think?” Giselle asks, biting her lip nervously.
I shoot my grandma a look, silently begging her not to make a comment about Giselle’s dress as being scandalously cut or, as she once said when she saw one of my prom dresses, fit for a prostitute.
Giselle needs to have her confidence built up, not torn down. She was so excited about Grandma Jo coming with us to New York to shop for a dress for the spring dance, and I want it to be a positive experience.
“I think you look lovely,” Grandma Jo says.
Giselle beams, studying her reflection in the dressing room’s floor length mirror. She’s wearing an off the shoulder blue dress that’s fitted in the bodice and has a flowing skirt. This is the fifth dress she’s tried on, and so far, it’s my favorite.
“Daphne, do you think I should get this one?” she asks me.
“I think it’s a great contender, but you should try a few more on to be sure.”
Olivier is seated nearby in a leather chair, wearing his reading glasses while looking at his phone. He looks up and gives me a puzzled glance.
“More?” he asks.
“Yes, more.”
“But that one looks great. They all did.”
I give him a pointed look. “We came all the way here, so we’re going to make the most of it.”
“Okay, Daph. I suppose you know more about dress shopping than I do,” he says, turning back to his phone.
“I brought a few more options,” the sales associate at the dress shop says, walking into the large fitting room area.
She hangs about ten more dresses on the rack and I take one off and give it to Giselle. When she goes back to the changing area, I walk over to stand by Olivier and he surprises me by using his good arm to pull me onto his lap.
“Hey,” I say, laughing.
He kisses me and says, “Hey.”
“How are you?”
“Better now that you’re closer,” he murmurs.
“What are you reading?”
“A contract for work.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and snuggle closer. “Sounds kind of boring.”
“It is.” He sets his phone down and kisses me again, saying, “Thank you for this.”
“For what?”
“For being here. Giselle has started seeing her therapist again and she’s feeling better than she has in a long time. I think you have a lot to do with that.”
I lean in and speak in his ear. “I think it’s more due to her new BFF Grandma Jo.”
He hums his amusement. “That, too. But Giselle likes seeing me happy, and you make me happier than I ever imagined I could be.”
“I guess you make me feel pretty okay, too,” I tease.
“You were more than okay this morning, Miss Barrington,” he says in a low tone.
My heart skips a beat as I remember being woken up early by Olivier’s thick erection against my back. One thing led to another and I came twice before even getting out of bed. It’s a much better way to start the day than a buzzing alarm clock.
“Get a room, you two,” Grandma Jo says with a scowl. “There’s a child and a senior citizen present.”
Amused, I ask, “A senior citizen who is hoping to see naked hockey players tonight?”
“You bet your ass,” she says, nodding.
When we finish shopping, we’re flying back to Chicago for the game tonight. I’m nervous and excited about going to my first game with Olivier. We’ve been avoiding the spotlight, but tonight we’ll be standing directly in it.
Giselle walks back into the main area of the fitting room, twirling in a pretty burgundy dress.
“I love this one,” she says, grinning.
“It’s beautiful on you,” I say.
It really is. The long, fitted dress perfectly outlines her youthful figure. It’s a halter cut with detailed embroidery on the bodice.
She looks at the dress in the mirror and turns to Grandma Jo, saying, “Well?”
“It’s just perfect,” Grandma Jo says. “It looks like it was made for you.”
“Dad?” Giselle asks, turning.
Olivier sighs softly. “You went from little girl to young woman so fast, ma crevette. But you look beautiful.”
“Are you saying yes to this one?” the sales associate asks.
“Yes,” Giselle says, smiling. “But before I take it off, will you take a picture of all of us?”
“Of course.”
Olivier stands and the four of us pose, arms around each other. I’m happy in this moment, but I also feel full. Complete. Like I have everything I want and need.
Grandma Jo has been so good for Giselle, but Giselle has been good for my grandma, too. I see the way Grandma Jo lights