“What seems to be the problem?” Amanda walked into Eva’s bedroom, or rather her future bedroom once she and Bhathian moved into the village.

The story Eva was feeding everyone was that Nick needed to transition before she moved, but the truth was that she had no plans on moving until the baby was born. The idea of living in a village where everyone knew each other, and everyone was in each other's business didn’t appeal to her. She was a private person.

Besides, she was still doing detective work, and living in the village meant a longer commute. Once her belly grew too big to hide, she would have to stop doing fieldwork.

Perhaps she should speed up Sharon’s training and have the girl take her place in the field, while Eva took over the prep work Sharon was doing now. That was the only way she could keep the agency going. Otherwise, she would be forced to close it, which she really didn’t want to do. Sharon and Nick and Tessa would have to seek other employment, and her little family would disperse completely.

Amanda gave her a onceover. “You said it was an emergency. I guess it has to do with your wedding dress?”

“It’s too tight,” Eva complained.

After all, it was all Amanda’s fault. She’d pushed for the speedy wedding, and she was also the one who had recommended the style and brought the seamstress to make it.

Amanda waved a dismissive hand. “You’re probably bloated from eating a large dinner. The last fitting was two days ago. There is no way you grew bigger since then.”

That made perfect sense, but it didn’t help with what she saw in the mirror. After decades of enjoying a slim, defined waist, she thought that her protruding belly looked huge.

“I should have chosen a different design, something less clingy. Do you think the seamstress can add a swathe of fabric in the front?”

“Like a sari?”

“Yeah. Wow, a sari type dress could have been perfect—a traditional red sari. I would have looked amazing in it. Red is a good color for me.”

That was why rushing a wedding was never a good idea. If she had more time to plan, Eva might have come up with the red sari idea sooner.

Amanda put a hand on her hip and regarded Eva in the mirror. “Other than the fact that you’re not Indian, I agree. This off-white color makes you look pale.”

“Well, it’s too late to do anything about it. The wedding is tomorrow.” Eva plopped on the bed, the dress’s seams groaning under the pressure. “I’ll suffer through it in the uncomfortable dress and the uncomfortable shoes.”

“What’s wrong with the shoes?”

“They pinch my toes.”

Amanda sat next to her on the bed. “Are you sure it’s about the dress and the shoes? Maybe you’re uncomfortable about the whole thing?”

“I didn’t expect Annani to show up. It’s entirely your fault. You planned the wedding to coincide with the opening ceremony so she could preside over it, and you didn’t tell me.”

“I thought you’d be happy. It’s a great honor she is bestowing upon you.”

“Ugh.” Eva groaned. “I didn’t want a ceremony to start with, only a party. Then I agreed to what I thought would be the equivalent of civil marriage. I don’t want a religious wedding, and certainly not a pagan one. I’m a Catholic.”

Amanda wrapped her arm around Eva’s shoulders. “Think of Annani as a queen rather than a goddess, and you have a civil ceremony. There is nothing religious about the way she does it. She talks about love and undying devotion and stuff like that.”

Someone knocked on the door. “Can I come in?” Sharon asked.

“Yes, you can come in.”

The girl opened the door only wide enough to slide through and quickly closed it behind her. “Bhathian is trying to sneak a peek.” She glanced at Eva. “What’s the matter? You look unhappy.”

“She doesn’t like the dress,” Amanda said.

“It’s too tight and makes me look pale.”

Sharon joined them on the bed. “Why didn’t you say something before? It’s too late unless we make a store run tomorrow morning and buy a readymade dress.”

Amanda perked up. “That’s a fabulous idea.”

“I’m not going to run around town looking for a dress the morning of my wedding.” The event was scheduled for eight in the evening, but the opening ceremony was at six, and she didn’t want to miss it.

Amanda huffed. “Of course not. We go internet shopping, and order express overnight delivery. A sari doesn’t have to fit perfectly. Worst case scenario, if it looks bad, you can wear the dress you have.”

A timid knock on the door announced Tessa. “Is everyone decent?” She opened the door and poked her head in.

“I’m never decent, darling, but you can come in,” Amanda said.

“I thought I heard talk about buying a new dress.” Since there was no space left on the bed, Tessa leaned against the dresser.

“Darn it,” Eva whispered. “I keep forgetting that there is no privacy with immortals around.”

Tessa and Jackson were staying with them in the house as well as Sharon and Robert. Eva didn’t mind that the girls had heard her talking with Amanda, but she didn’t want the guys to hear. “If I’m getting a sari for the wedding, I want to surprise Bhathian with it. I don’t want him to overhear us talking about it.”

“I didn’t hear anything about a sari. Only that the dress was too tight,” Tessa whispered.

“Where is your laptop?” Amanda asked.

“I’ll get it,” Tessa offered.

A few minutes later she rushed in with the device.

“Let’s go shopping.” Amanda took charge of the laptop. “Oh, wow, look at this.” She turned it around so everyone could see. “Traditional wedding saris,” she added in a whisper.

“They are gorgeous,” Sharon said. “You should totally go for it.”

“We all should go for it. The bridesmaids’ dresses we have are not going to work now.”

Eva could picture it in her head, and she loved what she saw. “There are so many to choose from.” Most of the designs were a bit on the gaudy side, but that was the beauty of saris. It kind of worked with the style.

“I like this one.” Tessa pointed at the one that had caught Eva’s attention.

“I like it,” Sharon said.

“Girls.” Amanda handed Eva the laptop. “Let Eva choose. I take the blame for talking her into a dress she didn’t like. Let’s not repeat the same mistake.”