I lifted the heavy knocker, rapping twice on the wooden door.
“Come in,” Dylan’s voice called from inside.
I pushed the door open, stepping inside.
“We’re upstairs,” Dylan said.
Hadley giggled. “In her closet.”
“Sounds like you got started without me.” If the champagne was already flowing, I wasn’t sure how good Dylan’s style advice was going to be.
I headed up the narrow wooden stairs to the room where light spilled out into the hallway. “Oh wow. When you said closet, I thought you meant—”
“An actual closet?” Hadley asked from her perch on the white velvet settee in the middle of the room. Her brow raised at me, she held a glass of bubbly in her hand, her legs crossed at the ankles.
Her hair piled high in a messy bun, Dylan stood in front of a full-length mirror holding a black dress up to her body. “It’s my third bedroom. Who needs three bedrooms when only one person lives here? The closets in these homes are ridiculously small.”
“I’m not sure closets were a necessity in the 1800s,” I said.
Dylan pointed at me in the mirror. “True.” She threw the dress onto another chair, then plopped onto a soft-looking ottoman. “Now tell me all the details about tomorrow so we can dress you properly.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “That’s the problem. He won’t tell me anything. During the day he said to wear comfortable shoes and at night, a dress.”
“Okay. You’re on your own with the comfortable shoes. I’m not sure I have any, but I can handle the dress.” Dylan popped up to rifle through the rack of dresses.
“You don’t have sneakers?” Hadley asked.
“She doesn’t. I lived with her all through law school,” I said, sitting on the ottoman Dylan vacated.
“Why would I ever wear sneakers when I could wear all of these?” She gestured at the wall-to-wall white shelves, showcasing her heels and purse collection.
“This is my dream closet.” Hadley spread her arms wide, her champagne sloshing over the rim of her glass. “Whoops.”
“I think you mean dream room.” It was amazing, wood floors covered with fluffy rugs I wanted to sink my toes into.
“She has a lingerie armoire. Can you imagine?”
I followed Hadley’s pointed finger to the tall piece of furniture with narrow drawers. “No. I can’t.”
“Focus, ladies. We need to make Avery drop-dead gorgeous for her very important date tomorrow. Not that you’re not gorgeous already.” She waved her hand at me.
“Are you guys drunk?” I asked them.
Hadley giggled. “We didn’t eat dinner, so yeah, probably.”
“Let me pour you a glass. I’m sorry. I’m a terrible host,” Dylan said.
“It’s okay.”
She studied me from head to toe before considering me. “Dark hair, pale skin, I think red or blue, what do you think, Hadley?”
“So, I have no sense of style but I think she’d look amazing in blue with her eyes.”
“You want him to see you, admire the dress, then tear it off you.”
I raised my brow, my skin suddenly warm. He was picking me up at my place. We could do whatever we wanted. I didn’t have a roommate. Declan would be at Ian’s.
Dylan held up two dresses, both blue. “Which one?”
“That one,” Hadley said, pointing at the sapphire sleeveless dress, mermaid style, snakeskin shimmery pattern with bright beading on the shoulders.
It was exquisite.
Dylan smiled. “Perfect. Try it on.”
“Here?”
“You can go across the hall to the bathroom if you want. Yell if you need help zipping.”
I took the hanger from her outstretched hand as Hadley asked Dylan where she’d worn the dress before.
I’d never worn such a beautiful dress. It looked like it belonged on a red carpet. I worried it might be too much, but I wanted to look amazing. I undressed, stepped slowly into the dress, shimmying it over my hips. I let out a sigh of relief when I was able to pull it on. I could barely twist to pull up the zipper.
I lifted the skirt of the dress, heading back to the closet. Both women turned to look at me, their mouths dropping open.
Dylan ran behind me to zip the dress. She turned me to face the mirror. It looked amazing on me, fitting tightly to my curves, bringing out the blue in my eyes. I smoothed my hands over the shimmery dress, wondering what Griffin would think of it.
“Wow. I have no words,” Hadley said.
“It’s perfect,” Dylan said from behind me.
“It is. What if he’s not taking me somewhere fancy?”
Dylan placed her hands on her hips. “If not, he’ll change his plans once he sees you.”
“Yeah, he’ll probably want to stay in,” Hadley quipped.
Dylan eyed me critically in the mirror. “This looks better on you than it ever did on me.”
The other two talked about restaurants around town it would be appropriate for, but I turned first one way then the other to see the full effect of me in this dress. I closed my eyes, imagining what Griffin would think when he saw me in this dress. I hoped his eyes would darken with lust, his fingers digging into my hips as he pulled me into his body to feel his hardening erection. What would it be like to be with a man who wouldn’t allow me to take control? He’d challenge me every step of the way. I opened my eyes, not wanting to wait until tomorrow to see him.
Dylan grabbed a pair of midnight-colored pumps. “Try these shoes.”
The shoes gave me needed inches, making me look curvier. I took one last look at myself in the mirror barely recognizing myself. “This is perfect. Thank you.”
“Do you need help getting it off?” Dylan asked.
“Sure.”
She slid the zipper down as I stepped out. “If you don’t have him wrapped around your finger, you will after he sees you in this dress.”
“You think?” I looked at Hadley for confirmation.
“You’re gorgeous.”
“Thank you.”
Dylan hung the dress on the door. “Whenever you need us for a wardrobe upgrade, we’re here.”
“Or advice,” Hadley said.
For the first time, I felt like I belonged. “Let me get dressed real quick. I’ll be right back.”
When I was dressed again, I hung the dress on the back of the door to the closet before accepting a glass of champagne, settling onto the ottoman, my bare feet sinking into the soft rug.
“I know why that dress looks so amazing on you. It’s not just the color or the fit. You’re usually sweet, almost innocent looking. The contrast with that dress is striking,” Dylan said.
I placed a hand on my chest. “You think I look innocent?”
“Definitely,” Hadley said.
I shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t feel innocent. I’m the one who’s usually the bad guy in relationships. I never catch feelings.”
Dylan furrowed her brows. “So, what, you’ve never been in love?”
“No. Why? Have you?” We were still young. I couldn’t be the only one who’d never been in love.
“I haven’t,” Dylan said carefully.