Oh yes, I realized, I had just made an enemy for life.
She was not going to be at all happy when she discovered that I was going somewhere with the billionaire tonight.
But, after all, it was some kind of business arrangement, it wasn’t as though we were going out on a date.
I almost laughed at that thought. Me, on a date with a sexy CEO? Yeah, that wasn’t going to ever happen, I was sure of that one. I wasn’t sure why Tessa was so sure that I was a threat to her relationship, if you could even call it that, but I was sure that she had nothing to worry about. Jake had said it himself, his only love was his job and I was only helping him get a little farther in the business.
I wished now that I had pressed for more information about where we were going, and what did he mean by having made the arrangements already?
“Delivery for Caroline?” A feminine voice floated, I peeked around the wall of the office, taking in the woman in front of Tessa’s desk.
“I’ll hand it to her.” The secretary said, reaching for the brown packaged box with the word ‘Robinson’ scrawled across it.
The woman caught my eye, stepping forward towards me, “Jake wanted me to give this to you personally.” She said, smiling at me, “It’s for tonight.”
Clearing my throat, I slowly took the package, nothing the way Tessa’s jaw dropped.
Well, there went my cover.
Now I was going to have to spend the rest of the day with an infuriated harpy.
Chapter Seven
By the time I was home that evening, I was exhausted. Not from the work that Tessa kept piling on me, but her questions.
She demanded to know what was going on that evening, why I had received a special package from Robinson’s, and why I had been keeping it a secret.
Apparently, Robinson’s was a fancy boutique on the strip where the rich and famous spent their shopping trips.
The package sat on my small, rickety dining table, begging me to open it. For an hour or so, I ignored it, hoping that it would magically disappear. Unfortunately, it did not.
As six o clock rolled around, and I knew that I would have to be leaving soon, I finally tore open the delicate box.
Inside, on gauzy paper, rest a burgundy chiffon gown. My fingers traced the merlot colored fabric, wondering if that was what it was like to be dusted by angel wings. I pulled it out, holding it in front of me. The dress flowed straight to the ground, swirling hem collecting dust from the floor.
I instantly lifted it higher to save it from my dirty floor, walking on tiptoes to my bedroom.
I carefully lay it down on the bed, only then realizing that I hadn’t been breathing.
Why had he gotten me this beautiful dress? What was tonight really about? Why did he say that he needed me?
I bit my lip, contemplating turning off all the lights and pretending not to be home.
That wouldn’t do. I didn’t move all the way out here to forsake opportunity.
Heaving a sigh, I tossed off my clothing, pulling the dress over my head.
How would he even know my size? What if it was too tight? What if it hung off of me like a pillow case?
I turned slowly to face my mirrored closet doors, breath once again leaving me as I took in the sight of my reflection.
The dress clung to my body in all the right ways, accentuating hips and cleavage that I definitely didn’t have to begin with.
I smoothed my hands over the front of the dress, blinking my eyes as I tried to clear up what I was sure was an illusion of beauty in front of me.
I’d never looked like this, not even on my wedding day. Though, then again, I got married in a simple department store sundress.
A chuckle softly parted my lips. Lucas would have had a heart attack if he saw me dressed like this.
My heart ached for a moment, in regret of something as silly as not seeing his expression right at this moment.
With a shake of my head I walked from the room, carefully holding up the edge of the dress. In the box that remained on the table, I saw a faint glimmer from within.
Frowning, I pulled back the tissue, revealing a pair of strappy, silver heels.
Never in my life had I worn a pair of high heels. Never. And Jake expected me to don a pair just for him?
The heels were beautiful, that was sure. And they would have looked marvelous on someone like Tessa.
Me, however, I was a totally different story.
With a deliberate shake of my head, I walked back into my bedroom and slid on a pair of silver sandals just the doorbell rang.
For a moment my mind went crazy, firing off in all sorts of different directions.
I could hide, I could dive right under my blanket and this night would never happen. I could lie, I could say that I felt so ill and lightheaded I certainly couldn’t go anywhere.
Once again I caught sight of the gorgeous dress in my mirror’s reflection, watching as the delicate fabric fluttered around my anxiously tapping ankles.