Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 159976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 800(@200wpm)___ 640(@250wpm)___ 533(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 800(@200wpm)___ 640(@250wpm)___ 533(@300wpm)
I snarl a little. I do not. Bitch.
I adjust my breasts inside the cups, my skin tingling at the touch of her fingers.
I clear my throat. “So, what happens if my father and Callum’s father push your family out of Sanoa Bay?”
“What do you care?”
She jerks the corset tighter, and I dig my toes into the carpet to keep myself from falling.
“I care.” I put my hands on my hips as she works. “You’re my fun.”
I like you around.
She doesn’t look up, and I can tell she won’t. She’s not giving an inch.
“You’ll split up,” I tell her, already knowing, but my chest hurts hearing myself say the words. “Macon will stay close to St. Carmen. He’s rooted here with the businesses, right?”
She presses her lips together.
“Dallas, and maybe Trace, will join the military.” I throw guesses out there, because what else do men who have zero direction or education do but go somewhere with job training and a guaranteed paycheck and housing? “The rest will scatter.”
Army Jaeger, I think, has a kid, and Iron has too many priors. The military won’t take him.
“And you?” I press. “What will happen to you?”
“My plans won’t change,” she finally mumbles, finishing my hooks. “I’ll still get the hell out of this shithole.”
“And far away from me,” I say.
She stands up straight, still behind me, and meets my eyes in the mirror. “You think you’re a factor in any of my decisions? Dartmouth was always the plan. You don’t matter.”
Dartmouth?
New England? Has she ever been out of Florida?
I stare at her longer than I should, the wheels in my head racing, and I know she can tell I’m taken off guard.
I swallow the lump in my throat and drop my eyes, twisting the corset to make sure it’s sitting straight.
You don’t matter. That’s what she said. She’s just going to leave. She’s already got plans. Like she’s been waiting for the day to run and… How can…
I try to swallow again, but my mouth is dry.
Snapping out my hands, I unzip the dress bag and peel it away, a dress I don’t recognize coming into view.
Huh?
Distracted from her news, I flip the bag back down to check the name, see that it’s mine, and inspect the dress again.
This isn’t my dress. It’s even more hideous, if that’s possible.
But then…I notice the silk. The same shade of chiffon that made up my dress, and I study it some more, taking in the lace and flowers, all mine but repositioned.
A halter-top neckline of bushy white flowers has been added, and sequins stick to the bodice like pinstriping, ending at the waist and giving way to the feathers adorning the skirt in a spiral formation.
A laugh bubbles up in my chest, but I hold it in. It’s awful, and I absolutely adore it. She did this.
I contain my smile and look over my shoulder, seeing her watch me with a calm but amused expression. She’s waiting for me to react.
She did this on purpose. She risked getting fired—hell, risked the wrath of my mother and grandmother—to get me back for the Sharpie incident.
She wants a rise out of me, and she’s not going to get it. I couldn’t be more pleased.
“Put it on me,” I tell her, almost lightheaded from the high.
She stares at me, pausing only a moment, before rolling with it. The next thirty seconds could be her last in this store, and she doesn’t even seem to care. I’m more pleased I was significant enough for her to trouble herself. She must’ve spent all night on it.
I pull on the petticoat, and she takes the dress off the hanger, spreads the bodice open, and lowers it to my knees.
I step in, letting her pull it up my body and button the back while I drape the flowers around my neck and attach it to the dress.
But before I can fan out the dress and take a good look at myself, seeing what my mother will see and fantasizing about her reaction, I hear a screech behind us.
“What is this?”
We both stop and turn, Lavinia stands with her hand holding the curtain open.
“What is this?!” she shrieks again and then her eyes shoot to Liv. “Did you…? Olivia…?”
Laughter shakes my stomach, and I turn away to hide my smile. Priceless.
But a thought hits me at the same time. If she gets fired, I won’t have access to her here. If she’s willing to throw away a job to piss me off, then I’m not really winning anything.
Lavinia’s eyes shoot up and down my body, taking in all her hard work fucked up, and then fixes a glare on Liv. “May I speak to you please?”
And I know it’s over for her.
Liv starts to leave the dressing room, but I brush past her and step out into the main room, up onto the riser. “I love it,” I announce. “Ring it up.”