Chapter Thirty-Five
Kyile
Three months later…
Jenni and Emily gasp in sync when I step out of the bathroom. Emily’s eyes fill with tears as Jenni rushes for me as fast as her seven-months-pregnant belly will allow. She fusses over me, ensuring the purple satin dress she designed specifically for me is sitting right. Once she’s finished fussing, I pivot to face the full-length mirror. I squeal before I can stop myself.
My ball gown gathers in all the right places, giving me the illusion of an hourglass figure. When you first look at my face, you’d assume I’m not wearing any makeup. The only reason I know I am is because my freckles have been blended into the background. My hair is back to the original length it was when I met Slater two and a half years ago. No, it didn’t grow that much the past five months. It’s the work of hair extensions. The hairdresser Jenni hired is so talented, I can’t tell where my real hair ends and the extensions start.
Overcome with glee, I throw my arms around Jenni’s shoulders, startling her. It’s taken me a few months to get used to the affection Jenni and Emily lavish me with every day. Dylan and his two brothers were my best friends growing up. I had a handful of female friends at school, but the distance between our ranches meant we didn’t see each other outside of school hours. Once I left for college, all my female friends ceased to exist, until I stumbled upon Melanie.
“Can you please take a photo so I can send it to Melanie?”
“I could.” Emily shrugs as if she’s not really into the idea. “Or you could show her yourself.”
My eyes snap down to hers. My height already gains me three inches on Emily, but the altitude-daring heels I’m wearing means I tower over her.
When Emily fails to extinguish my confusion, my eyes turn to Jenni. Her cheeks are flushed, and she has a huge smile etched on her face. “She’s in the living room—”
I’m halfway out of the master suite before the entire sentence leaves her mouth.
“Melanie!” I squeal when I spot the back of her in the living room.
As I rush for her, my body perspires in an attempt to lower my erratic pulse. I haven’t seen her in person for nearly five months. Text messages, phone calls, and FaceTime can’t compare to seeing someone in the flesh. I can’t hug someone over the phone, and I’ve missed hugging her so much it hurts.
With a smile as bright as the sun, Melanie spins around to face me. After squealing an ear-piercing scream, she races across the room, causing her short black ball gown to swish around her white thighs.
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh my god, where did you get your dress?”
“Your hair, I love it.”
“Your hair, I love it!”
We continue throwing questions at each other until we become breathless. Emily and Jenni watch us from the doorway of the master suite with amused looks on their faces, most likely realizing this is what they look like every time they greet each other.
“You look beautiful,” I tell Melanie.
I’m not lying. She’s the most dazzling I’ve ever seen her. Her platinum blonde bob has been changed to a very short pixie haircut, making her blue eyes sparkle even more. She’s wearing a black strapless dress with a fitted bodice, and her skirt fans out just below her navel. Her killer high heels add a few extra inches to her tiny five-foot-four height, and although she appears to have lost a bit of weight the past five months, she’s undeniably beautiful.
“Thank you.” She twirls so I can see the complete package before holding me back at arm’s length. “You look smoking hot too! What have you got under there? Because I swear your boobs weren’t that big the last time I saw them.”
When she yanks down the front of my dress, exposing one of my naked breasts being held in place with Hollywood tape, I slap her hand away. “Now I’m certain you’re Slater’s twin.”
She flashes me a frisky wink. “I guess that’s why he brought me here. He thought I’d be a good influence on you.” She battles to hide her smile but miserably fails. “But he—"
“Picked the wrong friend!” we scream in sync.
Our laughter bellows around the room, only stopping when someone knocks on the main door of my suite. Certain it’s Slater, I rush to the door, eager to reacquaint our lips since it’s been over four hours since we’ve kissed. I may also be dying to thank him. He’s been spoiling me rotten the past four months, but seeing Melanie again tops any gift he’s given me.
I swing open the door before throwing my arms in the air. “I love you more than the moon and the stars and the ocean. I love you more than anyone!”
Marcus’s plump lips curve into a broad grin. “I love you too?” he says hesitantly, as if it’s more a question than a statement.
With a roll of my eyes, I tug Marcus into my room before popping my head into the hall, seeking Slater.
“Slater will meet us in the ballroom,” Marcus informs me when he notices my dropped lip. “He had someloose endshe needed to tie up.” His smirk switches to a genuine smile. “His time gotcutshort, leaving himtrimmedof time.”
