Page 5

Chapter 5

That dress wasn’t hiding any ugly

Callie

I gave Cooper the address of a nearby coffee shop to meet at. I was still suspicious—which could be a me issue—but this whole thing was odd. Hockey superstars didn’t just offer this kind of help to random people. I wasn’t a kid with cancer, or the guy who’d worked at the arena since he was sixteen. In case something went wrong today, I didn’t want him to know where I lived.

As a manager at the movie theatre, Darcy’s shifts were variable. He’d worked closing at the theater last night, but he still got up to make sure I would pass muster. We’d looked at some golf clothing online, and I’d ordered something to wear. It arrived yesterday, while I was at work, and when I tried it on, it didn’t fit.

Clothing was a constant struggle with my figure. Too much bust, not enough of the rest. To get a top to fit around my breasts, what I’d ordered was so baggy that I looked like I’d borrowed someone else’s clothing, and the skirt was too short. So I’d scrambled in my closet to come up with something that would pass the club dress code.

Darcy frowned, but admitted it was a lot better than what I’d worn to the benefit. The skirt was long enough, even if it was a drab brown that didn’t look like anything I’d seen on the Briarwood website, and there was a collar on the white polo shirt. It was a little grayish after a lot of washes, but no one could say the outfit was too loud. I ironed the skirt and shirt, so I should be good. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail, my moisturizer had SPF, and I’d packed a water bottle and more sunscreen, along with a visor and a sweater in a tote bag. Prepared for any eventuality.

To make sure I’d be ready on time, I’d set my alarm early, so I still had twenty minutes before I needed to head out to meet my golf pro.

I’d promised Darcy, again, that I’d use lots of sunscreen—I was about as pale as a human could get between freckles—when there was a knock on the door. I looked at him, in case he was expecting someone. He shrugged from where he was sprawled on the couch under a blanket and let me do the honors. Was it a neighbor complaining about something? This early?

I opened the door and froze. There was a big hockey player in the doorway, with a smirk on his face and a large shopping bag in his hand. Blond hair, blue eyes, and according to Darcy, awesome abs. None of which were supposed to be here, at my door.

“Cooper?” Had I missed something? I definitely wouldn’t have invited him to the condo. Darcy sat up on the couch, eyes big with shock.

“Yep. Step back, we have work to do.”

I did just that before I realized what I was doing, and he passed me, heading inside with a glance around. He spotted Darcy, hair disheveled, staring at Cooper like he was a ghost. A hot ghost. Darcy looked like he wasn’t sure if he should scream or drool. I was thinking instead about slapping Cooper upside the head.

But I followed Cooper like a mindless sheep till I pulled myself together.

“Hi, I’m Cooper.” He headed to Darcy as he spoke.

“I know.” Darcy’s eyes were even wider as he shook the hand Cooper held out, holding his blanket up like a blushing virgin in a Gothic horror story. Darcy was wearing a T-shirt and boxers, for fuck’s sake. What did he think Cooper was going to do?

“And you are?”

None of your business. Before I could blurt that out, Darcy responded.

“I’m Darcy. Callie’s roommate. I’m a fan.”

“Of Callie’s? Glad to hear that.” Cooper’s big smile was still on his face as he turned back to me. “Okay, Callie, let’s get moving. We’ve got a tee time to make.”

“How the hell did you find this condo? I didn’t give you my address.”

He shrugged. “When you bid on the silent auction at the benefit, they asked for some information, like an address.”

“And they gave it to you?”

“I might have told them that I wanted to surprise you with flowers.”

“You lied?”

“I’ll send flowers. But not when you expect them. Surprise, remember?”

That had to violate some laws but what was I going to do? Mr. Hockey here wouldn’t be the one hurt, and now he had my address. “I’m not happy about this, but it’s obviously too late. Don’t bother with the flowers.”

I reached for my canvas bag, glad I was ready so I could get Cooper out of here.

I frowned at him so he knew I wasn’t happy with him coming up to skooch me along. “I’m ready. I was just heading out for the coffee shop now, if you hadn’t barged in here.” I turned to my roommate. “Not sure when I’m back, Darce, so I’ll probably see you tomorrow.”

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I whipped back around, stepping away from that grip.

“You’re not ready.” Cooper held out the bag he was still holding. I recognized the name on it. A high-end sporting goods store. I hadn’t even bothered looking at their website.

“What’s that?” I was already frowning, but I upped the wattage.

“Clothes. You know, the stuff you put on over your naked body so that the country club lets you in.”

Behind Cooper, Darcy put a hand over his mouth. I’d deal with Darcy later.

“Believe it or not, Cooper, I do understand what clothes are. In fact, I’m wearing clothing. And I checked and this meets the rules for your country club.”

Cooper set the bag down on the coffee table and crossed his arms. “First, it’s not my club.” He shuddered. “Second, we’re not just working on golf lessons, are we? We’re learning how to fit in at the country club. And whatever that is you’re wearing is not going to cut it. Truthfully, the cleaning staff wear better than that.”

Darcy choked down a laugh. I turned to him with my best killer glare, while Cooper gave him a smile.

Cooper turned back to me. I don’t know what he saw on my face, but his voice softened. “At this club, you don’t just satisfy the rules. You’ll be ever so politely run off even if you follow every rule that’s written down because what you need is to follow the unwritten rules. You have to look like you belong there. Otherwise you might as well forget your golf tournament.”

