Trent glanced at her quickly. “Any chance he’s right about that?”
“No,” she said indignantly. “From the beginning all I wanted was for him to be able to enjoy the prom like everyone else. That’s what I wanted for all these kids. I thought Ms. Fletcher made him understand that.”
“Maybe you should have explained it yourself. Talk to him, sweetie. Don’t let this issue get blown all out of proportion. Mike adores you. He only agreed to this in the first place because of how much he cares about your feelings. Now you need to listen when he tells you what he’s feeling, okay?”
Laurie sighed. “I’ll try.”
Rather than the optimism Trent expected from his daughter now that she had a concrete plan of action, he heard dejection. “Is there something more on your mind?”
“A lot, actually.” She turned to him, her expression earnest. “What if everyone hates the dresses or the sizes are all wrong and the seamstresses can’t fix them in time? And the shoes. Dad, there are, like, a zillion things that could go wrong with the shoes. Do you know how hard it is to get shoes that fit right, especially if you have to keep them on all evening and dance in them?”
“How many pairs of shoes were donated?” he asked, determined not to show even a hint of amusement at what to her were major worries. Her concern about Mike, he understood, but shoes and dress sizes?
“Two dozen, I guess.”
“Lots of sizes?”
“Yes.”
“And there are a handful of gift certificates for shoes, too, right?”
“Yes.”
He recalled an earlier conversation they’d had, though he’d only had half his attention focused on it. “And wasn’t one of the requests for the donated shoes that they go with any color of dress, so some girl in purple wouldn’t be stuck with red shoes?”
Beside him, Laurie sighed. “Okay, I’m acting a little crazy, huh?”
“Just a little,” he conceded. “But one of the things I love about you is how much every detail about today matters to you. You want these kids to have the best experience of their lives, and I think that’s fantastic.”
“It’s just that I know how girls think. Even the ones who don’t have much money want to look as fashionable as they possibly can.”
“You don’t seem nearly as concerned about the boys,” he noted.
She shrugged. “There’s only so much that can go wrong with a tux and a pair of black shoes.”
“Not according to your mom,” he said, remembering the many objections Megan had had when he told her to just go pick out anything and he’d wear it. Then, again, these boys were no doubt as clueless as he’d once been. As long as the clothes and shoes fit, they’d be okay.
As soon as Trent parked the car and they’d started up the walk, the front door swung open and Warren Davis stood waiting for them, a smile on his face as Laurie bounded up the steps to give him a hug. Even on a Saturday morning at dawn, he was already shaved, and every silver hair on his head fell neatly into place, thanks to the stylist who came to the house at least once a week to keep his hair trimmed. He was wearing dress slacks and a silk-blend shirt, though he did have the sleeves rolled up and the collar open. Still, there was no mistaking him for anything other than a man of sophistication and wealth.
“Thanks again for doing this, Granddad,” Laurie said. “You’re the best.”
Warren winked at Trent. “Hey, I got that old ballroom cleaned up for free. Seems like a good deal to me. You two want a little breakfast before the hordes descend? I’ve got the cook on standby to do eggs, waffles or whatever else you’d like. The coffee’s made, too. Trent, you look as if you need to be fortified with a little caffeine.”
“Absolutely,” Trent said.
Laurie had started through the foyer, but at the mention of waffles—her very favorite breakfast treat—her step slowed. “Any blueberries?”
Warren grinned. “Of course.”
“Give me two seconds to make sure everything’s set up okay and I’ll meet you guys in the dining room,” she said. “Tell Sarah I’d like one blueberry waffle with blueberry syrup if she has it. And lots of butter.” Her order placed, she darted off in the direction of the ballroom.
Warren watched her go, then turned to Trent. “She’s an admirable young lady, isn’t she? Megan would be proud. I certainly am.”
“Me, too,” Trent said.
“So, besides that coffee, what can I get you? Eggs? Bacon?”
“Are those on your diet?” Trent asked, concerned. Warren had had a heart scare this past year. Though he hadn’t required surgery and had recovered quickly, he’d been told to change his diet and lifestyle. “I thought you were watching your cholesterol.”
“I am. I have a bran muffin with my name on it. I was just hoping I could live vicariously by watching you eat.”
“Then, by all means, have Sarah fix me a couple of eggs and some bacon,” Trent said, settling himself at the massive dining room table that had been set for four.
“Who else are you expecting?” he asked when Warren returned from speaking to his cook.
“I thought maybe that Ms. Fletcher that Laurie’s so crazy about would get here early, too.” He studied Trent intently. “Pretty woman. Have you noticed that?”
Trent had a feeling that his former father-in-law was playing a cat-and-mouse game with him, that he knew more than he was letting on. “She is attractive,” he agreed.
Warren’s lips twitched at the bland response. “Hear she’s your date for the prom.”
“Your granddaughter has a big mouth,” Trent commented.
“Laurie seems real happy about it. Are you finally getting serious about somebody new?”
