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She crosses her legs, laying her arms on the armrests. “Well, now you can set them on fire. You need new ones. Stop feeling so guilty about pampering yourself a little.”
Pursing my lips, I swallow my reply, merely admiring the dress in the mirror. When the vendor brings the shoes though, my resolve breaks.
“These are perfection,” I comment while stepping inside them. “And they fit me.” My legs appear interminably long in them, and they work for this dress. The reduced price tag convinces me to buy them. I’m pampering myself without breaking the bank, and I’ll blow my man’s mind tonight. Win-win. “I’ll take them.”
“You look radiant,” Evelyn says as I’m changing into my old clothes after the vendor leaves to pack the dress and the shoes. “You love him, don’t you? He definitely looks at you like you’re walking on water.”
I pause in the act of putting on my jeans, leaning against the mirror. The curtain of the changing room keeps her from my view.
“I don’t want to rush anything,” I reply, which is not much of an answer.
Of course, Evelyn calls me out on it. “That’s a lazy-ass way to avoid answering. It’s okay to love and accept love, Emilia.”
“Evelyn, I asked you to come with me to give me your opinion on the dress, not to psychoanalyze me.”
“Can’t help it. It’s my job.”
As Evelyn and I walk out of the store ten minutes later, there is a pep in my step all the way back to the clinic.
The afternoon goes by in a flash. Mrs. Deveraux is my last appointment.
“You look glorious, girl,” she tells me. “Tell me your secret. New diet. Wait—new man?”
Blushing, I nod. “Yeah, the friend you saw about a month ago.”
She whistles loudly, bending to do her back exercises. “Is he as good as I predicted he’d be?”
I blush even more violently. “He’s fantastic.”
“Girl, I’m jealous. Make sure you tap that as often as possible. There comes a time when you’ll only be able to do it as often as your arthritis allows you to.”
“Mrs. Deveraux,” I admonish. At her faux-innocent expression, I add softly, “You don’t have arthritis.”
“No, but my partner does. My former one did too.” She eyes me curiously. “Back to you. How did you go from he’s just my childhood friend to sleeping with him?”
The question makes me pause. “It just felt right.”
“He’s a hot piece.”
“He sure is,” I agree. In a lower voice, I add, “And he truly is fantastic in bed. The sex is amazing.”
Mrs. Deveraux gives me the thumbs-up. “I knew it.”
“Now, let’s return to our exercises.”
After the session, I shower quickly and dress in record time in my new acquisitions. Even my hair is cooperating today, the usual frizz missing. I’m almost done applying makeup when my phone vibrates.
Max: I’m at the reception desk. Evelyn cornered me. She looks like she’s about to give me THE TALK. Rescue me.
Instantly, butterflies roam in my stomach, my knees weakening a little. Oh boy, and I haven’t even seen him face-to-face yet. Taking one last look in the mirror, I head out to meet him, walking with determined steps, like a woman on a mission. I find Max and Evelyn chatting a few feet away from the reception desk, and almost burst out laughing. Evelyn definitely has the don’t hurt my friend or I’ll kill you face. To his credit, Max appears to be his usual, laid-back self.
“Don’t scare away my date, Evelyn,” I say. Max’s head instantly snaps in my direction, and I tak
e immense pleasure in the way his eyes widen, even darkening a notch, as he looks me up and down.
“Merely making sure he knows someone has your back,” Evelyn explains. I love this girl so much. “Now, I’ll leave the two of you and go on with my boring evening. Have fun. I’ll be living vicariously through you.”
With that, Evelyn heads out of the building. Max loses no time pulling me into a side corridor.
