One Step Closer(61)

“We’ll talk about everything when I get back to San Francisco; after this is all over.” Getting back there meant to pack his stuff and figure out if he needed to sublet his apartment, but he didn’t want to divulge that now. “Are you ready to go? Wren was just going to change, and then we can leave.”

It wasn’t long until Wren appeared, and after a short and very awkward silence, they were inside his father’s BMW 640i and on their way. Macy made sure she was next to Caleb in the front seat, though he kept checking on Wren; his eyes flashing up into the rear view mirror. She was sitting quietly in the rich leather seats, and looking out of the window with a sad, contemplative expression on her beautiful face.

“Let’s go to Hermès!” Macy gushed. “I was so happy to see they had one here! Is it far?”

The store was known for high-end leather goods, fragrances, and their expensive ready-to-wear clothing.

“Do you have the address?” It had been a few years since Caleb had been in Denver and while he knew the general vicinity, he wasn’t sure exactly where it was.

After Macy rattled it off, Caleb asked Wren if she’d be able to find what she needed there.

“Hmm?” Wren looked up.

“Hermès,” Macy said, a bit impatiently. “Can you find a dress there?”

“Oh,” Wren was hesitant. “That’s kind of expensive. Can’t we go to a regular mall?”

“For heaven’s sake, Wren,” Macy scoffed. “You’re a ballerina with the New York ballet.”

Wren rolled her eyes before she could stop herself. “Actually, it’s just a touring company, so that pretty much rules out that store.”

“Really? I thought you’d be rolling in money.”

Wren shook her head, her eyes widened, and her mouth flattened wryly. “No. Only a few of the top dancers in the world make huge money, and most of those aren’t company dancers. I’ve been lucky, moving out of the Corps de Ballet sooner than most, especially since I didn’t train in Russia or France. The men make more because they’re in higher demand.”

“Macy, let her be,” Caleb admonished, feeling Wren’s distress. He wanted to quell Macy’s inquisition of her. “We’ll go to Pavilions. There are a lot of different stores there. I’m sure you can find something nice.”

Macy opened her mouth, and then snapped it shut without saying a word. Caleb could tell she was seething, but he couldn’t care less.

“If you’d like, you can drop me off back at the house and I’ll ask Jared to take me around,” Wren interjected from the backseat.

Caleb had already changed direction back toward the mall and he shook his head. “Not a chance.” He glanced at Macy, silently interrupting her retort. The protectiveness he always felt for Wren was rearing its head and he wouldn’t let Macy’s selfishness dictate his actions. He was seeing a new side to her that he didn’t like. He could see she was feeling threatened by Wren and it wasn’t going to get any better when she discovered he’d be moving back to Denver and shelving the plans to start the engineering firm.

Caleb parked in front of the Nordstrom’s store, one of the higher-end department stores at the mall, hoping that it would satisfy both women. The morning had started off clear, but clouds were rolling in and blocking out the sun as they all got out of the car and headed into the store. Macy reached for Caleb’s hand and Wren, who was walking behind saw the gesture. Her heart fell. She would have preferred to shop alone to watching their PDA’s all day.

“Look, I’m going to the dress department. I’ll just call you when I’m finished and we can meet up,” she said as Caleb pulled his hand from Macy’s grasp and opened the glass door and waited for both women to precede him inside.

“No, Wren. I’ll come with you,” Macy stated quickly. “I shouldn’t have been so selfish. I know this isn’t a happy occasion.” She smiled at Wren, who nodded sadly.

“I don’t want to intrude,” Wren said.

Caleb’s hand lifted to Wren’s shoulder and he squeezed it gently. “Wren, come on. Let’s get you a dress, sweetheart.” He could sense she was pensive, and her sadness was palpable.

Caleb wished the morbid business of the funeral was behind them, and the will had already been read. At least then, he’d know if he’d made the right choice. Judging from Wren’s comments about a ballerina’s salary, he felt confident that he’d done his best for her. The only thing uncertain was whether she’d want to move home to Denver, too. He hoped so, but if she wanted to keep touring, then he’d just handle Lux for the both of them.

They walked through the store to the escalators and followed the signs up to the Women’s dress department. Wren immediately went through the available dresses to find all of the black options and was soon ensconced in the dressing room with her few selections. She closed the curtain behind her and started to try them on.

After the morning with Caleb, she hated seeing him with Macy. It was reality and she had to face it. Her eyes filled with tears as she took off her clothes and slipped into the first dress. It was simple with short sleeves, a scooped neckline, and was pretty fitted through the body. The hem stopped about two inches above her knee. The classic style was elegant and modest.

She swallowed at the thickness in her throat and wiped at the tear about to fall from her eye as she stared at herself in the mirror. She didn’t really care about what she wore to the funeral as long as it was appropriate and respectful, and this would do fine. Her budget demanded she pick something she’d be able to wear again, and this dress could be used for various occasions, depending on how she accessorized.