“No,” Trent said at once, then sighed. “Look, Jodie’s not exactly new in my life. I knew her years ago, back in college. We met again by chance when Laurie started putting this whole prom committee together. Our history wasn’t all sweetness and light, but we’re trying to get along for Laurie’s sake. That’s it.”
Warren gave him a searching look. “Too bad,” he said eventually. “You deserve to find happiness, son. I know you and Megan had some rough patches....”
When Trent would have interrupted, Warren held up his hand. “I’m not blind. I could see you were both unhappy, but I admired the way you stuck by her when she got sick. No one could have been more caring during that awful illness and I will be forever grateful to you for that. Now, though, it’s time to move on. You’re still a young man. You could start a new family.”
“The old one’s tricky enough,” Trent commented dryly. “Laurie’s a handful.”
“She’s your daughter, but you need a wife,” Warren said.
“And you think I should let my daughter handpick the woman to fill that position?”
Warren chuckled. “Her taste can’t be all that bad, since you chose the same woman yourself years ago. Look, I know you don’t need my blessing, but maybe you’ll feel better if you have it. I’m telling you here and now that there’s nothing wrong with moving on.”
“You never did,” Trent pointed out.
“Different situation. Grace was the love of my life. We had a good marriage. I don’t harbor one single regret beyond wishing she’d been with me longer. And at my age, what kind of woman can I expect to find? Some gold digger after my fortune?”
“You have better judgment than to let that happen,” Trent said.
Warren shrugged. “You know what they say—there’s no fool like an old fool. No, Trent, I’m content with the way things are. I have female friends. Widows I’ve known for years who are good company, play a decent hand of cards and can carry on an intelligent conversation over dinner. I don’t need more than that. You, however, are too young to be settling for nothing more than companionship.”
Just
then the doorbell rang and Warren was on his feet. “Think about what I’ve said,” he advised as he left to answer the door. “Take another look at this Jodie and consider what might be, instead of what was.”
Only after Warren had left the room did Trent feel a smile tugging at his lips. Never in a million years had he expected to be getting relationship advice from a tough old man who had an international reputation for chewing up business rivals and spitting them out without the slightest hesitation. Since Warren hadn’t steered him too far wrong all those years ago when Trent had been setting up his business, maybe there was some wisdom in what he had to say about Jodie as well.
* * *
Devonia was near tears. Jodie saw the expression on the girl’s face and rushed over to her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, handing her a tissue.
“None of these dresses are right for me,” Devonia said with a resigned sigh. “Either my chest’s popping out or they won’t even zip up. I’m not going to be able to go to prom after all.”
“I don’t want to hear that kind of defeatist attitude,” Jodie scolded. “Let’s take another look. What size do you wear?”
“Fourteen,” Devonia said. “All these gowns were made for the rest of these skinny little things.”
“Not so,” Jodie insisted. “We got a range of sizes. Come with me. Did you try this rack over here?”
Granted, there were only three dresses left hanging on it, but surely one of them would work. She and Laurie had been very careful to make sure that each girl had at least a couple of choices in the right size. They’d wanted to avoid a moment just like this, when someone who wasn’t a perfect size six or eight felt humiliated.
Jodie checked the tags and found two size fourteen dresses and one size sixteen.
“I tried those two on,” Devonia said, her discouragement plain.
“What was wrong with them?”
“The blue one was cut too low. My mama would never let me out the front door in that. I know I’ll be getting dressed here and she won’t know, but I just can’t wear it.”
“And the red?”
“Too tight across my hips.”
Jodie nodded. “Did you try on the sixteen?”
Devonia immediately looked insulted. “I am not a size sixteen.”
“Of course not,” Jodie said hurriedly. “But if you like the dress and it’s too big, we can have a seamstress cut it down so that it does fit. Want to give it a try? It’s a beautiful dress. I think the color would look amazing on you.”
The shimmering copper satin was only a few shades lighter than Devonia’s skin. She held the dress up as they stood side by side in front of a mirror. “See what I mean?” Jodie encouraged. “The color’s fantastic.”
Devonia’s expression brightened slightly. “It’s not bad, is it?”
“Try it on. Let’s see if we can make it work.”
A few minutes later Devonia emerged from behind a curtain that cordoned off a dressing room area. Jodie saw the trepidation in her eyes as she walked toward the mirror.
“It’s amazing,” Jodie reassured her. “Come on, Devonia, see for yourself.”
The teenager finally lifted her gaze to the mirror. Her mouth gaped. “Wow!”
Jodie grinned. “I’ll say. Marvin is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you. It needs a little nipping and tucking here and there, but it’s perfect for you. Don’t you think so?”
For the second time, Devonia’s eyes swam with tears. “I never...” She swallowed hard. “I never thought I could look like this. I’m almost beautiful.”
“Not almost. You are beautiful. Shall I get the seamstress over here?”
Devonia couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from the mirror. She merely nodded.
Jodie barely contained a smile as she went off to find someone to make the necessary alterations. The moment Devonia had seen herself as beautiful for the very first time—one of many such moments Jodie had witnessed throughout the day—was what this entire project was about. First thing tomorrow she was going to sit down and e-mail the founder of Inside the Dream and thank her for the inspiration. Because of it, these kids were going to have a whole new image of themselves and the possibilities that stretched out in front of them.
