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“Nope. Jake recommended it.”

“Badass likes to window shop boutiques?”

“No, he knows the owner.”

“As in—”

I held up my hand. “Don’t know, don’t wanna know. I’m assuming since he’s not a huge douche, he wouldn’t send me to the shop of someone he’s… known.”

“That’s true.”

“I’d mentioned that I wasn’t sure what kind of dress to wear. I wasn’t about to ask my mom. She’d have probably taken it as a sign I was asking for a wardrobe makeover.”

“Oh God, could you imagine?”

“No. Beyond no. Could you picture me in a sweater set and khaki slacks?”

“No, but now I wanna see that!”

I pretended to look thoughtful before grinning and shaking my head. “Not gonna happen.”

“So are you excited about this weekend?”

“Yes, but also nervous. I wish you guys were able to be there. I’d feel more comfortable.”

“Me too. But we’ve had this vacation booked for months. You know how hard it is for Edge and me to take time off.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Seriously, though… Are you okay with the card situation? I know how Jake can be, but I also know how you are with money.”

“It’s hard to be mad when he’s doing it to be thoughtful, not controlling. Plus, my real issue is with the strings that are usually attached to the money. If I took some from my mom, she’d use it as a way to manipulate me. With Jake, there are no stipulations. I mean, he’s buying the dress with the expectation that I’m going as his date. But if we ended before then, he wouldn’t use that to guilt me into going.” I was surprised at the ache that grew in my belly at the thought.

“Have I mentioned that I absolutely love him for you?”

“Me, too.” I polished my voice to sound like my mother before continuing. “Now that we’ve lunched, darling, let’s shop.”

It was a short walk to Ella’s. The boutique was small but everything was high quality, and most of it was gorgeous.

A tall brunette that looked like she’d just walked off a runway was waiting for us when we arrived. Her hair was cut in a severe bob that accentuated her high cheek bones and upturned eyes. Her clothes fit so perfectly they looked like they were specifically made for her.

“You must be Miss Skye,” she greeted, fake polite with a forced smile. Still, it was better than outright hostile. “I’m Ava, I’ll be assisting you this afternoon.”

Please don’t let this be the owner that Jake knows. I can compete with Bitchy Biker Barbie but I’m not sure about Catty Catwalker.

“Ms. Ella sends her apologies that she can’t be here, but an emergency came up at her other location.” Before I could reply, she turned and started walking towards the back. “Follow me, I’ve got some ideas.”

Ava might not have been the friendliest, but it was clear she knew her stuff. It only took three dresses before she handed me the one.

As in, the most beautiful piece of clothing I’d ever seen.

The dress I wanted to wear until it disintegrated off of me.

Thedress.

The deep plum color contrasted well with my hair and made my violet eyes brighter. The haltered back dipped to an almost indecent level and a slit went past the middle of my right thigh. It showed a lot of skin but the quality of the dress made it look elegant rather than cheap. There was little adornment which made it appear almost plain. When I moved, however, the nuances in the color, the slit, and the fluidity of the dress all came together.

The result was sultry with a definite edge.