Page 111 of Late Nights & Love Lines
When she lifts her gaze to mine, I wink. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road. I have maybe ten dresses left in me before I’m handing over the dressing room to someone else, so bring your best.”
Stella rushes forward, shoving a hundred-pound Cinderella dress in my face while Tabby comes at me with something in a deep shade of violet draped over her arms that’ll show more skin than fabric. I swallow down a groan of annoyance as they place them on hooks in the dressing room.
Seren holds out her hand and we flap our fingers back and forth like fish three times before hooking pinkies, tapping our palms together, touching our pointer fingers, then bumping hips.
It’s better than a hug.
“You can do this, Row. You’ll be beautiful in them all, but I’ve got your back. No frogs will be kissed to turn you into a princess.”
Affection warms my cheeks. “You’re a good kid, Ser.”
She shrugs. “I have my moments.” I laugh as she walks back to sit on the sofa next to Stella. They both flick me into motion with their hands, and I take a step back, then shut the door and glare at my options.
The Cinderella dress is an immediate no. It’s a beautiful dress that would be amazing on Stella, but on me will resemble a mushroom that’s gotten so big it’s no longer recognizable.
Curse words fly through my mind, causing my lips to twitch as I open the door.
Stella jumps to her feet with her hands clasped in front of her face. “Oh, Rowan. It’s gorgeous. I’ve always thought it would be so fun to be a princess for a day.”
And suddenly the dress makes more sense. This is her dream dress. Glancing over my shoulder at the scrap of vibrant purple fabric Tabby handed me, I scowl because that’s probably her dream dress as well, but it’s so far removed from her day-to-day style it has me questioning everything I’ve learned about her.
“No,” Seren says, boldly standing tall, and a flood of pride washes over me. This little girl is going to grow into a beautifully strong woman. “It makes you look like a cake decoration.” When Stella’s face falls, Seren is quick to amend her statement. “Ah, maybe you’re too tall for it, Row. The waist sits funny. I bet it would be amazing on Stella though.”
This kid is twelve going on twenty.
“I think you’re right. Sebastian said you needed to find a dress too, Stella. Why don’t you try this one on?”
Her brow furrows for half a breath before she’s nodding, happiness beaming from her radiant smile.
I’ve never stripped out of a dress so quickly before. Nor have I ever had so much trouble getting into a dress as the next one I try on.
“I’m stuck,” I call through the door. The purple dress Tabby chose has strips of sheer paneling strategically showing skin from my shoulders to my toes. Now that I’m stuck partially in it, I can envision the sex appeal, and as annoyed as I am, I’m also intrigued by the pushy little baker.
What kind of sexy secrets is she hiding?
The door opens, and the three of them stand shoulder to shoulder, staring at me with varying degrees of humor twisting their faces.
“What the hell is wrong with this dress?” I ask, fully aware that they can see my entire ass in the mirror, but I can’t get the dress to move up or down at this point and I’ve lost track of the hidden zipper.
“It has the potential to be sexy as hell,” Tabby says with appreciation coating her words. “Do you have it on backwards?”
I glance over my shoulder, spinning in place, trying to see if she’s right.
Seren is the one to reach out, grab my elbow, and stop the manic circling that was about to happen.
“I don’t think so,” I finally say.
“Upside down?” Stella asks, bending over and looking up at me with her hair dragging on the floor.
“It’s not upside down,” I say sarcastically, but now I’m not so sure.
“Holy boobs,” Seren whispers, and we all stop moving to glance at my chest. Granted, my boobs are generally considered okay, but nothing to stop traffic over. Whatever this dress is doing to them makes them appear porn-film ready, and I quickly cup each one, trying to hide the fact that my nipples are standing at full attention and I’m flashing some major side-boob.
“It’s the freaking beading on the dress that’s suffocating the girls, that’s it.”
“This is not the dress,” Seren says with wide eyes. “Dad would lose his sh—mind—he would absolutely lose his mind, and isn’t this a charity for kids?”
“Uh-huh,” Stella says, choking back a laugh.
