“Certainly,” the sales lady said in a high soprano voice. “What can I do for you?”
“Our friend here,” Chris pointed to me, “needs to find a dress. Do you have any recommendations for her?” Christian asked politely.
Recommendations? It was a prom dress not a college application.
The sales lady put her index finger against her plump red lips and silently appraised me. I desperately wanted to roll my eyes. Suddenly her eyes lit up and the put her finger in the air in an ‘aha!’ moment.
“I’ll be right back,” she said and disappeared into the racks of dresses.
“Christian I’m going to kill you,” I said in a monotone.
“Ooooh!” said Chris mockingly. “She uses my whole first name. I’m so very scared. I’m quaking in my little boots.”
The sales lady returned with a deep green dress in her hands. I sat up intrigued. She held it up and asked hesitantly, probably afraid I’d bite her head off, “Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful,” I said reaching out to feel the green fabric between my fingers.
Charlotte clapped her hands together and said, “Yes! She has some fashion sense.”
“Are you sure it’s not more your color?” I asked.
She glared at me and I swore flames sprouted from her red hair. She put her hands on her hips and said, “Having red hair and freckles does not make me a leprechaun.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“Would you like to try it on?” asked the sales lady.
“Sure, why not,” I said and followed her to a dressing room. I eased out of my clothes and slipped the shimmery emerald fabric down over my hips. I gasped at my reflection.
“Let us see!” I heard Chris’ voice outside the door.
I opened the door. Chris, Charlotte, and the sales lady peeked hesitantly at me.
“Oh my God,” said Charlotte and Chris simultaneously.
“You look beautiful,” said the sales lady, clearly proud of a job well done. “It’s a one-shoulder draped goddess gown,” she said to the girls having obviously decided that I had no fashion sense.
“I like it,” I said.
Chris and Charlotte gasped.
“I never thought I’d hear those words escape your lips today,” said Chris.
“We have the perfect shoes and earrings to go with that,” said the sales lady.
“My ears aren’t pierced,” I said.
“Oh,” she said clearly crestfallen. She asked me my shoe size. I rattled it off and she disappeared. A moment later she returned with a gold spiked gladiator looking heels in her hands. I thought they looked like a death trap.
I slipped them on to appease the three staring women and wobbled.
“You’ll get used to them,” said Charlotte.
“I doubt it,” I said. “But I’ll take them both anyway.”
The girls cheered and high fived the sales lady. As I pulled on my jeans and t-shirt I heard them asking her for suggestions with their own dresses.
The sales lady found a short gold dress for Charlotte. I thought it looked stunning on her. The corset top was fully beaded and accentuated her small figure and the gold skirt was a three tiered tulle ruffle. She also found a stunning dress for Chris as well. The dress she found for Chris was a midnight blue with intricate silver and black beadwork. It was ruched with a sweetheart neckline. The color of the dress made her honey blond hair look blonder and her pale green eyes striking. The sales lady disappeared to find them appropriate shoes and jewelry.
By the time we finally left the store Charlotte and Chris had befriended the sales lady. Her name was Cheryl. I thought it was funny. The three C’s. Charlotte, Christian, and Cheryl. They could start their own club.
We had ridden in my car because it had the most room but Chris had driven since I didn’t know my way around the city.
We got in the car and I started programming the navigation system to be set for home.
Her chipper British accent demanded that we turn left and then right up ahead.
“Thank you, Beatrice,” I said kindly to the colored screen displayed before me. Chris did as Beatrice said and snickered at me.
“Beatrice? You named your navigation system?” she asked trying to contain her giggles. Charlotte was currently in a fit of hysterics in the back seat.
“Well, she is a woman and she’s British. I also like the name Beatrice and I thought if we were going to be spending a bunch of time together she deserved a name.”
“You are aware that you named and are referring to an inanimate object like it’s a person. You must have been one strange child,” she commented.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Laugh at me all you want but Beatrice has never failed me. Unlike you two,” I added.
