wearing something beautiful maybe. Feeling genuinely loved…well, maybe not loved, but adored enough to feel like love.
So, while the guys are in the office, bickering loudly about something, I quietly say goodbye and hitch a ride back to the city with the pilot who transports the staff.
Zara is meeting me at Hawthorne and Davis at noon for lunch and shopping. There’s a small coffee shop there where I wait for her as she walks up with the baby in a stroller.
“Sorry, I felt guilty for leaving her again, so I hope you don’t mind that I brought her.”
I send her a wide smile, pulling her into a warm hug. I love the sudden softness to her cheeks and glow to her skin. In the sleek black stroller, I lift the blanket to see baby Harper sleeping, her big round cheeks pressed against the strap of the buckle.
“Don’t you dare apologize. I’m glad you brought her. Nothing wrong with a girls’ day.”
We make our way down to the first store making small talk. Mostly she asks about how I’m feeling on the island, getting enough peace, not bothered too much by the guys. I try not to look at her as I answer that question. She doesn’t need to know everything going on at the island, not yet at least. Eventually, I will have to come clean. She’s my best friend.
The first shop we walk into is a boutique, still a bit pricey for my budget, but I still look through the rack. Zara makes quick work of pulling dresses off and handing them to the salesclerk to try on. She’s adjusted well to being a billionaire’s wife, but I guess anyone would.
Every single one of the dresses is a dud. Just nice, but that’s all.
As we leave the first shop and make our way to the next, my phone rings in my purse, and I fish it out to see Nash’s name on the screen. Giving Zara a suspicious glance, I stop and hold back for a moment before I answer. “Hello?”
“Find anything?” he asks. His smooth voice sends a warm flush to my belly. I instantly wish I was back at the island.
“Not yet,” I answer with a smile. Zara turns around and watches me with a quizzical brow.
“Head over to Joliet’s on the south side of Hawthorne.”
I stop in my tracks as a scoff escapes my lips. “Very funny. That’s a little out of my budget.”
“Just go. They’re expecting you.”
The blood leaves my face as I stare straight ahead. “What did you do?”
“Well, I assume you’re going to this launch party as Ellis’s date, right?”
“I…uh, I don’t know.”
“Well, if you go as his date then I want you to be in my dress.”
“You can’t buy me a dress…”
Stopping myself from saying his name out loud, my eyes flash up to Zara who is now in listening distance and definitely would have heard it. A smirk lifts the corner of her mouth.
“I just did, beautiful. It’s under Ellis’s name.”
“Oh my God…”
“Hanna,” he says with authority, and I gulp as I listen to his next words attentively. “You’re worth it.”
As the line goes dead, a smile cracks across my face.
“What was that?” Zara asks immediately.
“Um…we have to go to Joliet’s.”
“Joliet’s? You have expensive taste all of a sudden.”
I clear my throat, biting back a smile. She doesn’t ask any more questions as we walk down the street toward the north end. When I walk in, there is a girl standing by the door, jet black hair and translucent, pale skin.
“Ms. Thurber?” she greets me.
“Yes…”
“Mr. Prior called ahead for you. We have a room for you right over here. Would you like a glass of champagne?”
“Yes, please. For my friend, too,” I answer with a smile.
The shop girl gives Zara a polite smile and the stroller a hesitant, but polite smirk. “It’s a baby, not an elephant.” Zara whispers under her breath as the girl walks away with her nose wrinkled, and we laugh. It’s good to see the crass girl I first met is still in there.
Then we walk over to the sitting area where there is a selection of gowns waiting for me. Zara sits on the plush sofa as I run my fingers along the fabric of each dress. Gowns like these don’t even have price tags. I can’t let him spend this much on me, can I?
“Okay, spill it,” she says, checking on Harper who is still sound asleep.