Page 104 of Romeo

I stared at all of them.

“What is this?”

“This,” Josie announced as she draped the garment bag over the couch, “is us making sure you go to prom.”

I stood. “I’m not going to prom.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

She unzipped the garment bag.

Every argument disappeared.

The dress inside shimmered silver beneath the afternoon light. Delicate beading covered the bodice, catching every little movement, while the skirt fell in soft layers beneath it.

It wasn’t overly elaborate.

It was worse.

It was exactly the kind of dress I would’ve stopped to stare at in a store window before convincing myself I had nowhere to wear it.

“Josie—”

“You can,” she said before I even finished.

Sugar came in behind them carrying a shoe box and a jewelry case.

Of course Sugar was involved. She had control of my work schedule.

She put everything on the coffee table and opened the box to reveal strappy silver heels. Inside the jewelry case sat a delicate silver necklace with a small pendant and matching earrings.

I shook my head.

“This is too much. I can’t accept all of this.”

“You’re not accepting it,” Sugar said. “You’re borrowing it. The dress is mine from when I was your age. The shoes are Josie’s. The jewelry is Granny’s.”

My head turned slowly toward Granny.

She leaned against the doorway wearing an entirely too innocent smile.

“You knew about this.”

“I might’ve had an inkling.”

An inkling.

Right.

I looked back at the dress.

For half a second, I let myself imagine wearing it.

Then I remembered the part none of them seemed interested in discussing.

“I appreciate this. I really do. But I’m not going alone. I’m not going to be that girl sitting at a table by herself while everyone else dances. I’d rather stay home.”