Chris guffawed, “When have we ever failed you?”
I pointed back behind us at the large mall. “Case in point, you declared you could find me a prom dress. If I recall correctly Cheryl found my dress.”
“That’s because you hated everything we pulled,” said Charlotte from the back.
“It was all ugly. Even my grandma wouldn’t wear the stuff you were trying to put me in,” I said.
Our carefree laughter filled the car. I had never felt better. I had real friends and a boyfriend and an extended family that loved me. My wolf family.
We stopped on our way home at a Red Robin and got burgers and shakes. Night had fallen by this point and we still had a forty-five minute drive home. I was exhausted by the time I walked in the door. Shopping can do that to me.
“Did you find a dress?” asked Gram from her perch on the couch. She hit the mute button on the television and Fox News stopped blaring through the room.
I held up my dress that was currently wrapped securely in a garment bag and my bag of shoes. “This dreadful day was a success,” I muttered.
Gram laughed. She took the bags from me and hung them in the closet. “You look dead on your feet,” she said and kissed my cheek. “Go to bed Sophie. Oh, and Caeden’s in there,” she said.
Sure enough Caeden was spread out across my bed in his pajamas. Or… um… Jammie Jams…
“How was it?” he asked. “As bad as you thought?”
“Worse,” I said and he pulled me into his arms. He kissed the top of my head.
“But you found a dress,” he said having obviously overheard my conversation with Gram.
“Yep,” I said.
“Can I see it?” he asked.
I raised up and glared into his blue eyes. “Absolutely not. I want you to be surprised.”
“It’s not like it’s a wedding dress,” he said.
“So,” I said, “I don’t wear many dresses and I want to have as much an effect on you as I can.”
“You always have an effect on me, Sophie,” he said and his voice was thick.
“I want it to be a surprise,” I said.
“Fine,” he said. “But you can’t see me in my tux until the day of,” he chuckled.
“Deal,” I said and we shook on it.
* * *
“Hold still,” admonished Chris as she smeared some kind of glittery substance across my eyelids. I tried to wiggle away from her. “Charlotte!” she called and the leggy red head appeared in the bathroom. I was sequestered on a stool where I wasn’t supposed to move. The not moving wasn’t working out to well. “Hold her arms,” said Chris.
Charlotte’s hands clamped down on my arms holding me in place. Chris looked at me with an evil glint in her eye. She had me now.
She had already forced me to scrub my scalp and my skin raw. Once I was buffed to her specifications she filed my nails and painted them in a shimmery gold. She painted my toes as well. I didn’t see the point. My dress was long and would cover them, no one was going to see them, but she insisted.
Chris finished dabbing on a shimmery gold eye shadow onto my lids and then plucked my eyebrows. She put a smoky gray eyeliner underneath my eyes and then attacked me with a
mascara wand. She made me pout my lips and swiped a pale pink gloss across my lips. She then attacked my cheek bones with a bronzer.
“Now for your hair,” she said attacking my locks with a hairbrush. Once it was smoothed out she curled it. She braided one side and then swept my hair into a side up do.
“Voila,” she said standing back and surveying her handiwork with her arms crossed over her chest. “What do you think?” she asked pointing to my reflection in the mirror.
I gasped. There was no way that the goddess in the mirror could be me. The foreign creature in the mirror stared at me with large caramel brown eyes and pouty pink lips. Her chestnut brown hair was styled to perfection and cascaded down her slender bare shoulders. Her skin was flushed a pleasant pink and shimmered under the lights. The green of her dress made her look like a mythical creature. She was glowing and her smile was breathtaking.
“Is that me?” I asked hesitantly.
Chris smiled, clearly pleased with my reaction. Charlotte released my arms having decided that I wasn’t going to run screaming for the hills.
“Yes, that’s you,” said Chris.
“Thank you,” I said.
Chris threw her hands in the air. “Finally! A thank you!”
I laughed and the other two joined in.
