The Girl Next Door (Chris Evans Fanfiction)

Chapter 35

"What the hell is tulle?" Dave muttered, reading the tag on a particularly poofy dress.

"It's like this netting stuff," Erica walked over to her uncle to show him. "Or... at least I think it is. Whatever it is, I don't want it."

"Erica, you need something to show off your cute little waist," Lisa said in her motherly way as she looked through the racks of dresses.

She just laughed softly before saying, "I seriously have no idea really what I want... I just want to be able to wear sneakers with it."

Carly and Shanna both laughed, not knowing that detail until now and loved how comfortable Erica was being herself although Carly asked, "Are you really wearing sneakers?"

"Of course," Erica chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ears while looking over at them as they sorted through the racks. "I mean, I can't dance or do anything fun with heels on. So I'm wearing my black vans that I've pretty much worn ever since I was like 13."

"I did buy her a new pair though so she wouldn't wear her dirty ones she wears when she walks Jacky," Dave piped in.

None of them got to comment on her choice of shoes though because the bridal consultant came in the room and asked Erica questions about the wedding and her personal style before taking her to a dressing room and sat everyone else on the couch outside while she pulled dresses for her to try on.

"Erica, did you die in there?" Dave called out when she had been inside the room for a while.

"No, but I just look so ridiculous in this dress! It's not me!" She huffed from the other side.

"At least show us, sweetie," Lisa urged her.

The door clicked open and Erica came walking out with an un-amused look on her face as she stood in the poofy floral dress that she claimed, "I think if I wear this, I'm going to knock over everyone at the wedding."

This sent all of them into a fit of laughter and Erica trudged back into the room and kept trying on the tons dresses the consultant had pulled for her. Each one earned the same response from her and after almost an hour of trying them on, she told them all, "Okay you guys go pick some for me because I literally hate all of these."

The Evans women and Dave went off together to try to find something for her while Erica plopped down on the chair in the dressing room. She picked up her phone and looked at the text that was waiting on her phone.

'How's it going sporty spice?' Chris had texted her.

'Well if my goal is to have a dress that I could double as a cake topper... then I'd say great!' Erica sarcastically typed back.

It only took a moment for her phone to ding again as Chris replied 'Well no matter what you wear, you're going to look gorgeous and that's a fact.'

Erica smiled to herself, loving Chris' cheesy but so sweet and heartfelt words. She didn't have time to text him back though because Lisa and Dave poked their head into the room and announced, "We want you to try this dress!"

"Lisa found it and I think it looks just like you, squirt!" Dave told her.

She agreed before taking the dress into the room and changing into the dress. She didn't even look at herself in the mirror, but instead walked out to show her family first. All of them sat on the couch with their mouths open as they laid eyes on her.

"You guys aren't saying anything.... Is that good or bad?" Erica playfully laughed.

Dave got up and walked over to his niece. He stood in front of her and put his hands on her arms and looked down at her with teary eyes. Her uncle was a tough guy and crying wasn't something she had hardly ever seen him do which made this moment so special to her.

"Erica.... You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life," Dave tried to blink away his tears. "Chris is a lucky man to get to have you walking down the aisle to him."

"I still don't know how he managed to get you but we're all so happy," Carly came over with tears in her eyes to match Dave's.

"I'm so happy too," Erica wiped at her own tears as they all hugged her tight and then asked them. "So I take it this is the dress?"

Lisa smiled at her and squeezed her hand while Dave said, "You look in the mirror and tell us."

Erica nodded before she turned around and looked into the mirror. She looked at her reflection and saw the beautiful plain white sleeveless dress. The top was a high neck that fitted her tight until it came to her waist and then hung straight down to the floor. It was plain, simple and elegant and Erica thought it was perfect, especially when she found out there were pockets.

She smiled at she envisioned herself holding onto Uncle Dave's arm while she walked down the aisle in this dress to marry the love of her life. Just the thought made her beam with joy and she happily turned around and announced to the small group, "This is the one."