Cole: Anything. I’ll never make you do something you don’t want to do.
I know this, I do. But old fears die hard, I guess.
Freya: I can’t wait to see you, too.
Cole: Just about to take off x
I slump over the kitchen island, exhausted from battling my fears and anxiety all day.
But I barely get a second to catch my breath when the buzzer rings through the apartment.
With ideas of what he could have done running full speed through my mind, I get to my feet and walk over.
“Hello?”
“Good afternoon, Miss Price,” Melvin says happily. I have to grit my teeth to stop myself from asking him to call me Freya again. He clearly doesn’t want to. “I have some very glamorous people here for you that Mr. Hansley has organized. Apparently, you have a big event tonight.”
“Uh…yeah. It’s a club opening.”
“Sounds very exciting. Am I okay to let them up?”
The desire to say no burns through me.
I don’t need them. I can do all of this myself. But…Cole planned it. For me.
“Yeah, that would be great. Thank you, Melvin.”
“My pleasure, Miss Price.”
He cuts the line, and I wait nervously, ready to let whoever it is in.
Five minutes later and the front door buzzer goes off, scaring the ever-loving crap out of me even though I was waiting for it, and I rush over, probably looking a mess.
I open the door to two kind yet stunning women with smiles on their faces. They both have carts, and one is holding onto a rack of dresses.
“Good afternoon, are you Freya?”
“Y-yes.”
“Fantastic. My name is Carly, and this is Francesca,” the blonde says, gesturing to her brunette friend. “Cole has booked us to get you ready for your event tonight. Is it okay if we come in?” she asks, making me realize that I’m currently barricading the door.
“Uh…yeah.”
They pile in with all their stuff. “Where would you like us to set up?” one asks.
“Um…my bedroom?”
“Wherever you’re most comfortable,” the other says softly.
I lead them to my room before I stand anxiously beside the bed while they maneuver all their supplies in.
Francesca pauses what she’s doing and looks up.
“Sweetie, you have nothing to worry about. Everything we do today is your decision. We’re here to take the stress of getting ready away, not make it worse.”
“I’m sorry, I just…I haven’t done this for a long time.”
“Here,” Carly says, pulling a bottle of pink champagne and a glass from her cart. “Why don’t you get comfortable, have a little drink while we sort ourselves out, and then we can start with dress options.” My eyes float to the covered rack, fear of what could be hanging inside almost too much to bear. Some of the things Rowan used to get me to wear were awful, and I never had a say.