* * *
Two hours later, the ballroom was deserted except for Jodie, Laurie and, on the other side of the dividing curtain, Trent. Jodie suspected Warren Davis was lurking about somewhere as well. When they’d all grabbed a quick cup of coffee together before the day got started, he’d seemed as excited as she and Laurie. Trent was the only one who’d been oddly subdued.
“This was totally awesome, wasn’t it?” Laurie said, her arms filled with the dresses that hadn’t been chosen. They’d be packed away for next year, giving the seniors a head start if they chose to continue with the project.
“It couldn’t have gone better,” Jodie agreed.
“Did you see the way Mariana looked when she tried on that white gown with the gold thread woven through it?” Laurie asked. “She looked like a delicate fairy. It was as if that dress was made for her.” Impulsively, she dumped the dresses on a chair and gave Jodie a fierce hug. “Thank you for making this happen.”
“You’re the one who made it happen, you and the other kids on the committee who worked so hard,” Jodie corrected. “The day you came into my office, you started the ball rolling. I hope you know how proud I am of you. Your grandfather and dad must be, too.”
Laurie shrugged. “They’d be proud no matter what I did. It’s in the job description.”
“No, you really earned their admiration this time,” Jodie insisted. “I wonder how things went with the boys?”
“Let’s get Dad and go out on the patio out back. It should be warm enough. Granddad said he’d have something for us to eat whenever we were ready. I’ll let him know we’re starving, at least I am.”
“Me, too,” Jodie admitted. She hadn’t noticed missing lunch in the mad rush to get all the girls outfitted, but now she heard her stomach growl.
“If you go through the dining room, there are French doors that lead outside,” Laurie told her. “Think you can find your way?”
“Is there a restroom on that route?”
“Just two doors down from here,” Laurie directed her. “I’ll get Dad and the food and meet you outside.”
“Sounds good,” Jodie said.
After she’d freshened up, she found her way back to the dining room and then onto the brick patio outside. She was the first one there and sank eagerly onto a comfortable chaise longue in the sun, relieved to be off her feet. The April afternoon was balmy. Enjoying the lingering scent of the last, fading lilacs, she closed her eyes. She couldn’t think of the last time she’d felt this kind of exhaustion, one that came from working hard at something so rewarding.
“You sleeping?”
Trent’s teasing voice jerked her back from the edge of sleep. She blinked up at him.
“Nope. Just resting my eyes. It’s been a long day.”
He studied her intently as he sat down beside her. “A good one, though?”
“It was on my side of the curtain. How about yours?”
He handed her a glass of lemonade from a tray. “You know, I expected it to be all grumbling and complaining, but it wasn’t like that. It almost felt as if these boys were transformed right in front of my eyes to young men.”
Jodie grinned. “Exactly. The same with the girls. It was a good feeling, wasn’t it?”
“It was. Just one problem on my side and I’m not sure what to do about it. Mike didn’t show up.”
Jodie sat up. “Laurie’s Mike?”
He nodded. “She was afraid he wouldn’t. He told her he had to work, but she thinks he was just making an excuse.”
&n
bsp; “I don’t think so,” Jodie said. “That wouldn’t be like him at all.”
“That’s what I told her. And there are tuxedos and one gift certificate left, so he can be fitted whenever he has the time. Now, the question is, do I tell her now or wait?”
“Don’t you think she already knows that he wasn’t here? I’m sure she was keeping an eye out for him, despite how busy we were. Maybe you should just wait and see if she brings it up.”
Trent looked relieved. “Good idea. Now, tell me, did everything go smoothly with the girls?”
“We had one or two crises, but the problems were resolved pretty quickly.” She turned to him. “This might sound silly, but I think I’m almost as excited about the prom this year as the girls are.”
“Something tells me that doesn’t have anything to do with your date with me, either,” he commented.
“Sorry if that hurts your ego, but no, it doesn’t. It’s about these kids. I can’t wait till they’re all dressed and see themselves for the first time. It’ll be like a glimpse of what they can be if they strive for it.”
“You’re expecting a lot from a fancy dress or a tuxedo,” he said.
She sat up straighter. “No, Trent, really, didn’t you see how proud they looked when they tried on these clothes? Oh, I’m not saying they’re all going to suddenly find a way to go to college and become CEOs. But when people have only seen themselves one way all their lives, struggling just to get by, something like this can show them they can fit into that other world, that the only thing holding them back is their own self-image. They might start to believe they can work hard and accomplish anything, that they’re not that different from all those kids who don’t need our help.”
His gaze warmed. “You must be an incredible guidance counselor. How could any kid not want to reach for the moon with you in his corner?”
Tears stung her eyes. “That may be the nicest thing you’ve said to me since we first saw each other again. Are you having a change of heart about the kind of person I am?”
“In a way,” he replied, glancing over at her. “A very wise man said something to me recently about letting go of the past.”
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