Maybe she should take Elizabeth's offer and go to New York and book and appointment there. She was planning on going there anyway. She was looking forward to seeing her old friends in a Broadway play.
Maria Slater, she expected to be a star, but when she heard Johanna Porter starring in it, she was really surprised. The last time she heard from her, she was traveling across country with some guy she was seeing. She took out her keys from her purse for her BMW, when she groaned. Caroline Pierce and Amy Morrow were coming towards her. She groaned. Smiling politely, she waved.
"Brooke! Oh my god! Hi!" Amy hurries towards her and gives her a hug.
Brooke hugs her back, and hugs Caroline. She didn't care for either of them, due to their gossipy attitudes. Hopefully, both went on their ways, the last thing she needed was a headache. The last time she talked to Amy, she had to listen to excruciating details about her wedding. Poor Nicolas.
Caroline was slightly better. She was more humble than high school, but after she got married, she and her husband kept to themselves. Unfortunately, he left her a few months later because he realized he was gay. Her bad luck didn't end there, she was pregnant and the stress of the divorce caused her to miscarry. Since she had no support system due to her having no friends, she latched on the only person that could stand her, Amy Sutton.
Amy, ever since she married Nicolas, she literally turned into a Kardashian wannabe. All she cared about was image. She made a good living selling real estate, especially the high end homes around the wealthy Sweet Valley section. When she wasn't doing that, she was spending Nicolas's money buying expensive designer clothes. Good thing Nicolas was rich and smart. Her tastes were more gaudy than Lila's. She dreamed about becoming a socialite, rubbing elbows with the rich and well known. She tried to hang out with Lila, Brooke, and Rachel Grant, but all three found her annoying and went out of their way to avoid her.
"How's it going guys?" Brooke says politely.
"Brooke! Congratulations on yours and Winston's engagement! How's the wedding planning going?" Amy says excitedly.
"Yes! Did you pick bridesmaids yet?" Caroline asked. "By the way, how's Cara Walker? I heard she moved back to Sweet Valley."
Immediately, Brooke stood on guard. She saw Amy's and Caroline's faces. Their expressions reminded her of hungry sharks. Brooke had to be careful. She heard about Cara from Lila. One wrong word, and Cara's business would be all over Southern California.
"The wedding is still in the early stages, I haven't heard from Cara."
"But she's staying with Jessica in LA. By the way, have you heard about Jessica and Todd?" Caroline asked.
"That was years ago. I hadn't talked to Jessica lately in a few months."
"Poor Cara. It's all over Sweet Valley's message board. She has to testify? I heard the guy she was engaged to is facing multiple charges." Amy said smugly.
Brooke's smile was frozen. She heard it from Lila how scared she was. Good thing she was in Malibu. Jessica lived in a very secured community. No one gets in without strict permission.
"I don't pay attention to social media that much. Anyway, good to see you guys again! I have to go home, I have a early appointment in the morning."
Both Caroline's and Amy's faces fell. They were dying to hear from Cara, but Cara deleted all her social media. Due to the endless press bothering her for an interview. CNN, Fox, NBC, Time, Barbara Walters, the list was endless.
Brooke waved goodbye as she drove off. Good thing she was going out of town, she needed a change. As she was driving she heard a text. She refused to answer it. Not until she was back in her home.
"Winston?" She called out. "Honey?"
"In here, sweetheart!" Winston singsonged back.
Brooke smiled. Who would have guessed she was getting married to Winston Egbert of all people. She hated to say it, she was kinda glad Denise was gone. As much as she thought Denise was nice, she and Winston were too different. Winston belonged in Sweet Valley, not her hometown back east. Walking down the hallway, she was in for a surprise. Winston was wearing a tux. He wasn't alone, he had a mariachi band with him.
"Miss Dennis, may I have this dance?" Winston holds out his hand. Brooke laughed and went into his waiting arms.
"What's the occasion, Winston?"
"Today is the anniversary when you moved to Sweet Valley, all the way back in sixth grade. I needed to mark the occasion. Señors, hit it!"
The band started playing a popular Mexican hit. Brooke recognized the song, it was popular in Sweet Valley when their former classmate, Rosa Jameson played her grandmother's record during the Pi Beta Alpha's sorority dance. The whole school loved the record and made an effort to ask the band to come to the fall dance to honor Hispanic Heritage Month. The band was busy, but agreed to perform in Sweet Valley. The dance was a hit.
Rosa Jameson nowadays was a dress designer specializing in Hispanic fashion. Her line was very popular in Latino countries including Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba and Southern California. Brooke was a fan. She owned a dress from that line and wore it to the Oscars one year when her father's film was nominated for a Oscar. Since then Rosa was very busy. She called and thanked Brooke for making her a household name. At the time she was a struggling designer, she had trouble making it in the United States. Since Rosa's dress was seen at the Oscars, many magazines searched up the designer, since Rosa's design was very unique. Brooke wondered if she should ask Rosa to design her bridesmaid dresses. Brooke hated modern bridesmaid dresses. She found them too generic.
She giggled when Winston dipped her. She couldn't wait to get married.