“It’s done by a designer called Rair” she purred “An up-and-coming designer whose dresses sell remarkably well and are difficult to keep in stock.”
She handed Rachel hers. Rachel’s was a black dress that contained spaghetti straps and had a sweetheart neckline before gathering tightly around the waist and flowing down to the ankles. The back was missing and it contained lace on top of the fabric. It was demure by Rachel’s standards but it would make her hair and her skin complexion pop. Melanie beamed at us and then put her hands together.
“You must try them on, but these are your dresses,” she said with a certain amount of glee “you will look a thousand dollars,” she said with twinkling eyes.
Rachel was trying to fight back her laughter. I swiftly stood up. “I would love to try this on,” I said warmly “Rachel, how about we share a dressing room?” I offered.
I turned to Melanie “You did such a good job picking dresses to suit, would you mind choosing some shoes and purses as well?” I asked.
She looked as though Christmas had come early. I knew she would get a large commission from selling these items. Rachel winked at her “Don’t worry about the cost. I want only the best” she instructed the saleswoman, who began to hurriedly lead us to the dressing rooms.
We sidled inside the dressing room and I glanced around appreciatively. There was a large couch, an armchair, a full-standing mirror, a rug on the floor, and even a dressing table to apply makeup. I carefully hung the dress up as Rachel did the same. None of us were shy with each other. Rachel began to undress.
“So um Rair,” I said with a giggle “did you have this in mind when we decided to come here?” I asked.
“I didn’t think we’d be purchasing our own designs” she grumbled “but I think of it this way. With every dollar spent, we’re investing it back into our company,” she said shrugging. I just laughed.
She put her dress on and I gasped. The dress fit like a glove. She was gorgeous. Stunning. “You look beautiful Rachel,” I said “you might as well have designed this with yourself in mind” I added.
She looked at herself critically in the mirror and then nodded satisfied “my designs always look good” she said with a certain amount of triumph and pride.
I rolled my eyes and then began to shrug out of my clothes, carefully putting the dress on, while Rachel gently did the zipper up on the back. I loved the soft feel of the fabric against my skin, the way the fabric bunched up on the shoulder, and the perfect length of the fabric as it skimmed my ankles. The color made my complexion look even more honey golden and it brought out the color of my eyes.
“It’s you Flair” Rachel murmured, putting a hand on my shoulder “this dress is going to show that asshole Johnathon what he’s been missing” she added with narrowed eyes.
“I’m not sure whether I care about that” I admitted, biting my lip “so much as looking good for Grayson.”
“Who says you can’t do both?” Rachel countered with a giggle, flipping her hair “revenge is so sweet” she said with a sigh.
“Except that I suspect that my brother and possibly my father might be going to the engagement party as well” I pointed out, still turning this way and that way in the dress to look at it in different angles.
“Ah Ian” Rachel said reminiscing “the only boy to truly ever tell Charlotte Deluca the word no. I hope he does come” she added with a smirk “I’d love to see the look of utter humiliation on her face as she sees him.”
There was a tentative knock on the door and Rachel opened it. Melanie handed her some shoes and clutches. “Thank you,” Rachel said as Melanie gaped at us.
“You both look so beautiful” she breathed as we blushed “the belles of the ball” she announced “let me know if you need anything else” she added eagerly.
Rachel thanked her and shut the door. I put on the pair of silver heels, liking the effect with the royal blue and Rachel put on the pair of white heels that broke up the black. Both of us had matching clutches to the shoes and we were more than satisfied with the looks that we had produced.
“I don’t think we need to try anything else,” I said pleased “your saleswoman knows her stuff” I complimented Rachel, who helped me undo the dress.
I slid the dress off with utmost care and began to get dressed back into my normal clothes. Rachel did the same. Rachel pouted “I was hoping that shopping was going to take a few more hours,” she said with disappointment “maybe we could try on some more dresses just for the fun of it,” she said, her face brightening as I tried not to groan out loud.
A few hours to Rachel was practically a whole day to a normal person. I shook my head as she pouted. “I want to make dinner for Grayson tonight” I reminded her “and I don’t want to get home too late” I added as she sighed dramatically.
“You’re no fun” she sulked.
I opened my mouth to say something and her cell phone went off. She frowned, glancing at the number and then answered it.
“Hello, this is Rachel.”
Silence. I strained my ears but couldn’t hear what was going on, from the other end. Maybe it was a supplier?
“I wondered if you were going to call” she exclaimed happily.
I grinned. With the amount of happiness in her voice, it had to be Timothy. She’d been waiting for him to call. I didn’t want to accidentally eavesdrop, and made a move to lave the dressing room, but her hand shot out and stopped me.
“I understand that you can’t talk right now, what with your work and that. But I’d love to Timothy, thank you. We can make plans later about picking me up for it. I look forward to seeing you” Rachel said smiling widely “I’ll talk to you later. Bye now.”
She hung up and squealed loudly, hugging me tight. “He called, Flair, he finally called. We’re going to the engagement party together, can you believe it. Oh, I wonder why he took so long” she muttered “but who cares, I have a date, with a gorgeous man” she moaned, as I giggled.
She danced up and down on the spot and then reached over to open the dressing room door. As it opened the two of us heard another voice in the store, one that was eerily familiar and we shot each other an uneasy glance as we debated whether to remain in the dressing room, or step out and reveal ourselves.
Johnathon POV
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.