Chris had done an amazing job on me but how could I compete with her and Charlotte’s perfection. Chris’ hair was coifed in an elegant do that rivaled those you’d see on the red carpet and Charlotte’s deep red hair cascaded like a red river down her back. Charlotte’s gold dress brought out hints of gold in her red hair.
Chris looked like she could compete with actresses and royalty. Charlotte looked like she should be on the pages of a magazine. It was completely unfair.
Charlotte looked at the clock on the bathroom counter. “The guys should be here any minute,” she said. “Grab your clutch and put your shoes on,” Charlotte said. Before I could stand and get them she disappeared into my room and grabbed them.
I slipped on the death trap heals and took the beaded gold clutch that Chris had leant me.
“Do you have your phone? Camera? Lip gloss?” Charlotte ran through a check list.
“Yes, phone, yes, camera, no to the lip gloss,” I said checking the clutch.
Charlotte sighed and grabbed the pink lip gloss off of the counter and put in the clutch. “There,” she said, “you’re all set.”
“Thanks,” I said.
The doorbell rang and Charlotte and Chris squealed in delight and raced out of the bathroom. I reluctantly followed behind them trying to hide in the background. I was not as attention seeker.
“Oh dear, don’t you look lovely,” said Gram from the kitchen.
“Gram,” I said looking at my feet.
“Well you do,” she said. She patted my cheek and her wise eyes sparkled with tears. “You’re growing up so fast, Sophie,” she said. “And don’t complain but I promised to e-mail your parents a bunch of pictures. They feel bad that they can’t be here.”
I groaned.
“Now, now,” she said flicking her finger back and forth at me. “Now you better get that tush of yours out there before that young man of yours comes barging in here.”
I laughed and headed out to the living room. I noticed that Chris was standing beside Bentley and I idly wondered if they were going together. Bryce and Logan were collapsed onto the couch, tired before the night had even begun, Charlotte stood off to the side staring longingly at Logan while he looked at his fingernails. I didn’t miss Bryce’s glances at Charlotte.
Standing proudly in the middle of the room was Caeden grinning from ear to ear. The look he gave me sent blood coursing through my veins and straight to my cheeks. I glanced self-consciously at my feet. He of course looked absolutely stunning in his tux. The black and white of the tux against his tan skin and brown hair made him look like some kind of Adonis. Although I thought that even when he wore a t-shirt and jeans. He looked perfect and I felt unworthy in comparison to the god that stood before me. The adjective that came to mind to describe Caeden was delectable. Yes, unquestionably delectable.
“Wow,” he said, “you look amazing. Stunning, incredible, gorgeous, exquisite.” He shook his head and simply said, “Wow,” again.
“Thank you,” I said trying to hide the blush flooding my cheeks. I was scared that the heat in my cheeks would melt my makeup. Could that happen?
“Beautiful,” he said and came forward and took me in his arms. His thumb circled my cheek and I leaned into his palm with a sigh. His touch alone could always calm me. My love for him grew every day and every time I saw him. I thought when you loved someone that was it. You just loved them. But that’s not true. When you love someone that love changes and grows. It becomes more. More than you can comprehend. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear. I wondered if he had heard my thoughts but I didn’t think so. I hadn’t been directing them at him.
“I love you too,” I said.
He smiled. “I can’t believe you’re mine. I’m the luckiest man alive.”
I’m the lucky one.
He grinned hearing my thoughts. It was so much more intimate speaking without words.
“I got you a corsage,” he said.
“And I told you not too,” I said even though I had gotten him a boutonniere.
He laughed. “When do I ever listen to you?”
“Never,” I said with a smile.
“So why start now?” He asked.
“Good point,” I said and tried to contain a giggle.
He grabbed the plastic box off the coffee table and took the delicate flower out and slid it onto my wrist.
“It’s beautiful,” I said softly touching the delicate petals. Three small white orchids surrounded a pale green carnation and there were several large leaves.
He blushed which surprised me and said, “Chris helped me pick it out. Since you wouldn’t let me see your dress I had no clue what to get.”
