Page 4 of Nighted

Chapter Two

I found myself standing in front of a full-length mirror and squashed into a tight purple dress. Fidgeting and trying to pull the dress up over my exposed cleavage, I turned to face Mollie. “You’re really sure this looks okay?”

“Girl! You look great!” She spun a finger motioning for me to turn. I needed to be a good friend. A best friend. I could go shopping, try on clothes. Act like a normal girl, not one who had an entire pack of werewolves to protect. But still. “Are you sure this doesn’t come in black?” I whined.

Mollie grimaced. “Yes, I’m sure. Besides, it’s almost summer. Who wants to wear black in the summer?”

I did. But I didn’t say that. Instead I focused on being a good friend. “I guess the dress doesn’t look too bad.” I frowned, looking in the mirror. My reflection was almost a shock to my system. I was used to seeing myself in mud-stained workout clothes.

“You look hot. I can’t believe your body right now either. What the hell are you doing?” Mollie sounded impressed over my newfound muscles, but I was immediately embarrassed.

“The usual. Running. I’ve also been trying out boxing, remember?” Boxing. Sure.Stick with it.

“At a club in Chicago? I don’t think we have anything around here.”

I wasn’t sure if Chicago had any either. “Something like that.” I didn’t want to outright lie to Mollie, but I also didn’t know how much longer I could avoid the truth.

Thankfully, she was already on to the next thing. She clapped her hands together. “My turn!” We both ducked into our changerooms, and I put my casual clothes back on. I sank in relief to be out of the dress. But I would buy the dress and wear the damn thing out with her. For Mollie. I waited outside for Mollie to come out in her first outfit. Mollie had great taste, which was completely different from my own. Despite my day, I was excited to see what she had picked.

“Ta-dah!” Mollie came out in a dress, striking a pose. The white lace dress, fitted through her delicate waist and hips, had off-the-shoulder straps emphasizing her collarbones.

I clapped my hand over my mouth. “Oh, Mol. It’s beautiful.” Mollie was always gorgeous. She was effortless in a way I could never manage to achieve.

“It’s perfect, right? Do you think Ben will love it? Our anniversary is coming up, and he’s taking me away for the weekend.” Ah. The real reason we were shopping was coming out. Ever the perfect planner, Mollie was already preparing for what was likely to come. A proposal was imminent.

“Ben will be at a loss for words. Honest.” My words were the truth.

Mollie continued to talk as she admired herself in the mirror. “I still need to find shoes. None of mine will match. And a necklace. What do you think about a pearl necklace?” I nodded, barely able to keep up with her speed. “Just think, Ava. I might come back from this trip engaged. And soon enough it’ll be your turn!”

I choked on my breath. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Don’t be dense, Ava,” Mollie said, in a matter-of-fact tone. “You and Jasper are obviously soulmates.”

Soulmates. I tossed the word around on my tongue. If Mollie only knew the half of it.

I shook my head. “Maybe. But I don’t think marriage is in the cards for us.” I tried to picture it. Me in a white dress, and Jasper in a tux. Our friends and family gathered around outside. But who would walk me down the aisle? Did I wear my blades under my dress? None of this seemed plausible.

She met my gaze in the mirror and shrugged. “Never say never.”

On the drive back to Merrillan, thoughts of the break-in at home were replaced by images of the ideal family life. The one I had pictured for myself since I was twelve. The perfect wedding. The house. The man. Truth be told, that dream wasn’t what I wanted for myself anymore. I wanted to make a name for myself. I wanted to be an equal, to be strong, and to go on adventures. And I wanted to do all those things with Jasper by my side. I didn’t think I needed the title “wife” to get what I wanted out of life. Besides, one dream out of three coming to fruition wasn’t bad. Jasper was ten times the man I had ever anticipated in my life and had made me realize I could be bigger than myself. He came with danger, and an uncertainty in life, but they were odds I’d choose again and again.

It was pitch black by the time Mollie pulled into my parking lot. Spring was coming, but daylight had yet to catch up. She killed the engine and turned to me. “Okay, you won’t forget next time we make plans?”

“No chance in hell I’ll forget.” Literally. “Name a time and I’ll be there.”

She pulled me into a tight hug. “I miss you, girl. Tell me you and Jasper aren’t going to be doing this back-and-forth thing forever.”

I shook my head. “Definitely not. It’s too much for both of us.”

Mollie grinned. “Good. Speaking of, what is your insane boyfriend doing?” She pointed to the field facing the parking lot. I followed her finger to see Jasper, illuminated only by the streetlights, kneeling in the grass with his nose nearly in the dirt.

I was at a loss. “Um. Well.” I had no idea what I was supposed to tell her, because I had no idea what the hell he was doing either. So, I shrugged my shoulders and went with confusion. “I’m pretty sure your guess is as good as mine, Mol.”

Always a good sport, she just shrugged and laughed. “Hey, who am I to judge? Takes all kinds to make the world go ‘round right?”

I joined in her laughter, unbuckling my seatbelt. “I should go check on him. Drive safe.”

I made my way over to Jasper through the damp grass, about to call out to him so I didn’t surprise him. But he beat me to it. “Watch where you step, Ava.”

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