Thinking that I was sick, she insisted that we stay at home and it took me ten minutes to convince her that she should still go and have fun without me. Besides, what am I going to do at the ballet? Sounds fancy and all but I’d fall asleep during the opening dance and end up embarrassing her. She’d never forgive me and she knows it.
Which brings us to now.
“You look amazing,” I tell her, scanning my gaze up and down her champagne gown. “You’re going to have the best time. Why don’t you treat yourself to a nice dinner afterward?”
“By myself?” she scoffs. “I hardly think so.”
“Okay,” I say with a shrug, not wanting to push the topic because I know damn well that dinner is exactly where she’s going to end up and hopefully, I'll catch her sneaking in through the pool house doors during the early hours of the morning. “It was just a suggestion.”
She harumphs but lets it go as she takes a step back to take a proper look at herself. Her make up is done perfectly, keeping it light and natural while her hair falls in soft dark curls around her shoulders. Any man would be lucky to have her.
She watches herself for a short moment and I wonder what could possibly be going through her head. Stuff like this isn’t normal for us, it’s something like a fairytale, and knowing that she’s going to run into her prince charming tonight just makes it so much better.
I might have to sleep in Colton’s room tonight because she’s bound to have a few things to say to me once she realizes that she’s been set up, but hopefully, she won’t allow that to ruin her night. She’s going to have an amazing time complete with butterflies, champagne, and a handsome man who thinks the world of her.
“Okay,” she finally says. “Get your butt back in bed. I’ll make sure Colton knows to come and check on you. Maybe he could order you some chicken soup to help your throat.”
“Sounds good,” I tell her, slinking back to my bed and making a show of climbing back in and dropping down onto my pillow. Mom turns back to the mirror. “Are you sure I look alright?”
“You look killer in that dress. Everyone who sees you is going to either want to be you or be with you. Own it, Mom. You deserve a night off.”
She bounces her shoulders nervously before letting out a strained breath. “Okay,” she says, turning back to me and walking over. She pulls the blankets up high like she used to do when I was a kid before pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Don’t you dare move from this bed, okay? Text me if you need anything and I’ll come right home.”
I roll my eyes and agree anyway, knowing she’s bound to stay home if I was to give even the slightest hint that I’d not text if I was in trouble. “I will,” I tell her. “Now go before your Uber cracks the shits and leaves.”
Mom presses another kiss to my forehead before giving me an excited smile. I watch as she practically skips out of sight. When I hear the sound of the pool house door closing behind her, I finally throw the blankets off. It was like a sauna under there after my time spent in front of the heat vents. I need a freezing cold shower just to stop sweating.
I hurry around our little home and check out the front window to make sure she’s well and truly gone before rushing back into my bedroom and grabbing my phone off my bedside table.
“IT WORKED,” I cheer as Drix answers the call. “She’s on her way.”
“Bullshit. Really?” she laughs far too excited for her own good. “HELL YES! We should be criminal masterminds. What’s our next plan? Should we hit up Tiffanys or start slow with a bank?”
“Are you insane?” I laugh. “First off, you probably have more diamonds in your bedroom than Tiffanys has on site and a bank? Are you trying to get us arrested? You’re too pretty for jail but I’m sure we could gang up and I could make you my bitch so no one else steals you away.”
Drix lets out a sarcastic sigh. “I’m so glad I have such a great friend.”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “You’re so lucky.”
“Speaking of being lucky,” she says in a strange tone. “I, uhh … actually wanted to talk to you about something.”
My brows pinch as I drop down on the couch. “Yeah, what’s up?”
There’s a slight pause, almost as though she’s trying to work out how to string her sentence together. “I, um … well, you can totally tell me if you’re weird about this and I’ll back off, but you know on Monday you said that I should go and chill with Charlie?”