“The Aon Ballroom.”
I know that place. It’s out at Navy Pier. It’s spectacular with its lighted dome. I’ve never been to a party there, but I’ve seen it. “That is fancy. What else?”
“Well, it’s my mom’s deal. It’s a fundraiser for one of her most important charities, a children’s cancer hospital.”
“Oh, wow.” I’m getting emotional already. “That’s so nice.” My voice cracks a little. “Of course I’ll go with you.” What will I wear? The only person I know with fancy clothes is Gisele, and she’s too small for me to wear her clothes. The fact that I wouldn’t be able to get a dress from her because she’ll be in jail is also a consideration.
“Great. We’ll go shopping tomorrow. I know just the place.”
“Shopping. For what?”
“A dress and things of that nature.”
I’m too tired to argue. Besides, I can’t meet his mother wearing something from a thrift store. “Fine. Just keep a tab going for me. When I get a job, I’ll pay you back.”
“Okay, baby,” he says as he slides his hand down my back to pat my bottom. “I’ll keep a tab.”
He’s not going to keep a tab, the big, fat liar. It’s okay. I will.
* * *
True to his word,Billy took me shopping. I’d like to tell you that I wasn’t blown away by the places he took me, but I was. They were f-a-n-c-y. One of them was by appointment only. To say I was uncomfortable was an understatement. In the end, we compromised and went to Nordstrom. It’s still too expensive for me, but at least they had options that were much more affordable. In the end, I chose a deep green sequined dress with a V-neck that held the girls in quite nicely and a thigh-high slit up the leg. Nordstrom is going to alter the dress for me at no extra cost because it definitely needed hemming up about six inches. I asked them to close up some of the thigh-high part too. I’m meeting Billy’s family, for goodness sakes. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard, if you know what I mean.
Shopping with Billy was a blast, though. He sat outside while I tried things on in the dressing room. When I liked something or if it actually fit, I stepped out to get his opinion. This green number was his favorite by far. “Holy shit, babe,” he said, leaning forward in the leather side chair. “You look amazing in that dress.”
And you know what? I felt amazing. It was really structured, which means it gave me support—support that will be enhanced by the Spanx I bought, but it’s also stretchy so I can still move. In all, it’s a perfect dress.
Billy insisted on buying me shoes, a handbag, some costume jewelry, and he made me an appointment at a spa his mom likes. “They’ll do your nails and hair if you want them to. And before you accuse me of wanting you to have your hair done, I couldn’t care less. I’m partial to your braids, personally. But you’ll get a massage at this place, and that’s fun. Okay?”
“Thank you, Billy.” I step up and kiss his cheek. His beard has grown a lot in the last few days, and it looks good. “I like your beard.”
“Yeah?” He runs his fingers over the stubble. “You think I should keep growing it out?”
“If you want. It’s up to you.”
“You like it?”
“I do.” I love beards. Yummy, yum, yum.
“Well, I haven’t had one in a long time. We’ll see how it looks, and then you can decide. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Chapter Twenty
This is it,the night I meet his family. God, I’m so damn nervous. What if they hate me? What if I say the wrong thing? I’m known for putting my foot in my mouth when I’m in awkward situations. At least the rest of me looks good. I went to the spa and did the whole shebang. I even got a wax, you know, down there. Shit, that hurt. They trimmed my hair and gave me big loose curls then put it up in sort of a messy updo. I love it. It’s me but elegant.
As for the dress? It fits perfectly. The slit goes up to just above my knee, so I’m not going to flash anyone my goodies tonight. I’m wearing strappy nude sandals and the necklace we bought at Nordstrom. It’s too bad Mom can’t see me now. She’d love all this glam. I sigh, thinking about them. Even Gisele. Hell, I wish Gisele and me…No. Don’t go there, JoJo. I can’t help it, though. My family is in complete disarray. I talked to Dad earlier today. He updated me on Mom and Gisele. Apparently, they released Mom the day after the incident at Billy’s. Dad bailed her out, of course. She’s going to have to appear in court later on—something I’m sure she’s mortified about. As for Gisele? She was in the hospital for several days with her self-inflicted shoulder wound. After that, they transferred her to jail. Once Billy told the police about everything that had happened in the last week, they were going to do their best to keep her as long as possible.
Shaking away the thoughts of them. I focus on tonight. Now, I’m just waiting for Billy to finish up in the bathroom. I saw him in his tuxedo pants and shirt but not the entire thing. I know he’s going to look devastatingly handsome. How could he not?
When he steps out into the living room, my breath catches. He’s better than I thought. The tux fits him perfectly. The white shirt and bow tie make him look so dapper. I step closer and notice the deep green silk pocket square, and then I squint at his tie. “Your tie and pocket square match my dress.”
“They do.”
I’ve never had a guy go all out like Billy has. Heck, my prom date didn’t even buy me a corsage. And he was wasted by the time he got to my house, so we didn’t even get pictures. What a douche.
“You ready, gorgeous?”
