Stuck-Up Suit - Vi Keeland Page 0,28
balancing out the goosebumps from the contact. I didn’t know where this was going, and for the first time, I resolved not to analyze it.
CHAPTER 10
SORAYA
THE NEXT DAY AT THE OFFICE, they kept coming in droves. Dozens of roses. Pink ones, red ones, yellow ones. A new dozen was delivered every hour. It took me a bit to figure out why he was doing it. It was the story I told him about my father and the rose ceremony. I later found a card that had fallen off of the first dozen that read, These are long overdue. My heart felt heavy and filled with something unidentifiable all at once.
Tonight was the gala I was supposed to be attending with him. It was going to be way out of my comfort zone, and nervous jitters followed me around all day. I’d picked out two different formal dresses at Bergdorf’s on my lunch break.
When I got back to the office, there was a plate of Indian food at my desk. The smell of curry was nauseating.
“Ida? How did this food get here?”
“A delivery guy left it, said it was for you. I thought you ordered it.”
“I get Indian for you, but you know I hate it.”
Then, a thought crossed my mind. I took out my phone.
Soraya: You didn’t order me Indian food, did you?
Graham: I did.
Soraya: Why?
Graham: I thought you liked it? I saw you going to pick it up.
Soraya: Um…how is that? You were following me?
Graham: It was only one afternoon. I missed your face. I was gonna pull up next to you like Mr. Big, surprise you and take you out to lunch. Then I saw you rushing out of Masala Madness and figured you already had plans.
Soraya: LOL. I was getting lunch for Ida. Indian gives me heartburn.
Graham: I need to work on my stalking skills.
Soraya: That was really sweet of you, though.
Later that afternoon, Graham sent me another text.
Graham: Hey, I heard they changed the name of the gala in honor of me.
Soraya: Really?
Graham: It’s now called the Big Blue Ball.
Soraya: LOL.
Graham: They’re giving out swag bags with ice packs and ibuprofen.
Soraya: You’re crazy.
Graham: For you, I am.
Soraya: What time are you picking me up?
Graham: Holy shit. Am I actually allowed at your door?
Soraya: Yes.
Graham: 7:30 then.
Soraya: I’ll need your approval on my attire. I have two dresses on hold at Bergdorf’s and still can’t decide.
Graham: You know I’m gonna veto whatever it is, just so I can watch you undress.
Soraya: How’s your tattoo?
Graham: Fine. We can play I’ll show you mine/you show me yours if you want later.
Soraya: I have a few you haven’t seen.
Graham: I’m painfully aware of this.
Soraya: Maybe if you’re good tonight, I’ll let you see one.
Graham: And if you’re good, I’ll let you look under the table.
Soraya: LOL
Graham: You’re evil, Soraya Venedetta. Taunting me with your tattoos. How the fuck am I supposed to work now?
Soraya: ;-)
After work, I went by Bergdorf’s to purchase my dress. I had two on hold and hadn’t decided which I liked best. At the fitting room, I gave my name and waited for the salesperson to return with my selections.
“Here you go, my dear.”
“Thank you. But that one isn’t mine.” I pointed to a gorgeous green dress. It was actually the first dress that had caught my attention earlier in the day, but it was a designer I could never afford. The price tag was almost ten times the other two put together.
“That’s the one your husband added this afternoon.”
“My husband?”
“I assumed he was your husband. I’m sorry, I didn’t ask his name. Boyfriend, perhaps? Not very many men who look like that walk into the women’s dress parlor. Or pay the bill for that matter.”
“Pay the bill?”
“The gentleman who added this dress to your selections. He also paid the bill for the green one. And instructed the manager to put any other dresses you like on his account as well. He also had us pick out shoes to go with the green and paid for those as well.” She hung the dresses in a fitting room and disappeared for a moment. When she came back, she opened the box to show me an amazing pair of Louboutins that I could never afford.
I shot off a text before stripping out of my clothes.
Soraya: Do you shop in the ladies department often?
Graham: That was a first. You should see the items I took with me.
Soraya: You purchased other items?
Graham: Yes. The woman in lingerie looked at me