Lexie’s changed into a pink dress—soft blush pink with a V-neck cut and delicate lace trim that shows the curve of her collarbone. A snug bodice. An A-line skirt swishes around her knees while the lace detail continues down the sleeves and hem.She’s paired it with a cream cardigan, but the dress has my attention.
She didn’t just throw on the first thing she grabbed. She put thought into this.
She is radiance. So much life about her now. She french-braided her hair, pinning it to the side.
“You look perfect, Lex!” River squeezes Lexie’s hands and kisses her cheek. “Ready?”
Lexie nods, grabbing her purse from the hook by the door.
I move to her side, my hand finding the small of her back. She shivers under my palm. I claim the space, letting River see.
Lexie is mine. And I’m not letting her go.
River catches the gesture, gifting her approval. She knows what I’m doing, and she’s not protesting.
“Let’s go,” I hum low to Lexie.
As we step out into the hallway, I keep my hand on her back, guiding her, protecting her. River walks ahead of us, her heels clicking against the floor, and I sense the tension in Lexie’s body—the awareness of my touch, the chemistry between us that hasn’t faded.
This trip to the Hamptons will be interesting, so it will. I may have a few contacts with the owners—old money types with inherited wealth, the kind who know how to be discreet and have no connections to the Family.
A masked party. A singles event. And my beautiful florist on my arm.
Let the games begin.
CHAPTER 11
Elexia
The boutique smells like expensive perfume and new fabric, the kind of place where everything costs more than my apartment, and the salespeople can sniff out your credit limit.
River is in her element.
Not me.
We’ve been here for an hour, and my arms are already full of dresses with River insisting it’s her treat. Liam is somewhere in the men’s section, probably charming the staff while River picks out suits for him like she’s dressing a Ken doll.
I managed to sneak away earlier and bought him a newsboy cap and a pair of fake glasses—just enough to keep him low-profile. The cap was $75, but I didn’t want River buying everything. When I handed them to him, such appreciation showed on his face like I’d given him the crown jewels.
“Smart girl.” He’d tucked a curl behind my ear. “And sweet girl.”
I can’t stop blushing around him. Everything is so new, but I don’t know if I want it to fade.
River declares it’s time for the main event: finding the perfect dress.
She’s already bought Liam a sleek black suit with a deep burgundy shirt, which will make him even more drop dead gorgeous. When he promised to pay her back with interest, she’d grinned and said, “That would be grand,” in the worst Irish accent. He was too entertained to correct her.
“Okay, babes.” River shoves me toward the fitting rooms with an armful of gowns. “Time to try these on. And I want a full fashion show.”
I groan. “River, I don’t need?—”
“Yes, you do. Now get in there.”
She pushes me into a stall, then slips into the one next to mine. The walls don’t go all the way to the floor, so her heels visibly click against the tile.
I hang the dresses on the hook. They’re all beautiful. Elegant.
The kind I rarely ever wear, but love all the same.
