He wasn’t over at the apartment for dinner yet and Audrey had her nose deep in a book, studying for a final while her roommate puttered around in the kitchen, making herself a plate of predinner snacks. She’d glanced over her shoulder, her face entirely too innocent all of a sudden, and it was her expression that gave Audrey pause.
“My little black cocktail dress,” she replied with rapidly narrowing eyes. “It’s the nicest one I have. Why?”
Violet hummed, her lips pursed, and swept to the side in disapproval. “You can’t wear a cocktail dress.”
“Why not?”
“Theo said it was black tie.”
“Yeah, and? I’m surehe’llbe wearing one, and my dress is black. That’s like the same thing, right?”
That earned her two brows raised sky-high and a sharp look. “Oh no, Audrey. No, baby, no.” Violet slapped her forehead with her palm so hard, she nearly stumbled backward. “Black tie and cocktail are two extremely different things. You need agown.”
“A gown? Like aballgown?”
“Yeah, babe, like a ball gown. Like red-carpet stuff.”
She’d never felt the blood drain from her face so fast.
“Oh shit,” she whispered. “I didn’t even think to Google that.”
“Ohhh,” Violet drawled, stretching the word out with sudden wicked intrigue. “Oh no! Looks like we’ll need to go shopping! What a travesty!”
“How much do these things usually cost?” The panic was real now, and Audrey set her book aside while she lunged for herlaptop. “How much am I going to have to spend for this? I didn’t think—”
“Calm down, Audity, I’ve got you.” Violet’s grin was absolutely predatory now. “We’ll find you something affordable that fits, don’t worry. Step into my office tomorrow after class and I’ll get you sorted.”
Audrey should’ve known the whole thing was a setup. She really should have. The fault of her naïveté was set squarely on her own shoulders when Violet dragged her into Saks Fifth Avenue under the pretense of window shopping, or “looking at examples of gowns for us to emulate,” as she said—as giddy as a schoolgirl for Audrey to try on and pick up the items she and Theo had already reserved ahead of time just for the occasion.
Apparently, Audrey’s (former) best friend had agreatdeal of fun picking out her dress for the gala the week prior. Theo hadn’t wanted Audrey to know how much everything cost, so he’d enlisted Violet to do his dirty work for him in secret, while also keeping her choices a secret fromhim. He wanted to be surprised too.
Their betrayal was uncovered when Audrey was suddenly thrust into a dressing room where the nicest dress she’d ever seen was waiting for her.
It was even worse when the damn thing fit like a glove and no one would tell her the price.
Traitors, the both of them.Allof them. Salespeople included.
Violet couldn’t stop smirking while they tried on the shoes she’d picked out as well. The red-soled stilettos soared higher than Audrey was typically used to, but luckily she at least knew they’d be driven to the event. No long walks across street grates for her this time. She could manage for one evening.
“Stop looking so pleased,” Audrey grumbled when the shoes fit just as well as the dress.
“Oh no, I don’t think so.” Violet’s grin only grew wider. “I just got to play the best game of Barbieever. You’re going to look phenomenal. Theo will lose his shit when he sees you.”
“How did that go down, anyway? When he asked you for help?” Audrey tugged the heels off and placed them gingerly back in the box, wrapping them up carefully with the tissue paper. They probably cost more than a month of rent based on how beautiful they were, and on the fact that they were handmade from real Italian leather, according to the text stamped inside. She’d look up the price online later out of spite.
Violet snorted. “Your boyfriend isawfullytrusting. We met up while you were in class for a long lunch one day. He brandished his black American Express card at the salespeople and then set me loose in here without a budget. It was like something out ofPretty Woman, a real Richard Gere kind of move. He’s lucky I didn’t spend the entire GDP of Luxembourg.”
He gave Violet free rein with his credit card? Was he crazy? He was playing with fire. “He was that trusting with you because he’s sweet and he thinks you’re a good person.” Audrey shot her roommate a dark look. “Even though he’s wrong and you’re actually a horrible, lyingtraitorof a friend for keeping this from me, and for not telling me how much he spent.” Judging by the feel and thickness of the fabric of the dress, it had to be obscene. “He didn’t need to. I don’t want him to waste his money.”
Violet ignored those last two remarks and sniffed imperiously. “Well, Theo knows the truth and he’s an excellent judge of character. And he obviously doesn’t care about the cost and can afford it. It’s why he’s my favorite.”
“So what didyouget out of the deal, huh?” Audrey wrinkled her nose and thought about tossing some of the tissue paper in Violet’s face, but that seemed uncouth. Saks was too fancy a place for shenanigans. “I know he gave or promised you something.”
“No?” Violet’s voice was far too light and her expression far too innocent.
“Don’t lie to me,” Audrey grumbled as she retied the laces of her combat boots. “Spill, you asshat.”
“Fine. He let me pick out some shoes for myself—god, they’reincredible, the Louboutins I chose are so fucking beautiful, I’ve been ruined for other heels forever.” She pointed and glared at Audrey. “He’s the best man I’ve ever met and if you break up with him, I’ll kill you.”
