"Will you be here tomorrow night?" Penn asked as he opened the sliding door for me.
"Yeah, I guess," I muttered.
Penn caught my wrist and cleared his throat. "Speaking of our business deal, there is a charity ball at the golf club tomorrow night. My parents are going, part of their engagement celebration. I'd like you to come with me."
I gaped. "A formal event? Tomorrow night? I don't have a dress."
Penn rolled his eyes. "That would be your first thought. Don't worry. I have a tailor coming to fit me with a new tuxedo. I'm sure he can bring along some choices for you."
"Penn, that's asking a lot," I stammered.
"What if they are all designer labels? You can have your pick." Penn dropped my wrist.
I slammed the sliding glass door behind me. "I told you I would hold up my end of the deal. Now, how about you honor yours. You told me I would have a place to stay rent free, where I wouldn't be bothered."
I shoved past him and headed for the guest room. The steam and heat of the shower had finally unlocked the knots in my shoulders, but not the confusing tangle in my heart. So, when there was a knock on the door, I tensed up again.
"What now?" I snapped.
No one responded. I cranked off the shower spray, wrapped a towel around myself, and stalked into the guest room. No one was there, except three, beautiful dresses hanging over the doors of the antique wardrobe. One was a Ralph Lauren dream in sleek ivory. The next was a bold pattern from Vera Wang.
"No contest," I whispered as I moved to stand in front of the third dress.
The classic, Yves Saint Laurent dress was in deep, midnight blue. The tight-fitting corset featured a sweetheart neckline and a satin band before the full skirt billowed to the floor. I knew it was perfect, and I hoped with every fiber of my being that it would knock Penn on his sorry ass.
#
I stopped at the bedroom door and opened it a crack to listen. Xavier had arrived, Alice was freshening up downstairs, and we were scheduled to leave for the ball at any minute.
I turned for the eight hundredth time and gazed at the beautiful dress. It hung untouched in its place on the wardrobe. The tailor had not needed to do any adjustments. The dress fit so perfectly I didn't even need to wear anything under it, no push-up bra, nothing. But, still, I was wrapped in a robe and the dress was on a hanger.
I couldn't go. Penn already thought I was shallow and materialistic. There was no way I could enjoy the spectacular dress, navigate the opulence of a high society charity function, and prove to him that I was more like him than anything.
It was insane and my hands reached out to the dress again, but I pulled back and stayed strong. What I really wanted from the evening was to spend time with Penn. The real Penn, not the Penn that was constantly harping on how dependent people were on images.
"What is she waiting for? Her fairy godmother?" I heard Penn snap.
"Don't be unkind," Xavier said. "You have a beautiful woman dressing up just to spend the evening with you. Trust me, it's worth waiting for."
I heard Alice join them with a throaty giggle. "Oh, stop, Xavier. You're embarrassing Penn."
"I'm not embarrassed. I'm just trying to figure out where he gets off telling me how to be kind," Penn said.
"Your father is a very kind man, Penn." Alice's voice was soft but firm. "I know you remember good times, too. So, we have our dark memories and we haven't been the closest family these last few years. Maybe that's a good thing because it means you two can start fresh. Just think how amazing that would be-a fresh start and our family all back together."
"And expanding," Xavier said. "Just wait until you see the dress that Corsica chose."
"If she ever comes out," Penn groaned.
Alice cleared her throat. "Be nice, Penn. For goodness sake, I don't know how she puts up with you."
I leaned my head on the door. I should have known that Xavier had made suggestions and helped select my wardrobe choices. He was thoughtful and kind, but his son was determined to remember only the very worst of him.
Now Penn was fuming because he was so used to thinking he was better than his father, and here was Alice pointing out it wasn't true.
Penn stomped down the hallway. In a panic, I vaulted over the bed and spun around to pretend I had just come from the bathroom. I had done my hair and make-up before I came to my senses, but it was too late to undo the elaborate upsweep style now.
"Corsica?" Penn knocked hard. "I'm coming in."
I crossed my arms over the robe. "I thought we agreed that since this is a business deal, I would have my privacy."
"This is my room," he said.
"Only because you insisted I get ready in here," I hissed. "As if your parents would care if I was using the guest room."
Penn's eyes flew open. "You aren't even dressed yet. Corsica, what are you doing? I thought you'd be dying to go to the fancy snore-fest."
I deliberately turned away from the siren call of the beautiful gown. "If you're not excited about it, why do you care if I'm ready or not?"
"We're going with my parents. They're ready to leave," Penn gestured to the door. "Come on, let's go."
I turned my back on him and faced the bathroom door. "I'm not going. In fact, I was just getting ready to take a bath. Your suite does have the better bathtub."
Penn's hands were on my shoulders and he spun me around. He was devastatingly handsome in his tailored tuxedo. The crisp black shirt and sleek tuxedo jacket covered up the majority of his tattoos, and I noticed that he had trimmed his beard. It was short and smelled of a bergamot vanilla aftershave that weakened my knees.
"What are you trying to do?" Penn asked. His dark eyes peered into mine.
I blinked. "I'm not trying to do anything. I'm telling you that I'd rather stay here and soak in the bathtub with a good book than go to, what did you call it? This 'fancy snore-fest.'"
"You're lying."
I looked him straight in the eyes and hoped he saw what I meant with my whole heart. "I would rather stay here and talking about camping and outdoor sports equipment all night than go to this charity ball."
Penn let go of my shoulders as if I had burned him. "Since when did you make a one-eighty?"
"I'd tell you that I've enjoyed my summer, especially visiting Pinnacles and camping, but you seem determined to not believe me." I wrapped the robe tighter around me. "Maybe I've changed. Maybe you've helped me figure out who I really am."
He snorted. "Maybe. And, maybe I should remind you of the high and mighty speech you gave earlier about holding up your end of the deal. We're pretending to be engaged to make my mother happy and to keep my father off my back. So, tonight we're going up the country club together."
He marched to the door, but stopped when I asked him. "What would you rather do tonight?"
When Penn didn't answer, I got angry. He slipped out and announced loudly to his parents that I was almost ready. Fine, he wanted to be so blind, that was his problem. I would hold up my end of the deal. I ripped off the robe and slipped into the heavenly dress. The full skirt whispered as it settled around me. I glanced in the mirror, but my only thought was I needed the stunning gown to be my armor.