"Well, duh," said Becca."Why break the habit of a lifetime?"
With that, she stepped inside the cubicle, and Callie closed the door behind them.
She looked around and laughed.There was a gilt-edged mirror and a small velvet-covered bench in the corner where Becca flopped down.
"This is a bit different than the changing rooms we were used to, isn't it?No plastic curtain, no gum on the floor.I feel cheated."
Becca laughed with her."Don't be snippy about it.Just enjoy yourself and try that dress on."
She was right.Callie put the dress on, and Becca helped her zip it up.When she turned around and faced the mirror, she had to smile.
"It's gorgeous, Callie," Becca exclaimed."You'regorgeous.Do you like it?"
She nodded happily."I don't just like it.I love it.It might not be what I normally wear, but what the hell?Why not?"
"Exactly," said Becca."And it's like you said — you're not changing, just expanding your horizons.And I have to tell you—" She gestured for Callie to turn around.Callie did as she asked."That thing shows off your booty like I don't know what.And in the front, it's cut just right.You're like the perfect hourglass.Ollie's going to love it."
Callie rolled her eyes, but Becca chuckled."Don't you dare try to make out that you don't care what Ollie Stratton thinks, because I won't believe you for a moment."
"Okay, then I won't.Becca, he's awesome.And things are really good, and..."She paused."This morning—"
Becca nodded eagerly.But Callie changed her mind.
"No, you know what?I'll tell you about that another time.Help me out of this dress, and I'll buy it, and we can be on our way."
For a moment, when they were talking this morning, she'd thought that Ollie was about to say that he loved her.If he had, she would have told him that she loved him back.But he didn't say it.And so neither did she.
The thing was, though, she wasn't even worried.Despite all the bumps in the road, she’d been falling for him since the moment she met him, and he wasn’t hiding that he was falling for her, too.It was coming.And maybe it was better to wait for the words to come out only after the feeling was fully formed.
~ ~ ~
Ollie stood at the bottom of the stairs in the hallway, waiting for Callie to come down.The dogs sat beside him, their tails sweeping the marble floor behind them, their ears straining forward in eager anticipation.
Peanut whined at his side.
"I know.I want her to come down now too, but we have to wait.I promise you it'll be worth it.No matter what she's wearing."
Butter let out a low woof at that.
Ollie checked his watch.They had plenty of time.It didn't matter when they got to Muse anyway, but it was still earlier than they'd planned to go out.That was one of the many things he loved about Callie.She wasn't one of those women who was always running late, preferring instead to be a couple of minutes early.
Butter barked again when they heard movement upstairs.
"Are you ready?"Callie called.
"Ready and waiting," he called back.
She laughed."I didn’t take that long.And besides, the best things in life are worth waiting for."
He grinned."I'd have to agree with you there, but are you coming downstairs, or do we have to come up and get you?"
She laughed."I'm coming.Don't come up.Don't spoil it.Ever since I saw that fancy sweeping staircase of yours, I've had the secret urge to make a grand entrance.To appear at the top and take your breath away."She laughed again."But it's more likely I'll take my own breath away by tripping and falling."
He shook his head with a smile."Not gonna happen, Callie.Just come out so that we can see you.All three of us.The anticipation is killing us."
"Okay, close your eyes, then.You can open them when I tell you."
He chuckled and closed his eyes, then opened them again to tell the dogs, "Cover your eyes, guys."
