Just a Number(67)

I hand her the envelope and watch as she opens it. After removing the two tickets, she takes a minute to read them, her eyebrows furrowing as her eyes rise to mine. “Owen,” she says softly, making it hard for me to gauge her reaction to the unspoken invitation to my office New Year’s party. “Is this a good idea? I mean… Your coworkers and friends? What if Gretchen shows up? I wouldn’t put it past her…”

I sit next to her on the bed, urging her to face me as I place my hands on her knees. “Would it help to ease your worries if I told you this was a masquerade ball?”

Amelia’s breath catches in her throat, and I can see her apprehensions beginning to flit away as she imagines the possibilities. “A masquerade,” she repeats, dropping her eyes back to the tickets. “So, no one would suspect a thing.”

“No identities need to be revealed,” I assure her.

Slowly, her lips turn up into a smile, and her eyes find mine once more. “Then I guess I’ve got some shopping to do.”





19. All I Ask of You



I have exactly twenty-four hours to find the perfect dress for Owen’s office party. Attending something like this is definitely risky, especially given we haven’t really come out as a couple to anyone. Add to that, Gretchen’s showing up is a very real possibility since she’s a shareholder in his company.

It’s the small fact that this is a masquerade ball that sets my mind at ease.

After sharing the delicious breakfast he made, I kiss Owen goodbye and head out on my shopping trip. There’s one small snag in my plan though: I have no clue where to start looking for a ball gown. I’m comfortable enough in my own femininity that I enjoy dressing up and doing my hair and makeup, but going to balls? I can honestly say that the opportunity has never presented itself. One could make the argument about prom dress shopping, but that was prom. This is a ball. Prom dresses are a far cry from what I envision when I think of what one would wear to a ball.

Truthfully, I want to knock Owen’s socks off, and I don’t think a prom dress is going to do that. I figure the most it will serve to do is remind him of our age difference. Not exactly the best idea.

While I wait for my bus on the sidewalk, I grab my phone and dial Liz’s number. I know she’s still in Mexico, but if anyone would have a good idea where to shop, it’s her; her family is always attending fancy soirees and such.

“Hey, Amy! Happy almost New Year!” she greets excitedly. “How was Portland?”

I laugh. “It was pretty great. How’s Mexico?”

“Hot,” she replies with a laugh. “I got a pretty wicked tan, and I’m currently sitting on the beach with a couple of drinks while my parents do whatever it is they do this damn early. What are you up to? Any big plans for tomorrow night? The hotel we’re staying at is throwing a huge party, so I’m going to go to that.”

“Actually, that’s one of the reasons I’m calling you,” I admit. “I got invited to this party…a masquerade ball, to be specific.”

“Fun!” Liz exclaims. There’s a brief pause as I imagine her sitting up from her lounge chair and wrapping her arms around her knees, much like she does when we gossip on my bed before passing out. “Did your booty call guy invite you?”

Laughing again, I shake my head at her ridiculousness. “I thought I told you to stop calling him that. And yes. He did, actually.”

“Soooo…I guess that means the two of you have gone public?” she inquires curiously. “So now you can share with your best friend who he is?”

“Soon,” I assure her. “I promise.”

She doesn’t seem too surprised by my answer, but she does sigh with feigned exasperation. At least, I think it’s feigned.

“So, did you call me just to rub it in my face that you get to go to some fancy-schmancy party?”

“Asks the girl who gets invited to all the fancy-schmancy parties,” I quip, both of us laughing. “And no, actually. I was wondering if you could recommend a place for me to go to find a dress.”

Liz rambles off a list of dress shops as my bus comes into view, and I enter them into my phone so I don’t forget them. Before I hang up, Liz reminds me that I’ll need to stop by a party store to search for a masquerade mask, stating that a lot of shops carry them almost year-round since masquerade balls are becoming more and more popular.

I have zero luck in the first two dress shops on my list. Most of what I find in them are bridal gowns, and anything that isn’t white or ivory is taffeta and screams bridesmaid. I don’t want to wear a cotton-candy pink bridesmaid dress. While some of them are lovely, none of them are masquerade ball material.