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“At least I tried. Some things take time, Hunter. They aren’t used to you.”
“I could use the same argument.”
She shrugs. “At least I made the effort.”
I nod slowly. She has a point. Sure, she’s young and naïve, too optimistic. But if I say no, she’ll feel rejected. Maybe when I take her to the party and she sees how stuffy and judgmental some of them are, she’ll understand my point and never want to go again. “Fine. Let’s go to the party together.”
She hugs me, squealing. “You won’t regret it.”
No, but maybe you will.
12
Britney
“Whoa.He really gave you his credit card?” Cat asks me, when we enter a luxury department store.
I blush. “Yes, well he knows I don’t have anything glamorous enough.” After our conversation the day before, he insisted I buy a nice dress for the occasion. A part of me likes that he’s taking care of me, but also, I wonder. Does that mean he thinks I don’t own any outfit proper enough to meet his peers?
A couple of clerks greet us with a discreet smile, and we keep on strolling. I’m not used to this kind of store. I prefer hitting the sales at the mall or buying stuff that pops on my Instagram feed. But as I glance around, noticing the huge chandelier dropping dramatically in the middle of the ceiling, along with sleek mannequins and high-end furniture, I know this isn’t my world.
A woman walks by us, holding her fluffy dog on one hand. Yep, this is one of those places.
“Have you told your parents about him?” Cat asks. She knows I’d have to tread lightly. My parents probably wouldn’t approve of me dating a much older man—let alone if they knew I slept with him while he was still married. My mom would probably not talk to me for a few weeks, giving me the cold silent treatment she reserves for really bad news.
“No. I’m waiting.”
“You think they won’t like him?” Cat stops in front of a rack and begins flicking through the hangers and checking out the clothes.
Iknowthey won’t like him.I just want to have him for myself before I have to deal with my parents’ endless questions about him. “Not at first. Besides, I introduced him to my friends. Then he’ll introduce him to his. And we’ll deal with Mom and Dad later.”
“Makes sense.” She grabs a knee-length black cocktail dress and shows it to me. “How about this one?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Not sure…”
“You should wear something more conservative,” Cat says. “For this kind of party.”
I nod. I walk around, and take a few dresses to try on. Until one of them catches my eye. It’s a simply cut cobalt dress. The luxurious fabric caresses my skin, and it has a V neck that suggests just enough without showing much. It’s elegant, yet sexy but definitely not over-the-top. “This one,” I say when I come out of the fitting room.
Cat whistles. “You look gorgeous. All the guys will be staring at you.”
“As long as Hunter does, I don’t care about the others.”
“Look at you, in love with your old man.”
I’m about to protest Cat’s old man comment, then I hesitate. My heart rate shoots up, and my internal temperature follows suit. She’s right. I’m completely in love with him. There’s no more denying. I love Hunter.
When the dayfor the party finally comes, I’m nervous.
I pace the apartment, each time clinking the floor with the high heels I bought to wear with the dress. I’m almost as tall as Hunter, I think. He’s coming to pick me up, and I look at my reflection in the mirror and second guess my hair style for a moment.
It’s a sleek, wavy style to one side, unlike the plain straight ‘do I use every day. I hope it doesn’t look like I’ve tried too hard. I have, but his coworkers don’t need to know that. It’ll only make me more vulnerable.
When he texts me he’s parking, I no longer wait. I grab the clutch and close the door, locking it behind me before going down the flight of stairs. By the time I make it to the ground floor, he’s walking up to me.
Tonight, a well-cut black suit enhances his tall, broad shouldered, muscly physique. My breath catches in my throat, and I’m happy I didn’t wait for him inside my apartment. There’s no way we would make it to the party if I had.
“You’re breathtaking,” he says in a low voice.
