“And chandelier earrings,” Julie adds.
“Correct. Diamonds and platinum. I can arrange for those, of course.” Lucie grins at me. “Aren’t we awesome to pick out the best dress so fast?”
Her good humor is contagious, and my mood lightens. “Weare.”
Lucie’s grin gets wider. “Julie, can you select proper lingerie to go with the dress and shoes? She’s going to need a clutch as well. Something classy and timeless.”
“Of course.” Julie turns to instruct her staff.
I take my seat next to Lucie. “Wow. That was…fast.”
“I don’t believe in wasting time shopping. It should be as efficient as possible. After all, shopping is the least important aspect of our prep.”
“There’s more?” I ask in shock. What else did Nicholas’s previous dates spend money on?
“Uh-huh. A spa. Get a nice massage and pamper yourself. A facial should help, too.”
“Nicholas didn’t mention any of that.” He said “dress, shoes, jewelry and purse,” although later he said the jewelry was a joke. Sort of.
Lucie scoffs. “Just because a man forgets something, doesn’t mean we don’t deserve it. He gave you a credit card, right?”
I nod.
“Well, then. It’s all good.”
And she drags me to a spa. I mean, it’s called a “spa,” but it’s more like a place to do everything you could possibly need to get ready for an evening out. I probably shouldn’t spend Nicholas’s money like this, even though he said I could charge whatever I wanted.
But when Lucie told me what a facial can do—make me glow—I couldn’t resist. I really want to be pretty for the event. I don’t want people to think Owen did the right thing on my birthday. And I don’t need people to look at me and Nicholas and conclude that he totally could’ve done better.
After a warm soak and massage, I come out of the treatment room to take a tea break. My skin feels softer, and I already feel more relaxed. I spot Lucie in her robe drinking herbal tea at a small, round table. She’s chatting with a black-haired woman in a robe, then notices me and waves.
“There you are. How was it?”
“Great.” I smile, taking an empty seat.
“Let me introduce you. Ceinlys, this is Molly. Molly, Ceinlys.”
The other woman extends her hand, lifting intense blue-green eyes to regard me. “How do you do?” Her voice is soft and cultured. She’s free of makeup, fancy clothes and jewelry, but her presence speaks of quiet confidence and glamor. If she were a perfume, she’d be one of those ultra-expensive and feminine scents nobody can resist.
I shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“So you’re Nicholas’s girlfriend.”
I flush. “You know him?”
“We socialize from time to time. Lucie mentioned that the two of you will be making a public appearance together for the first time.”
“Ah, yeah.” The spa staff comes over with a menu, and I ask for hot ginger tea, which arrives promptly. I take a small, careful sip. It’s sweet and delicious. “That’s why I’m here.” I take another sip. “To get ready.”
Ceinlys’s eyebrows rise. “You’re nervous.”
“A little, yeah.”
“Why?”
Why? “Because he’s just…perfect. I’m…” I take a third sip. “I’m just me.” My face grows warm.
Ceinlys smiles. She can probably tell I’m not the kind of woman who frequents places like this. I’ve never even been to a spa before. Or had an “exfoliating and rejuvenating” soak.
