I raised my eyebrows. “Yes. That’s me, apparently.”
She smiled. “Then I’ll wrap this up for you.”
“But how did he know?”
“He said you’d ask that. Apparently he’s a powerful man with many connections, and one little gold dress doesn’t stand a chance against him. I think he asked your mom.”
I shook my head, my lips spreading into a disbelieving smile.
The saleswoman placed the dress in a box, tied a ribbon around it and handed it to me in a sturdy shopping bag.
“Wherever you’re going in this, I hope it’s special,” she said. “Because this is a very special dress.”
It was a special dress, meant for a special event and a special person. Trey—he’d been special once, but I wasn’t so sure anymore. No, this wasn’t just any dress, and even she knew it.
* * * * *
The bathroom door rattled as the knocking became more impatient. “Come on, Alex,” Chad yelled from my room. “We already missed all the pre-gaming. Seriously. The formal started an hour ago.”
“Okay,” I called back. I swung the door open and spun.
“Holy shit,” Chad said. “That dress was worth every penny.”
“I told you,” I said, squealing.
“Okay. You were right. Trey will be putty in your hands.”
I nodded excitedly. “Does he know you’re bringing me?”
“Nah. I thought it’d be better to surprise him.”
“Good. That’s good.”
“Our deal’s still on, right?”
“Yes. Tonight, my life’s mission—other than mending my broken heart, of course—is distracting Todd so you can finally talk to Elyse.”
“I meant what I said, Alex. Todd may be my frat brother, but she deserves much better than that prick. He’s just trying to get in her pants.”
“Todd’s an asshole,” I agreed. “Otherwise I wouldn’t butt in.”
“Cool.” His face fell. “But I’m serious, we’re really fucking late.”
I laughed. “Fine. Grab my purse, would you?”
He disappeared into the room and I gave my reflection one last look. My blonde hair fell in soft curls over my shoulders, and my makeup was heavier than usual, but not so much that it was overdone. After all, I wanted the dress to stand out.
The dress—it fit perfectly. I wasn’t sure how Dean knew my size, but he was dead on. It was fitted, pulling in tightly at the waist and curving over my hips. It stopped a few inches above my knees. The sleeves came just below my elbows and the back dipped so low that I couldn’t wear a bra. Most girls would be wearing dresses that made them feel sexy, that made the guys feel sexy. But I wanted something different—I wanted Trey to fall in love with me all over again.
* * * * *
Chad looped his arm in mine. “Ready?”
I took a deep breath. “Yes.”
He pulled open the door to the hotel’s ballroom, and the music went from muted to loud and pulsing. The room was softly lit, and Chad had to lean in when he asked if I wanted a drink. I nodded as I scanned the crowd, my hair bouncing. He disappeared, and I headed for a group of my friends in the corner. They were talking about Mexico—again—as though they hadn’t been all week. I smiled and laughed along as I had been, listening to stories I really didn’t care about. Something had felt off since they’d returned last weekend, as if they as people just weren’t as interesting, but I’d figured it was my nerves acting up. I hadn’t seen Trey once.
Chad returned with a rum and Coke for each of us, and I stuck the straw between my teeth, drinking quickly.
