Fallen Woman(9)

“It’s embarrassing.”

“Only if you let it be.”

We hopped into his Mercedes and took off down the street to float through the shops on Main Street. I hadn’t bothered to step foot in any of them. Our financial demise was sealed at the point Ryan went to jail. Shopping in those boutiques was like teasing a kid with candy to put all those beautiful clothes in front of me knowing I couldn’t have them.

I didn’t know if Jase realized what he was in for. I wasn’t interested in taking advantage of his generosity, but I wanted to feel every piece of fabric and touch every shoe and accessory. The colors were stunning, and I was a sucker for fashion. He looked while I touched, but I knew the instant he saw the dress he wanted me to wear. His eyes lit up, and the normally steel gray turned a slate blue. He caressed it like a woman he loved, and I prayed it looked as good on me as it did in his imagination.

The sales lady came to see if I’d like to try it on and went to the back to get one that would fit. She didn’t ask my size—she was trained to know it. Once in the dressing room, I slipped on the heavy gown, and she zipped it up the side. The ruby red beadwork shimmered as the light caught it when I moved. My thin arms looked perfectly toned in the tank straps, and when I turned to the side, the back was completely exposed.

“It would be a sin not to wear your hair up in this gown. Women pay thousands of dollars to look the way you do, and not letting that gorgeous man see your back would be a crime.” She’s paid to sell me the dress, but a part of me knew she was being honest, too.

The weight of the dress allowed me to go braless, displaying my perfect C-cups and my lean shoulders in the dropped neckline. The fabric hung on every inch of me like it was designed around my body and added the illusion of another two inches to my already five-foot-eight frame.

“Wait right here,” she said as she raced out of the dressing room. A few minutes later, she returned with stunning chandelier earrings, a delicate drop necklace, and gold heels I might consider giving up my first born to own. She added them to the ensemble, and when I stepped into the slingbacks, she pulled my hair up in a quick chignon to give me the overall picture. “Stunning.” And she was right. I was blown away. I missed this girl. The one with the confidence to take on the world.

There was a light knock on the door. “Are you going to let me see it?” Jase spoke through the wood muffling his voice.

The sales girl shook her head and whispered, “Make him wait.”

I liked her style and agreed. “You’ll see it Friday night,” I called back and began undressing. The price tag caught on my panties. I stopped to release myself from its hold and about gagged. This dress would pay my bills for months, not to mention the added expense of the jewelry and shoes. My mood plummeted as I thought about what I could do for Emmy with that money. “Do you have anything a little less expensive?”

“Honey, he brought you here to buy a dress. This is the dress he wants you to wear. Let him do this for you and don’t mention the cost.” I couldn’t tell if that was the salesperson in her or another woman saying, “You deserve this.” I wanted to argue but knew I’d lose with both her and Jase. So instead, I nodded and returned to the clothes I came here in.

“So you’re going to make me wait, huh?” Humor shone bright in his eyes, and I knew the anticipation would do him good.

“A little wait never hurt anyone.” I winked at him and carried the purchases to the register. I didn’t know where this confident girl came from, but I’d missed the hell out of her. After placing my things on the counter, I wandered off to allow Jase to pay without my knowing the total. The protocol for this type of thing escaped my knowledge, and it made me uncomfortable.

“Let me feed you and get you back to work,” he said as he draped an arm around my waist.

“You don’t have to do that. I need to get back anyhow.”

“What did you bring for lunch?” He eyed me suspiciously.

There was no point in lying—I sucked at it. So I just shrugged. I didn’t know why women did that—the obligatory shrug. It didn’t even mean anything, but we all did it, and men expected it.

“Exactly. So…lunch it is.”

He put my stuff in his car, and we had lunch at a little deli not far from the office. I kept it simple with a salad, and he ate like three starving men. I couldn’t help but laugh. “When was the last time you ate?”

He answered with a mouth full of food. “This morning, why?” His brow furrowed with confusion.

“Do you always eat like this?”

He was so cute; he fisted the sandwich with both hands, chewing an enormous bite.

“I’m a growing boy.” The smirk he offered melted another piece of my heart. He was genuinely endearing. I adored the way the scar above his eye crinkled when he smiled. Nothing about this man was pretentious or fake, and I loved that about him.

I watched him consume three subs and wash them down with two bottles of water. I didn’t have a clue where he put it, but he seemed satisfied when he dropped me off in the mailroom with my co-workers.

“Not a date, huh? That man is smitten.” The older woman offered her opinion as she waltzed off. I made a mental note to learn her name and grinned at her back.

~~~

I was more anxious for Jase to pick me up than I was on my wedding day. I had skipped lunch to leave early, and was glad I did. By the time I got home and hung out with the kids for a little while before leaving them with Miss Pearl, I was in a mad dash to be ready by seven o’clock.