She turned the dress, and I winced.Nope.That would show my scars as clear as day.I liked to think I wasn’t ashamed or self-conscious of them, but deep down, I knew that was a lie.I was an angel, and an imperfect one at that.The last thing I needed was to draw attention to the scars that marred half of my back.
“Veto,” was all I said.
She frowned, looking at the dress as if she couldn’t believe I’d turned it down.In all fairness, it was beautiful.But I was in no mood to put my scars on display.
With a quiet hum, she returned the dress, then continued her search.
“What about this?”She held up a cozy-yet-chic sweater dress in a deep burgundy.
I took it from her and held it up to my body.“Oh, I love this.It’s cute.And I could definitely wear it again.”
Jazz nodded enthusiastically.“Try it on!And I’ll keep looking.”
I headed to the dressing room, slipping into the dress and checking myself out in the mirror.It was pretty and comfortable but didn’t quite scream “date night.”
Jazz knocked on the door.“How’s it going in there?”
I opened the door and stepped out.“What do you think?”
She tilted her head, considering.“It’s nice, but not quite right for a date.”
I nodded, my lips pursed.Maybe it wasn’t right for my date, but Ididlike it.And now that my bank account was flush with extra zeroes, I decided to splurge and treat myself.
“I’ll get it anyway,” I told her.“Something cute to wear during the winter.”
Jazz smiled.“Attagirl.Spoil yourself.You deserve it.”
I did deserve it.And I’d never had the opportunity to do so before.
After paying for the sweater dress, we spent the next hour hopping from store to store, trying on countless outfits.Jazz was relentless, determined to find the perfect dress.Finally, we walked into a little clothing shop tucked away from the main street.Jazz’s eyes lit up as she spotted a champagne-colored chiffon cocktail dress with lightly ruffled sleeves and hem.
“This is the one,” she declared, pulling it off the rack and handing it to me.
I took it skeptically but went to try it on anyway.The second I saw myself in the mirror, I knew she was right.The dress hugged my curves in all the right places, covered my back, and had just the right amount of flair to it.I stepped out of the dressing room, and Jazz’s jaw dropped.
“Lily, you look amazing!Jack is going to lose his mind when he sees you in that.”
I smiled.“You think so?”
“I know so,” she said confidently.“That color really makes your eyes pop.Now, let’s get some shoes to go with it.”
We spent another half hour searching the store for the perfect pair of boots, finally settling on a high-heeled pair that both matched the dress perfectly and would keep my tootsies warm in the freezing cold.I didn’t necessarilyneedto take that level of precaution, but I had a feeling I’d attract unwanted attention wearing strappy heels in the middle of freaking winter.
As we walked out of the store, bags in hand, a sense of normalcy washed over me.Shopping with Jazz, finding the perfect outfit for my date with Jack—it was a reminder that, despite everything, there were still good times to be had.
Jazz linked her arm with mine again as we headed toward a nearby café.“You’re going to knock his socks off, Lily.I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days.“Thanks, Jazz.I owe you one.”
She grinned.“Just promise to give me all the juicy details afterward.”
“Deal,” I said, already looking forward to the distraction the date would provide from the madness of my otherworldly problems.
ChapterSeven
And speaking of otherworldly problems…
I stood next to Mason in stone form atop the Alberta Legislature Building’s roof, my gaze sweeping over the Edmonton skyline and the frozen river valley below.Despite the biting cold, the view from up here was worth the hassle.Reaching the roof had required a careful climb through a narrow set of locked staircases up to the cupola—a turret perched at the very pinnacle of the dome.Normally, this area was off-limits to the public, but with some creative manoeuvring—and a bit of hurried lock-picking—I’d made it.Now, I just had to ensure no one caught me.Explaining why I was loitering on top of a historic government building while waiting for a gargoyle to shift back into his human form would be…complicated.
