“Eh, you love it.”
“I do,” she agreed. “You’re surprisingly gentle with her for such a rough-looking guy.” Sammy reached around to lock the door before pulling it closed.
I didn’t know what to say to that. No one had ever accused me of beinggentlebefore.
“I would apologize for scheming with Andy to bring you to the party, but I’m not sorry,” she admitted with a smile that crinkled her eyes. “Get home safe, Venezio.”
“Thanks,” I said, nodding. “I gotta go fucking rent that movie now,” I admitted.
Because, yeah, Steph had been right; I did like it.
And suddenly, there was something about Christmas joy that didn’t quite feel out of reach.
Whatever the fuck that meant.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Stephanie
“Oh, mama,” Andy said, moving into my bedroom doorway in her own gown for the evening. It was a black floor-length dress with a high neckline but an open back.
“It’s not too much?” I asked, turning back and forth in the mirror.
I’d chosen a wine-red floor-length gown with a slit up the thigh that was just shy of scandalous. I would need to be careful to keep my strides short so it didn’t reveal all my secrets. I felt like the more modest neckline and the long sleeves kept the outfit from making me look like an escort, but still allowed me to be sexy.
Not that I should have had my mind on what was sexy or not.
This was a charity fundraising event to me, not a chance to try to seduce Venezio.
I mean, any chances of trying to convince that man to take me to bed fell away when he’d likely witnessed me making an absolute fool of myself by singing karaoke and then trying to strip naked when I got home.
I was not lucky enough to get the post-drinking amnesia like Andy did, leaving her blissfully unaware of the embarrassment.I remembered every cringy moment. Up until I fell asleep on his shoulder.
Sammy filled in the rest for me.
She walked in to find Venezio gently putting me down on the cushions and tucking a blanket around me.
Then he left.
I saw him again, of course, at the warehouse. But it had been only in passing, since he usually volunteered later in the day to work in the shipments. By then, I was often already out and hitting the pavement.
It was totally just different schedules. But my overactive imagination couldn’t help but worry that he was avoiding me, that I’d given him the ick, that he no longer had any interest in me.
A part of me was actually terrified that he was going to stand me up after I put so much work into my hair, makeup, and outfit.
Then where would I be? Alone at home in an evening gown? Even more depressed than I’d been for most of the season?
“No,” Andy said, shaking her head. “I think it’s just enough. It toes that line between classy and sexy. It’s perfect. The men will be clamoring over themselves to give you a check. And the women will want to know where you got the damn thing.”
I smoothed my hand down my belly, which felt like it was vibrating.
“And the makeup?” I asked.
It had been a long time since I had a reason to go full glam. I was worried the smoky eye was too much.
“It’s perfect. You’re stunning.”
“You too,” I said. “I love the up-do.”
