“I guess so.” Twirling the last of her pasta, Aurora savored the buttery sauce. Rich food was an indulgence, and she wasn’t the indulgent type. Usually.
“Well, I’ll be a son of a bitch. Of course, I’m not at all surprised that someone in your office finally pulled his head out of his darkest orifice to see how dedicated you are. When’s the trial gonna be?”
“It starts in two days,” she said, trying not to freak out about how fast it was approaching.
Tiffany beamed at her. “Maybe we can come and watch you present.”
“Not me.” Kelly hunkered back in her seat, collecting crumbs with the tip of her finger. “I’m never setting foot in a courtroom again unless I have to be there. And I’m hoping to keep that down to never. Ya feel me?”
The three of them fell all over themselves with laughter remembering the last time Kelly was actually in a courtroom. It was a rare feeling for Aurora. Actual abandon. Something dangerously close to joy.
“So what are you going to do to treat yourself?” Kelly asked as they stepped into the sunshine.
The question caught Aurora off-guard. “This was it.”
“You can’t be serious.” Tiffany blinked her black-lined eyes, looking dumbfounded. Aurora felt like she was missing something.
“Yeah, to hell with that. A lunch? You need to actually treat yourself to something.”
“Like what?”
“Got it,” Kelly snapped her fingers. “You’re gonna be the star of the show in court that day. Right?”
“Well, I don’t know about that…” Aurora waffled, kicking her feet lightly at the pavement. Her tendency to deflect came creeping back over her.
“No, no. Shut up. You are. That calls for something to really make you stand out.”
“Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes.” Tiffany hopped up and down, clapping her hands, her purple streaks bounding with each bounce.
“What?” Aurora eyed them suspiciously. Clearly, she was on the outside of something they both immediately intuited.
“You need a new outfit,” Kelly said with such authority it would have been hard for the best lawyer in Othercross to argue against her. “We’re taking you shopping.”
“My favorite shops are all the way…”
“Psssh!” Kelly waved a hand, banishing the very idea. “Not thrift stuff, babe. New stuff. Something to commemorate this. You’ve moved up in the world.”
“It’s just for the one case.” Her friends were making enough out of this that Aurora started to find ways to undermine what had been a true victory. Fortunately, neither of her friends were going to stand for that kind of nonsense.
“Fuck that.” Again, Kelly was firm. “One case leads to the next. Stop looking for excuses to deny yourself shit. We’re taking you to Sadie’s.”
Before she could whisper language to herself, her friends scooped her in their arms and fairly danced her up the block. When they reached the window of the Colonnade’s poshest boutique, all three women lapsed into a kind of reverential silence. Aurora had peered through this window many times, but had never dared to venture over the doorstep.
This is too expensive. Can I really do this?
With that, she was whisked inside. Even the air felt different. Cooler. Lighter. Fancier.
“Fuuuuuuck,” Kelly breathed out in a whisper.
“You said it,” Tiffany agreed.
“Language,” Aurora murmured.
Now that she was inside, the siren song of it all was irresistible. After all, she had a credit card burning in her clutch. She’d never so much as swiped it, but suddenly, this felt like the whole reason she’d gotten it. It had been tucked away “for emergencies” and something had very clearly emerged.
“Hey,” Tiffany squeezed her arm. “I’m going to poke around the sale rack and daydream. Don’t let me catch you there. You’re here for the real thing.” She bounded off to the far reaches of the store, like a little goth pixie turned loose in a wonderland of impossibly white décor.
“Where are you going…” But Kelly was already gone.
Breathing deeply, Aurora hoped Ronun would continue to have a good effect on her devil-may-care friend. She strongly suspected the old Kelly might have stuffed any number of things in her bag and made a break for it. If she had, that court date might’ve come faster than she wished.
Being left to her own devices somehow settled the tiny moths fluttering inside her chest. It would be easier to treat herself if she could do it unseen.
Wandering through the almost sacred space, she started by letting her fingers do the work. They brushed lightly on both sides of every garment she passed, flooding her with a kaleidoscope of soft textures. Everything embodied the definition of luxury, and she let herself bask in the moment when all of it seemed possible.
Coming around to a particularly tasteful display, a glimmer of emerald green arrested her. It was a sheath dress, tailored in all the ways that would offer her what she loved most—a figure-hugging display of class. She was powerless to resist.
Walking as if she were in a trance, she arrived in front of the object of her desire. It was perfect. Reaching with a timid hand, she lifted the tag that hung from the beltline.
Oh wow. Wow, wow, wow.
This single wrap of luxurious fabric cost more than her entire wardrobe. To buy this wouldn’t just be decadent. It would be a transgression. The very thought of it sent goosebumps racing across her skin.
Except, that electric chill wasn’t sticker shock. No, the feeling was uneasily familiar. Something new, yet as woven into her soul as anything you could name. On instinct, she turned to look directly out the window she had gazed through so many times. Whenever she faced that glass, on the other side was the unattainable thing she longed for.
Now, it was him.
Dane.
He stood in the street, scenting the air. He hadn’t seen her yet. But there was no doubt in Aurora’s mind he was looking for her. Whatever prickle she felt, it must have echoed in him as well.
As he kept sniffing the air, a thrill raced through her entire body. It was equal parts attraction and dread. Every muscle went taut, and she had no choice but to run. The question was whether she was going to run toward this captivating wolf or away from him.
Dane stilled, as if something had clicked into place. He looked at the window, as if it had just occurred to him to look through. His eyes began to focus.
Aurora tucked into a crouch. Her pulse thundered through every vein, and her breath was high and sharp. Staying low, she scampered farther into the boutique, doing her best to keep her head below the line of displays. If anyone else saw her, they would think she was a crazy person, but that would be better than whatever might happen if Dane finally spotted her.
Scrambling until she found the dressing rooms, she scampered into one and clapped the door shut behind her. There was a plush bench, but she found herself scrunched on the carpeted floor, panting as she kept her eyes riveted to the door.
What’s wrong with me? Why is it so imperative I hide from this guy?
She sat rubbing her eyes to clear away the tiny diamonds that were cascading at the edge of her vision. Using some techniques she’d picked up in a yoga class, she centered her breath and did everything she could to bring her heart rate down. After a few minutes, she was starting to feel in control of herself again.