Serenity (Inevitable #5)(68)

It had been Tessa's suggestion that Sasha get ready for tonight's event at the Gregson home, especially since Tessa and Ian were also attending the charity ball benefitting the local children's hospital. Sasha had gratefully accepted the offer, especially since she was still having all manner of doubts and uncertainties about attending the event as Matthew's guest.

He had tentatively brought the subject up to her a couple of weeks ago, and she had known from the way he'd stammered and stuttered that he was just a bit nervous about what he wanted to say to her.

"Uh, I, uh, need to ask you something," he'd mumbled. "And you can totally say no, I would definitely understand because I'm guessing it just isn't your sort of thing. Matter of fact, it's not really my favorite thing to do either, but my board of directors is really pushing me on this one, so I've got to attend. And I don't mind in the least going solo, the last thing I want is for you to feel obligated to go - "

Sasha had placed a finger over his lips. "Shush. Stop stalling and just ask me, okay? Where exactly would you like me to go?"

"It's a dinner, more like a formal dress ball, actually. A charity fundraiser for the local children's hospital. And since MBI has very close affiliations with the hospital - we've pioneered some of our medical software programs there - it's pretty much expected that I should attend. Especially since I've been blowing off a number of similar events since I filed for divorce."



       
         
       
        

"Hmm." Sasha had pondered the matter briefly. "When you say formal, what do you mean exactly? Like a tuxedo for you and a long dress for me?"

He'd nodded. "Yes. And I know you probably hate getting dressed up that way, and I wouldn't even ask under normal circumstances. But this one dinner is particularly important, so - "

"Yes. I'll go with you," she'd interrupted before he could continue arguing his case. "It does sound like a very good cause, and if your firm is that involved with the hospital you should definitely be there. When is it?"

He had given her the details then - the date, time, location. The ball was being held at the Gregson Hotel on Nob Hill, and Sasha had been pleased to learn that Ian and Tessa would also be attending. Matthew had promised he would make the necessary arrangements so that the Gregsons would sit at their table, and had been so pleased at her consent that he'd given her a loud, smacking kiss square on the lips.

And he had also offered to take her shopping for a gown, shoes, and the other accessories she would need, but on this matter Sasha had remained adamant.

"No, Matthew. Thank you," she'd added graciously. "It's very kind of you to offer, but I'd prefer to buy my own dress. I can ask Tessa and Julia for advice on what would be appropriate."

But he had stubbornly continued to press the matter. "Sasha, I'm not sure you have any idea just how much a dress and shoes and whatnot cost. At least, the sort of outfit that all of the other women will be wearing."

Grinning, she'd chucked him on the chin playfully. "Don't worry," she had laughed. "I won't embarrass you and show up in one of my usual outfits. Or, like my mother calls them, "those hippie clothes". I attended both Tessa's and Julia's weddings, so I have a very good idea of what to wear."

Matthew had frowned. "But you can't afford something like that," he'd argued. "And since it's because of me that you'd be attending, the least you can let me do is buy you a dress. We can set a dollar limit, if you'd like."

She had given a firm shake of her head. "I can get my own dress," she insisted anew. "I'll take Chad or Tessa along with me. Julia would love nothing better than to go along, but she's having some issues getting around comfortably these days, with the twins due in less than two months."

To mollify him, Sasha had promised that if the outfit for the dinner turned out to be ridiculously out of her budget she would let him know.

She'd told Tessa about the situation the very next day, while the two of them were enjoying a cup of tea after yoga class. Tessa had immediately offered to loan Sasha a dress and pair of shoes, but that idea had been nixed upon calculating the nearly four inch difference in their height , and two size difference in shoes. A phone call to Julia hadn't provided a solution, either, because while she was much closer to Sasha in height, her pre-pregnancy figure was still a size or two larger. 

Sasha had gently refused any further efforts on Tessa's part to find a dress to borrow, insisting that she could find her own. And when she'd approached Chad about the subject, her clothes-horse landlord had been delighted at the prospect of scouring the various consignment stores that he frequented to find her the perfect dress. Unfortunately, Julio had overheard their plans and invited himself along, a circumstance that only he had been happy about.