Page 52 of Finding You
“Tough. Get your ass in there now!”
“Yes!” Emily yelled. She had already switched from coffee to champagne. “Try it on.”
I sighed. It was pretty. But I studiously avoided flashy clothes. I had spent my entire life wanting to be taken seriously. And my mother had drilled into my head that sexy clothes, large jewelry, and heavy makeup would not achieve that goal.
Maggie, Ava, and Nora wandered over, curious to see my dress. I had never been one to succumb to peer pressure, but it seemed like a good time to start.
I stepped into the fuchsia dressing room and took off my jeans and T-shirt.
On the plus side, it had long sleeves. I loved sleeves. But it looked like it would barely cover my ass.
I got the glorified shirt over my head and walked out without looking in the mirror. Christian zipped me up and took a step back.
His jaw dropped. “Guys. Look at her.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me. I could feel my face burning.
“Turn around, Astrid,” Nora shouted.
Dante agreed. “Look at yourself, Elsa.”
I turned around to see how bad it was in the three-way mirror.
And… it wasn’t bad? I looked like me. But a glam version of me. It was short, much shorter than anything I’d ever worn before. But the high neckline and long sleeves balanced it out.
It hugged my curves, and my legs looked miles long, even in bare feet.
I thought I would look trashy, but somehow I looked kind of chic.
I felt like a badass. Maybe this cool, sexy woman had always been inside me and I was just needing to let her out.
“This dress was made for you,” Nora said, patting me on the shoulder.
“It’s really short,” I replied.
“No, it’s normal length, you just have insanely long legs.”
It had been so long since I had dressed up and taken the time to care about my appearance. I spent years dressing myself on autopilot—grabbing something clean from my closet and pulling my hair into a ponytail. I had no time to take care of myself, no time to shop or get my nails done or hang out with girlfriends. I wore black because it was easy and professional. It had been a long time since I put something on and felt pretty.
Dante came over and started playing with my hair. “So I’m thinking a high ponytail to show off her long neck and maybe some big statement earrings.” He wasn’t even talking to me as I stared at my reflection.
“Good call,” Christian replied. “You have incredible style.”
“Thanks, babe.” Dante reached up on his tiptoes to peck Christian’s cheek. Damn, they were really cute together. And they were both so generous to me, a virtual stranger. Forcing me out of my comfort zone and making me feel beautiful.
Emily came over and admired my dress. “This feels like the moment when Elsa lets her hair down and sings “Let it Go.”
I still hadn’t seen the movie, so I had no idea what she was talking about. She walked away belting out some song lyrics so I don’t think she cared.
Staring at myself, I couldn’t deny the dress worked. But the real question was, would I have enough courage to actually wear it?
* * *
A few hours later Declan and I arrived at the party. It was frigid outside, but the interior of the brewery was warm and welcoming. From the outside it looked like an old warehouse. The inside, however, was a completely different story.
Soft lighting highlighted the industrial feel, and large leather couches and chairs were clustered around a huge brick fireplace. The live-edge bar gleamed as bartenders filled drink orders. A band was setting up on a small stage in the corner.
“This place is amazing,” I said, handing Declan my puffy coat. The brewery was industrial chic but homey. I could see why people loved hanging out here.