“It’s perfect,” I said and pulled out his matching boutonniere. Chris had helped me pick it out as well. No doubt all about her plan to have the perfect prom. I pinned it onto his tux and when I finished he pulled me against his chest and kissed me on the cheek.
“Pictures!” squealed Gram producing a small silver camera from somewhere. “Smile!” she said. Caeden looked down and smiled at me while I smiled up at him. Flash! “Ooh! That’s a good one!” said Gram. “I’ll have to put this up in the house. Okay now look at me,” she said going into photographer mode.
We looked at the camera. Flash! I blinked my eyes and little white balls of light danced behind my lids. Flash! Flash! Flash! Gram was having way, way, way, too much fun with this.
“Everyone now,” she said, “come on squish together. You too Logan!” she said when he didn’t move. “Any day now Logan. I’m not getting any younger!” Logan reluctantly stood next to Charlotte. Poor girl. I didn’t think he was worth her time when clearly Bryce thought she was everything. Gram positioned the camera and then cried in frustration, “Bryce! Can you at least act like your happy!”
“No,” said Bryce.
Gram sighed and held up the camera once again. Just before the flash went off Caeden swept me into his arms and planted a dramatic movie star kiss on my lips.
Gram chuckled. “Alright, I’m done. I promise,” she said and put the camera down on the table beside the door to prove her point. “Have fun, ya’ll.” Her eyebrows knitted together. “Maybe not too much fun,” she amended.
“Bye Gram,” I said with a smile and kissed her soft wrinkled cheek.
She patted my arm. “Love you, Sophie. Go on now before prom ends,” she said. “Plus, I have to send these pictures to your mom before she has a bloody conniption.”
I chuckled at her. Caeden took my hand and we followed along behind the others. A large, long, stretch SUV limo was stationed outside my house.
“Oh no!” I said and turned to go back inside. “I said no limo, Caeden.”
He grabbed me around the waist and held me firmly so that escape was impossible. He chuckled in my ear, “You said nothing about limos. Besides the pack is splitting the cost.”
I raised a lone eyebrow at him, jutted out my hip, and placed my hand on it. “Really? How come I didn’t pay my share?”
“Because I paid it,” he said giving me a, duh!, look.
“Caeden,” I whined. “Why do you insist on torturing me?”
“Sophie, you’re going to have fun. I promise,” he smiled.
“You better hope so or you’re in big trouble, mister,” I laughed.
“You’re cute when you’re trying to be tough,” he said and humor sparkled in his eyes.
I feigned indignation. “You better think I’m cute all the time,” I said.
“Oh, I do,” he said and held me around my waist. “I love you no matter what you wear, what your clothes look like, you’re always perfect to me. And I love looking at you in your wolf form. Your fur is so beautiful.”
“I think your fur’s beautiful too,” I said and nuzzled his neck much like we did in wolf form.
He grinned.
Bentley stuck his head out of the limo. “Love birds! You have three seconds or we’re leaving without you!”
Caeden laughed and pulled me into the limo. The driver closed the door. “Sophie, has an aversion to limos,” he told his best friend.
“I do not,” I pouted. “I simply don’t like you spending unnecessary money one me. It’s ridiculous. You know there are starving children in the world,” I said.
“I am aware of that,” he said, “that’s why we frequently donate to various charities.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. He had me trapped.
“Fine,” I said, “spend your money any way you want.”
“I will and I do,” he said. “I do work you know,” he chuckled.
Of course I knew that. We worked together, for lord’s sake. I rolled my eyes at him.
The limo smoothly rolled forward and out of the neighborhood. It was still early and the plan was to eat at the hotel prom was being held at before it began. The ride was pretty short further proving my point that the limo was completely unnecessary. The limo rolled to a stop in front of the old historical hotel downtown. I knew we were near the coffee shop that Caeden played his guitar. The driver opened the car door and we all slid out.
Outsider (Outsider Series) Page 27
