With a frown, I turn to the mirror, and I’m momentarily stunned into silence.
The dress is in a dark shade of fuchsia, floor-length with long sleeves. It’s pure silk, and it hugs my body in all the right places, accentuating my curves without making it seem too inappropriate or exposed.
“Oh, it’s perfect. I’m getting this.”
“I’ll pay for it,” Mom smiles. “I did drag you all the way here.”
“Thank you,” I beam. “Can I invite Grace?”
“I invited the family already, but if you want, sure. She’ll be there anyway. You can invite Avalon and Lila, too.”
“Lila’s gone home to celebrate her Mom’s birthday, and Avalon’s busy.”
By busy, I mean she’s going to Colton’s for the weekend. He lives two hours from the academy, and from what Avalon has told me, he lives in a mini castle. I don’t blame her for wanting to go there instead of a dull party.
“Alright. Let’s get you some jewelry and shoes, and call your hairstylist and makeup artist.”
“I already have jewelry."
She lifts a brow. “Oh? You bought something new and didn’tshow me?
I decide to keep her in suspense a little while, so I go back into the dressing room, changing into my clothes. I put all the previous dresses back on their hangers neatly, and put the one I’ll be getting aside.
When I come back out, she’s tapping her foot against the marble floor impatiently. “You like getting on my nerves, huh?”
“Just a little,” I grin. “But, let me show you.”
I returned all the dresses and asked the lady at the front desk to pack up the one I chose. Then, I pull my phone out and show Mom a picture of the pink sapphire set, the ring on the white gold band, and the pendant on the white gold chain. It’s thin, and it makes the gem stand out.
“It’s beautiful,” Mom gasps, taking the phone out of my hands, zooming in on the picture. “He must’ve spent a fortune on this.”
“He did,” I confirm with a nod. “But it looks fantastic on me, doesn’t it?”
“That, it does,” Mom smiles, returning my phone. “But be careful, baby.”
“About?”
“I don’t like the Fords,” he bites the inside of her cheek, trying to figure out how to articulate her thoughts. “But this has nothing to do with them. I’d tell you this if it were any other boy in question. You’re jumping into this a little too quickly, and I’m scared it’ll leave you broken and hurt.”
I frown. “Didn’t you and Dad get married right after the Academy, though? You were about my age.”
“The main difference being — we were friends our whole lives. You and Soren are like oil and fire. It’s bound to be a disaster.”
“Thank you for worrying about me, Mom,” I smile and kiss thetop of her head. “But I’ll be okay. I’ve got this.”
“Alright, let’s go, then.”
Mom pays for the dress and hands me the bag as we walk out. It’s chilly outside, and I tighten the thick coat around my body, shivering a little. The streets of New York are as busy as ever, with a thick layer of snow all around us. It’s barely past five in the evening, and it’s already too dark outside.
“How about we grab a bite?” Mom offers. “I barely get to see you these days.”
“That sounds lovely,” I interlock my arm with hers. “Where to?”
“I don’t know, let me check,” she pulls her phone out, then starts typing a message to Elliot. The response comes very quickly because, aside from being the house manager, he’s also acting as her personal assistant, which she is paying for as a separate position, of course.
“Alright, there’s a good restaurant down the street. We can walk there.”
“Easy for you to say,” I mumble. “These boots weren’t made for snow.”
