He gasped in mock affront, clutching at his chest like a genteel Southern lady. “That’s so offensive.”
“But it’s true.”
“That, too,” he retorted, a short, sharp laugh coming from his lips. “Okay, I’m off to call Seth. Why don’t you head out early this afternoon? See if you can find a dress for Saturday?”
“I have a dress,” I answered.
“Your standby LBD?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Why not?”
“Grier, can you afford a new dress?”
My head reared back. “Um, yes. Why?”
“Because I was going to give you a couple hundred bucks if you couldn’t and still tell you to go shopping for a new one.”
“Why do I need a new dress?” I asked. “It’s not like Seth has ever seen my usual little black dress before.”
“You’re not buying a dress for Seth. You’re buying a dress that makes you feel pretty, sexy, and confident. If you walk into that rehearsal dinner knowing that you look good, you’ll feel a lot better.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“Okay, you’ve convinced me.”
Davide leaned over and kissed my forehead. I sighed because forehead kisses were the best, but I wished I was getting them from a guy who wanted to be more than my friend.
“Good girl. Now, I’m going to order tacos and tres leches cake for lunch because being disappointed by a man means you need comfort food.”
“You have to stop,” I said.
“Stop what?”
“Being the perfect man for me when I can’t have you.”
Davide burst out laughing. “Yeah, well, if we’re both still single in ten years, we’ll talk.”
It was my turn to chuckle. At least until he walked back into his office. That was the moment it hit me that I might very well be single in a decade, and pain pinched my heart.
Chapter Ten
Nerves shimmered in my stomach as I climbed out of the rideshare. I shut the door and took a moment to smooth down the dress I’d purchased a few days ago.
It was tighter than anything I usually wore, but there was shapewear built into the dress, which kept any bulges contained. The shiny black fabric draped at the neckline, revealing the tops of my breasts. Because of the built-in bra padding, they were a lot more prominent than usual. The dress was ruched down each side and stopped just above mid-thigh.
During my shopping trip, Davide texted continuously and demanded pictures of each of the dresses I tried on. He’d been so insistent and obnoxious that I relented and started sending them. When he saw the dress I was currently wearing, he’d told me that if I didn’t buy it, he would come to the store and purchase it himself. Knowing that he wasn’t lying, I bought it. I truly liked the way I looked and felt in it.
I even sprang for a new pair of peep-toe pumps with a three-and-a-half-inch heel. They were taller than any of my other heels, so I wasn’t quite as steady on them as I want to be, but, like the dress, I liked the way they looked on me.
I’d had the rideshare drop me off half a block from the restaurant because of my nervousness. I wanted a chance to take a couple of deep breaths before I ran into anyone I knew.
As I walked toward the entrance, I saw Seth standing just outside, his head tilted down as he looked at the phone in his hand. My clutch vibrated in my hand, and I pulled out my cell to see that he had just texted me.
Seth: I’m outside the restaurant. Do you want me to wait for you at the bar or here?
Since I was only a few feet away, I called his name, “Seth.”
His head came up as I approached him, and his eyes widened when he saw me. He tucked his phone back into his pocket as he took a step toward me.
