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“God, I love it.”
The wedding dress had an invisible back with just a line of pearl buttons that went down to the apex of the buttocks and had a halter front with hand-painted flying birds silhouettes rising up from the bottom to a plunging neckline. Over the dress, I’d wear a sheer jeweled cape with an enormous hood.
The dress was sexy and sophisticated.
“You should. I made it exactly for you,” Avery scoffed as her tousled hair tumbled all over her face and her thick bookish glasses as she lost herself in her work. “So, you’ll wear this for the auction, and I’m designing something else for you to wear on the date.”
“Just make sure it’s modest in case my ‘buyer’ gets handsy,” I chirped, feeling just a little nervous about the live auction part of the event.
It was Maralis’ idea that there be a live auction to get more money for the Every Dream Foundation. There was going to be a fashion show, a pop-up shop, an auction for a ‘date’ with the models, and a plated dinner with dancing, live music, and a comedy show. When the night was over, so was the date, so everything was really well organized and would be supervised, but I was still very nervous. At least I had a month before the event. I had lots to do before then.
“Okay …” Maddy came out of the kitchen. “I made gorgonzola gnocchi—Grandma Ruth’s recipe, and radicchio salad.” She gave us each a plate, and we dragged ourselves from the worktable to huddle in on the couch. “What will it be tonight, ladies?” She flipped on the TV.
“This looks insanely good, Mads.” I dove right in, not realizing how starving I actually was.
“Silence of the Lambs,” Avery screamed out.
“I’m good with anything,” I volunteered with a mouthful of food.
The silence of the Lambs was the winner for our Friday night movie night. Movie night was a ritual for us, every Friday no matter what we cuddled on the couch and watched whatever we agreed on. Another standard was the Saturday sleep in. Usually, we would do everything in our power to avoid missing either weekly event.
It was almost midnight, and it was the perfect Friday night until the gnocchi started fighting with the radicchio in my stomach and I raced to the bathroom to barf everything up.
“Kylie, are you okay?” Avery’s voice pitched with nerves after I’d been in the bathroom far too long.
I shook all over. There was no way. It just … I couldn’t. I mean I did forget to take my pill, but it was only once … well, it was actually three times that week, but I had taken some. But really … people didn’t get pregnant from forgetting a pill here and there. I mean some couples took years to get pregnant, Alec and I just had the one night. I couldn’t think of it. I just bent over and wretched again, giving Avery her answer.
“Okay … um. I’m getting you some Kaopectate and a box of Tums. Maybe it’s all the nerves,” she said through the door.
“Maybe,” my voice was distant and weak.
Chapter 14
Alec
I was restless, uninspired. Nothing brought me joy. I hadn’t slept with anyone since my night with Kylie, and that may have been compounding the problem. Every time I thought about hooking up with someone, I remembered Kylie and her sweet snarkiness. She was a walking duality, outwardly flirty and sexual, inside scared and vulnerable. No one else could compare. Adding to her fame and cool persona, she was a woman with a mission to heal others. That was one of the sexiest things about her. Knowing her charity work was informed by her own trauma made me love her.
I had never gone more than a few weeks without sex, and I was nearing twelve. It was appalling. The only thing keeping me from driving over to Kylie’s house and demanding that she stop this nonsense and fuck me again was that in two days, I would be attending a charity auction for her non-profit. In two days, I would see her again, and this time, I’d have the glorious opportunity to talk some sense into her. During the event, we would bid on the women in a fashion show and be allowed to spend the rest of the evening with them. I had to move some money around, but I fully expected to win at all costs, and so I was prepared to pay a lot for a night with Kylie where she wouldn’t be permitted to run away.
“Two minutes of your time.” Larry, my office nemesis barged in the door.
Larry was a throwback to when my grandfather ran the company. He was young and hungry when he began, now he was old and hungry. He was one of my development men, but he tended to do things rough and dirty. I preferred neat and above board.
