Page 55 of Fix You

“I am not,” I protested.No, you’re making yourself come to fantasies of him.

“Have you even tried to meet a man since you got back to Dublin?”

“I’ve been busy with school.”

Jabbing a finger at me, Mam countered, “Once again, bullshite.”

I threw up my hands in frustration. “What would you have me to do, Mam? Wear the dress and fix myself up.”

“Absolutely.”

“And then if he looks at me wrong, Callum and the others will beat him within an inch of his life.”

“You leave your brothers to me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Somehow that doesn’t make me feel better.”

Mam grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to my feet. After playfully swatting my backside, she said, “Get your arse into the shower. And when you get out, you do that beautiful hair of yours and use all your best makeup.”

“Seriously, Mammy?”

“Aye, I am.”

Since I knew she wasn’t going to back down, I decided just to do what she said. As I trudged across the floor to the bathroom, she said, “I’ll hang the dress up on the back of the door.”

“Fine.”

“And I brought that emerald and pearl necklace and earrings Hugh gave me for our twentieth anniversary. It will look divine.”

“Anything else?” I questioned.

She smiled. “Go get him!”

Chapter Ten: Maeve

When I came down the stairs in my green dress with my hair and makeup on point, I couldn’t remember a time when I felt more beautiful. To have not tried on the dress, it felt like a second skin. With the sweetheart neckline, the emerald and pearl necklace set off the look. It also drew attention away from the way my boobs bulged out the top.

On shaking legs, I entered the living room. To my surprise, Caterina stood by the piano outfitted in a dress just like mine except hers was ruby red, which went so well with her dark hair. I had to give Mam credit. She knew that by giving Caterina a matching dress style, it wouldn’t look like I was trying so hard in mine.

Quinn and Dare glanced up from the television. At the sight of me, they did a double take. While Dare continued to gawk at me, Quinn muttered, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Maeve.”

Glancing down at myself, I said, “What?”

With a soft smile, Quinn said, “You went and grew up on us, didn’t you?”

I returned his smile. “I suppose so.”

Winking, Dare added, “You look grand, love.”

“Thank you.”

I bypassed them and went over to Caterina. “You look stunning,” I said.

Her cheeks flushed. “Thank you. As do you.” She ran her hand over the waist of the dress. “Your mother has impeccable taste.”

“She really does.”

Caterina had a ruby necklace encrusted with diamonds that I knew was also a gift from my mother. The one thing my father loved was to flaunt his wealth by drowning Mam in expensive jewelry.

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