Within These Walls (Within These Walls #1)(92)

My dumbstruck face just nodded.

“Good. Thanks.”

“Oh my God, what did you just do?” I asked, laughing.

“I used the benefits of this ridiculously expensive hotel.”

“That was like watching a deleted scene of Pretty Woman.”

“Except?” He moved from the bed and stalked forward.

“Except you’re way hotter,” I answered.

“Good answer.” He stopped himself several steps from me and turned back around. “If I touch you again, we’re never going to make it there on time.”

“Well then, stay over there. If we’re late again, Grace will kill us.”

“It was the rehearsal dinner. It wasn’t even the rehearsal, and it was, like, five minutes.” He waved a flippant hand as he slumped down in the desk chair and began to tie the silk tie around his neck.

I went into the bathroom and finished curling my hair, loving the way the soft coils tumbled down my back. Taking a new interest in clothing and makeup, I’d turned into quite the girl since my recovery. Grace had been thrilled, constantly emailing me sales and brands she loved.

Being in the hospital, I’d never had an opportunity to dress myself the way I’d wanted. Everything was made for comfort, and although I still loved my sweats and yoga pants, I enjoyed dressing up for an evening out. This body of mine had been through the ringer, and it had always been something I was proud of, just not particularly interested in adorning it.

Now, I was proud and showing it.

I finished attaching the back of the diamond earrings Jude had bought me several months earlier, and I looked at myself in the mirror one last time just as a knock came to the front door of our hotel room.

That couldn’t possibly be the shoes.

“Hey, angel, your shoes are here!” Jude called from the other room.

I walked out and found a stack of shoes at least six boxes high.

“Holy crap,” I said, gazing up at the display.

“Well, with sizing difference, I wanted to make sure you had options. So, pick what you want to wear now, and keep the rest.”

I tried not to let the designer labels deter me.

The second day I had been in New York, he had taken me shopping. I’d nearly had a stroke, short-circuiting that brand-new heart of mine, when I came in contact with some of the price tags I’d been handed.

Money was part of Jude’s life now. It had taken him a while to adjust again after living with so little for so long, but now, he had a different outlook on all of it.

It was a gift, and he enjoyed sharing it, especially with me.

Finding him in a pair of jeans and a ratty old T-shirt on the weekends still made my heart flip-flop, but I would trade a pair of scrubs for a suit any day.

That man was made for suits.

When he’d insisted on paying for my tuition, I’d fought him on it. It had been one epic battle. Eventually, he’d won out, arguing that I would never be able to work as a counselor without a degree. I’d finally decided my life calling was to help those out there like me—the people who felt cheated and hopeless because they were born different from the rest of the world. I’d had an amazing counselor when I was younger, and I hoped I could make that kind of impact on someone else’s life one day. It was a long ways off, but someday, I’d get there. I had originally planned on working to pay off my tuition. I could also have taken loans and found scholarships. Jude had given me a firm no to all of that.

“Go work at McDonald’s, for all I care, but do it only if that’s what you really want to do,” he’d said. “You’ve spent your entire life buried. Now, it’s your time to finally do whatever it is that makes you happy. Go to school, Lailah. Be whatever it is that you’re destined to be.”

I had nothing but time now, and what an amazing gift it was.

Time was not our friend this morning though, and I quickly made a decision, picking a pair of peep-toe pumps similar to the ones I had packed—or I thought I had packed.

We raced out the door and prayed traffic would be in our favor as we drove toward the sandy beach.

What a beautiful day for a wedding.

“See? Right on time,” I said as we pulled the rental car into a parking spot along the boardwalk.

Looking out at the water’s edge, Lailah’s eyes searched around until she spotted the small gathering of white chairs, and she smiled. “There it is,” she said.

“I really wish they had let us help set up last night,” I replied.

I jumped out of the car to grab her door. If I wasn’t quick about it, she always beat me to it. She’d roll her eyes when I did this, but I thought she secretly loved it. A faint blush would blot her cheeks as she exited, and that was exactly why I kept doing it.

“Might want to take those shoes off when we get to the sand,” I suggested as we walked arm in arm toward the stairs leading down to the sand below.

“Oh, good call.” She bent down and slipped them off, exposing her cotton-candy pink toes. “I wonder if I should go check on her.” She looked back at the hotel behind us.

“You’re here!” a bubbly voice cried, running up to steal a hug.

“Your belly!” Lailah exclaimed, looking down at the tiny round belly of her best friend.

“I’m finally showing!” she squealed, running her hands over her enlarged stomach.