He stopped and ran his gaze up and down my body. I felt it, and I didn’t like that. I stared back. I wanted to tell him what he could do with his country club and his rules and his bag of clothes and his judgment. It would feel really good. But I’d learned a long time ago that indulging in what felt good didn’t get me anywhere. I needed to use my head. And my head told me that the guy was probably right. Ego big enough to need its own postal code, but still, right.

I shot another look at Darcy. He nodded.

“Fine.” I didn’t ask what was wrong with what I had on, because Cooper was just waiting to tell me. And as much as I wanted to learn, I didn’t want to hear him tear apart my choices. “What did you bring?”

He picked up the bag again and passed it to me.

“I guessed on size, but golf skirts and tops, and a couple of dresses.”

“Dresses?” I needed a dress? What the hell for?

“For the dining room.”

I stopped myself before I repeated dining room , since he’d probably tell me it was a room where people sat down to eat. “I didn’t know we were going to be there for a meal.”

He shrugged. “Part of the country club lessons.”

The man was infuriating, and way too sure of himself. But again, my head kept my temper in check. The golf lessons I could get elsewhere, and I would definitely look something up after today. But being familiar with the clubhouse, and the dining room, and what was expected there was something I couldn’t take lessons for. He was right.

“Receipt in the bag?” Because I was damn well going to pay for my own clothes.

“Receipt?”

I took my opening. “The piece of paper they give you when you buy something, listing the items and prices. I can pay for my clothes.” The corner of his mouth curved up and I wasn’t going to like what he was going to say. But I would fight him for the right to pay for anything I wore.

“I don’t have a receipt.”

“What did you do with it?”

“Nothing. They don’t charge me.”

This made no sense. “What do you mean, they don’t charge you?”

“They’re one of my sponsors. When I tell them I want something, they just send it over.”

My mouth fell open and I knew I looked shocked, but this…this was not anything I was familiar with. “They just give you stuff?” I heard my voice, high and squeaky. The tax issues that would cause…

“That’s cool.”

I turned my glare to Darcy, who at least lived in the same universe as I did. “It’s not cool, it’s—” I couldn’t finish the sentence. Not without sounding priggish or stupid.

Darcy grinned at me. “It is cool, but go on, get dressed.” He dropped the smile, mirroring Cooper. “You have a tee time, Cal.”

I gave him my middle finger, then picked up the bag and went to my room. I might have flounced.

Once there, I set the bag on my bed and looked inside to see what Mr. Cool had asked for. The fabrics felt silky in my hands as I pulled them out.

A top, with a logo on the pocket, in a buttery yellow color. In two sizes. Skorts, in a green and yellow pattern. A matching sweater. Three dresses, two in different sizes of the same copper color, one in green.

Ha! I knew green was my color.

I looked for tags, to find out how much this stuff cost so I could repay someone for it. But there were no price tags. Nothing but the care and washing instructions. Not even a bit of plastic or a stretched-out hole from where a tag had been pulled off. Expensive, but to find out how expensive, I’d have to look online or go to the store. I tried to imagine walking in with cash and asking for a manager to give the money to. No, that wasn’t going to work. I’d have to come up with something else.

I tried on the first copper dress and went into the en suite to see how it looked. It fit, which was the first shocker. And it flattered me. I wasn’t good at clothes and fashion shit, but even I could see that I looked…well, more like women did who cared about how they looked. I sniffed.

The first top was too small. The second fit perfectly. When I pulled on the matching skort and checked the mirror…again, it looked good. Not just that the colors were nice and the fit was right. It looked like something rich people would wear. This I could wear to the golf tournament, and I’d look like everyone else. Well, not the shoes, but I’d buy some.

I carefully folded up the copper dress to put in my tote bag—for the dining room—and returned everything else to the shopping bag. I’d repay Cooper somehow, but for now I could be gracious and take advantage of this opportunity. Even if it killed me.

I opened my door and stepped out, only to hear the two guys slagging on my dress. The one from the charity dinner.

“I didn’t see her before she left, or I’d never have let her walk out in that.”

Oh, was that so, Darcy? How were you going to stop me?

“I spent the whole night fixated on that ugly piece of shit. How did she end up with something like that?”

I blinked back unexpected tears and marched out to shut them up. “I looked for the most horrible dress I could find just to get your attention, Cooper. Would have hated for you two not to have something to gossip about. Feel better now?”

Darcy’s cheeks flushed. “Sorry, Cal, but you’re hopeless with that stuff, and you didn’t let me help you.”

I ignored him. I didn’t need him making me look even more hopeless in front of Mr. “they give me stuff” Hockey Player.

I looked at Cooper, finally, noticing that he also looked a little embarrassed. Good . “We have a tee time?”

“Right. Nice to meet you, Darcy.”

I picked up my tote and then stalked to the door, Cooper following closely. I didn’t wait for him to open it, just pulled it back and marched through. I heard it close as he followed me down the hallway.

“I’m sorry, Callie. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

I whipped around. “Then tell me what you did mean to do.”

He stood, saying nothing for a moment. “Okay, I’m sorry that I insulted you. Clothing is a thing of mine. It frustrates me when someone doesn’t take advantage of what they wear to make themselves look good.”

“Looking good is not the primary goal of life.”

“Sure, but it can smooth things over.”

“Or hide ugly things below.”

He let his gaze drop, slowly moving down my body and back up again. And this time too, swear to god, I could feel it like a touch. Then the smirk was back on his face. “That dress wasn’t hiding any ugly.”

I felt my cheeks warming and turned for the elevator without responding.