Jade’s eyes rounded and her expression filled with sympathy. “Oh, that’s awful. You couldn’t get a nurse to come in?”
“My mother was afraid of strangers. I understand why now, but back then Riley and I accepted it as normal. We took care of her the best we could.”
She ran a hand through the hair on my temple. “You had to grow up so fast, didn’t you?”
“I guess. I don’t have another childhood to compare it to. But it made me strong, in more ways than one.” Memories of the neighborhood gym I’d practically grown up in came back to me then and a smile lifted a corner of my mouth.
She nodded. “I sense there’s a story in there. What are you thinking?”
“About the first time I met Sal. I was angry with myself after dropping my mother. She was a small woman, but I hadn’t had a major growth spurt yet. Anyway, I’d seen him around the neighborhood and asked him what the secret was to getting stronger.”
“And what did he say?”
“He laughed. I was scrawny. He probably thought I wanted to build up to look better, but then I told him why I needed to be strong.”
Jade’s eyes shone with emotion. “So you could help move your mother from room to room?”
“That’s what I told him. Riley could help her shower, but she couldn’t lift her.”
“And?”
“And Sal invited me to his gym and let me train for free. There I was, this little runt, whose voice hadn’t even changed yet, learning strength training with body-building competitors. Straight through middle and high school I was there before and after school either working out or helping clean the gym. Those men became my second family.” I smiled as good memories came flooding back. “They built people up from the inside out. I can still hear Sal saying: Anyone who has the time or desire to try to bring you down is already below you.”
“That’s so true. Are you still close?”
I looked away before answering. “We stayed in touch when I was in college, but then I started dancing. It’s a different lifestyle and I got swept into the wild side of it for a while. Lots of partying. Lots of substance abuse. Nothing I want to go back to, but I became someone they didn’t recognize or like.”
“Have you considered going back?”
I had, but I’d never been able to bring myself to do it. “They lost respect for me.” It was the first time I’d said it aloud or allowed myself to face that harsh truth.
“Then they’re missing out on an amazing man.” She laid a hand flat on my chest. “Remember when I said I wouldn’t bring Invio home? That’s not true anymore. I’ve gotten to know him. He paid for your mother’s first surgery, nearly paid for her second one as well. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for his family, and even when he’s angry—it’s kind of hot.”
I smiled at that. “Really? Hold on, so you liked my show?”
She fluttered her lashes and peered through them up at me. “Well, I am human.”
“We may have to compare acts sometime.” I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her.
Her face went bright red. “Oh, I couldn’t.”
Adorable, but not true. With a grin, I challenged, “You could for me.”
Her chest rose and fell against mine. “As long as you don’t laugh.”
“Trust me, that’s the last thing I’d do.” Then I winked. “Unless your little show starts with you in a granny dress, then I might chuckle a little.”
“Granny dress.” She made a face at me. “Now I’m determined to leave here with something nice.” She glanced down. “A little less like I’m for hire for the night, but enough to knock your socks off.”
Against her forehead I murmured, “Do you really not see how you don’t even have to try to do that?”
She melted into my embrace, and we stood there for a moment, breathing each other in.
Too soon, Marilyn returned with a selection for each of us to try on. I asked her to give us a few minutes alone to decide. She agreed and headed off to another part of the shop. There were two changing rooms so we each headed into one. I quickly shed my clothing, not wanting to miss a single one of the dresses she might model for me.
The first suit was a little too flashy for me, but I put it on anyway and headed out to show Jade. She stepped out of her room in an ankle-length yellow floral dress. The sleeves were poofed and it reminded me of a Victorian woman, but the neckline dipped low, making it also a winner in my book. “You look gorgeous in that one,” I said.
“You look,” she bit her lip then wrinkled her nose. “Shiny?”
I nodded. “That’s what I thought. I’ll go try on the next.”
“Me too.”
The next suit I chose was steel gray and more traditional. I felt like I was ready to apply for a job at a bank. I exited just as Jade did. This time she was in a sleeveless knee-length flowered dress that reminded me of rose quartz. The pattern was simple and flowing. The color made her cheeks glow. “You also look incredible in that.”
She looked me over. “That one is nice. Are you comfortable in it?”
I flexed my shoulders. “It fits, but not really.”
She nodded. “I have one last one.”
“Same.”
With a smile we both turned and reentered our changing rooms. The last suit was the more casual of the three, dark blue with a modern cut. Marilyn had paired it with a black cotton tee rather than a dress shirt. I liked it because I could shed the jacket and be comfortable, but still presentable.
Jade was already outside, waiting for me. As soon as she saw me, she said, “That’s the one.”
I smiled. “That’s what I thought.” Now her dress on the other hand looked as if it had been made from vintage curtains. “That’s—that’s—a lot of really big flowers.”
“Really? But this was my favorite.” She looked so disappointed I instantly felt bad.
I did a hasty rewind. “But it suits you.”
She burst out laughing. “Now I know you’re full of shit because this one is horrid.”
I laughed along with her, more than a little relieved. “It does look like it was made for someone three times your age.”
With a huge smile Jade spun before me. “You said I could rock any dress.”
“I did and you do. Looks like that’s your dress.”
When she stopped spinning, she steadied herself with a hand on my shoulder. “Only if you wear the shiny suit.”
I chuckled. “What a pair we would be.”
She ran her hand down the front lapel of my jacket. “I do like this one, though.” Then she tilted her head to the side and said, “Of the other two, which dress did you prefer?”
I laid my hand over hers and searched her face. “Which one did you feel the most beautiful in?”
“The pink one.”
I bent and kissed her briefly. “Then that’s my favorite.”
“Let’s tell Marilyn and get out of here.”
She didn’t have to say that twice. We changed quickly, thanked Marilyn with the same level of urgency, and texted the car to return for us. I kept my hands off her on the ride back out of respect. Hand in hand we carried our packaged clothing down the hall to my suite, but as soon as we were inside, we tossed the outfits over the back of a chair, and I swung her over my shoulder.