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He growled, deep in his throat. "This world's ideals of beauty aren't ones I wish to adhere to. You're too skinny, Sades. Please eat more?"
"I'll try," I promised.
"Good. Now, dress." He circled his finger in the air, asking me to turn.
Slowly, I did so, a gasp escaping me as I took in the dress he'd designed for me. My hand flew to my mouth, the shock not having worn off.
"Enrique..."
"Beautiful, right?"
"It's stunning, but you can't waste this one me. This dress is..."
"Fit for a Queen. I know. But how else am I to win one over to my client list?" He smirked, a smugness coming over him. I did have to admit it was a genius idea. All he had to do was catch the right person's eye and I'd be uniquely placed to do so.
Not even thinking about just being in my underwear, I stepped towards the dress, longing to touch it. The fabric was a soft blue. It was pale, but not pale enough to be mistaken for white. An important touch given I'd be attending a wedding reception. The fabric seemed to glitter in the light. I ran the fabric through my fingers, discovering it was littered with small crystals.
"Enrique, this is too much."
"No, it's really not." He handed me a collection of underskirts. "Put these on."
Second nature took over, and I slipped into the garments. Experience taught me not to ignore Enrique's requests, but even so, the dress was far too much for me. I couldn't accept it.
I also knew that I would.
"This dress is everything we both need it to be." He unzipped the back of it, slipping it from the mannequin and lifting it with surprising ease. He was stronger than he looked, that thing must have been heavy.
"I..."
"Arms up," he instructed. "You need it to attract the man who has your attention. I need it to attract anyone in the market for a new designer. And this dress, on you, will do just that."
"You have a lot of faith," I muttered, doing exactly what he'd requested and holding my hands in the air.
He drew it down my body, his hands never touching my skin. He was respectful and reverent. Though the latter was probably more to do with the dress than with me.
I held my breath as he finished closing the zipper. I'd already seen myself in the mirror and it was almost impossible for me to believe the figure standing in front of me was...well, me.
A tear pooled in the corner of my eye. Which was stupid. All that was happening was me seeing myself in a pretty dress.
"You really will be the belle of the ball."
"I look like Cinderella," I murmured.
"But far more beautiful," Enrique agreed. "It fits perfectly," he noted.
I stifled a laugh. "Just as you expected it to, no doubt."
"Of course, I have your measurements on my files after all. I must thank you for that at some point."
"I think this dress is thanks enough," I responded, unable to tear my gaze away from the mirror.
"I've pulled in a couple of favours too. You'll have jewellery and shoes to match the dress."
"No handbag?" I joked. "But thank you, you really didn't need to do that."
I tore my gaze away, so I could turn to face him. The sincerity in his gaze said it all.
"You don't need to thank me, Sadie. You're my best friend. You've encouraged me in my dream from the very start. How can I not help you in your hour of need?"
"Still, I need you to know I appreciate it."
"Sadie, some things in life you don't do for any other reason than it's the right thing, or that it makes you happy. Those things don't need thanks."
I know they don't need it, but you deserve it."
He smiled, pride evident in his every move.
"It really is a shame you won't be able to wear a tiara. That really would make this outfit perfect."
I laughed in response, turning back to the mirror to study myself again. He was right, a tiara would complete the Princess look, even without my hair and makeup being done. But I wasn't Rita. A crown wasn't something I wanted or needed. There were far more important things in life.
"I need to find a bag to match," I observed.
"Not at all. You have pockets." He stepped towards me and touched the side of my dress. "Three of them. Here, here and here." He pointed them out as he spoke.
"You really are a genius." Pockets. The thing most women’s clothing missed. It would make carrying things a hell of a lot easier.
"One is for a pair of ballet flats I have for you. They're lightweight, so they won't weigh down your dress while you're dancing, but if you need to make a quick getaway, they'll help."
"Thank you, you really have thought of everything."
"Stop thanking me, Sades. I don't need it. All I want is for you to go to the reception and shine."
I bit my tongue to stop myself from thanking him again. Damn that British upbringing and the intense need to be polite. We exchanged a look which conveyed the true love we felt for one another. A love that only best friends could have for one another. I really had gotten lucky with him. I hoped he felt the same way with me.
