Page 110 of Heartstruck at Dawn
“Our lips met, didn’t they?” William winked at me and turned around.They did. And now I had to shove away the memories of the other times that happened “Ilaria. She’s wearing this, right? I like it. Make sure she wears her hair down.” William took a seat next to Joel to watch the game and sipped on his beer.
Excuse me?If I wore this, it would be becauseIliked it. Not because he did or commanded me to wear it.
“She might. But I want to see the strapless dress on her, too,” Ilaria said to him.
Okay. I guess Ilaria had the final word on what I was going to wear.
“She already wore that black strapless dress you guys sent me in December,” William replied, watching the soccer match and throwing a snack into his mouth. He screamed something in Swedish at the screen. “It’s best to change it up.”
“Oh,youwore the black and white velvet dress?” Marcus asked with a grin. “How did it fit you, girl? William wouldn’t let me come for a fitting.”
Nowhe seemed elated.
“Like a glove,” I said with a frown, walking back to stand beside Lily. That reminded me of what William said about why he could guess my measurements.
“Ah! You are a couple?” Ilaria asked with her sharp Italian accent. Marcus and Elijah turned my way at the same time.
I parted my mouth to answer, but before I could say “no,” William had responded, “Not yet,” and laughed.
“No,” I finally answered right after him.
“Billy,” Lily said as a warning, giving hima look.
Joel then said something to William in Swedish, but he kept laughing and said, “I don’t give a fuck.” I wondered what it was he didn’t give a fuck about—probably his behavior.
“Hmm. She will wear that,” Ilaria said, pointing at me. “Marcus the hem—pull it up before she falls on face.” Ilaria chose a pair of heels, and Elijah helped me put them on. “Carolina and Frankie will come for hair and makeup Thursday morning. I’ll meet you both here to dress you afterward.”
“I have to go to school in the morning. But I can do my hair and makeup,” I suggested.
Ilaria laughed. “You’ll skip class, yes?”
Ilaria was the kind of woman to whom you couldn’t say no. “I’ll see what I can do,” I said instead, feeling stupid about my reply. I knew I was most probably skipping class.
Marcus presented a dress option for Lily. It was long and of a beautiful light champagne color. The neckline was straight with an asymmetrical one-shoulder design. The top part of the dress shined from the beautiful champagne-colored sequins.
Her look had no moon, only the shiny sequins to represent it. It was stunning. “Frida wore this too. Look thirty-four, Eli,” Marcus dictated.
Ilaria, Lily, and I walked inside the guest room, and I changed out of my suit as Lily tried the dress on.
“Ecco!” Ilaria said when she zipped up Lily’s dress.
“You look beautiful, Lily,” I said with a smile.
“This needs adjustment,” Ilaria said, pulling on the fabric along the waist. Poor Lily huffed after Ilaria almost broke her ribs. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Lily, I need to go. But thank you—for all of this. Thank you, Ilaria.” I hugged Lily and walked out of the room.
“Thursday, ten a.m., yes?” Ilaria reminded me with a tone that sounded more like a warning.
“Of course.” I smiled. Yeah, I was skipping school.
I thanked Marcus and Elijah on my way out and said goodbye to William and Joel. I was about to close the door, but William pulled the doorknob from the inside and followed me out.
“Why don’t you ditch Nathan and let me tick two firsts off my list?”
“Two?” I asked.
“Your first premiere, of many more to come. And your first time at the movies in a while.” He smiled.
