The One Addicted(88)

“Nathan.”

“Nathan’s here?”

“Nope - just his plastic. He gave me his card this morning and asked me to buy you your dress - so I did.”

“Really? OMG. That’s so amazing of him and sooo romantic! Oh, Lu, Na bought me a dress!”

“I know, I just bought it for him, well for you, you div.” I beam back at her, so pleased to have been part of the happiness that has her lit up like a Christmas tree. “You deserve it."

“Eek. I’m so happy. Thanks for sorting this Lu.”

“You’re welcome but now that you’re happy I need to come clean about something... So just remember those happy thoughts, OK?”

“Lulu, what have you done?” Her smile wavers.

“We…lll, you know how I converted the dress price to pounds and it came out as £275?”

“Yy…es?” Her answer is more of a squeak. “Do I want to hear this?”

“Well maybe add a zero!”

“WTF! Lu - I’d never have bought it if I’d known it was so expensive!”

“I know! Which was why I didn’t tell you. Na wanted me to spend on you and spend big and you adored that dress - it was made for you. Besides with the shares he now has in Silver Con he can afford it.”

“Oh. My. God - I’ve never spent that much money on one item of clothing in my life! I feel like Cinderella or Demi Moore from Indecent Proposal or Julia Roberts….! No I’ll stick with Cinderella, less streetwalker… I should take it back though, shouldn’t I? Its way too much.”

I snort at her waffling. “Take a breath, hun. Yes, it is way too expensive, no, you shouldn’t take it back and now you need to revel in the fact that your man cares enough about you to want to see you happy - it won’t be on you for long anyway knowing Nathan!” I silence her with my last comment, as she smiles secretly to herself, deep in her own thoughts. “Come on. We still need to go buy undies, masks, shoes and my dress - no time to go all dreamy again.”

“Like you’ve got any room to talk, Mrs - your head is permanently in the clouds but yes come on, let’s shop for your dress first, then we’ll grab a bite to eat and do the rest.”

“Sounds like a plan - where to?”

“Go big or go home, baby.”

“Where you thinking?”

“Here!”

She grabs my hand and pulls me to a stop, and then steps back, showcasing the beautiful store that beckons us, with a well-manicured hand. We’d walked up to and entered the exclusive Dubai mall and I’d not even seen where we were headed. God she was good; she’d manipulated the situation whilst allowing me to relish in my own skilful manoeuvring, lulling me into a false sense of smugness.

“Ellie Saab!”

“What?” My screech causes a passerby to look our way in shock and we giggle in unison at my dramatic reaction. “I can’t afford to go in there - would love to and adore his dresses but no way, José.”

“Very well, I may as well come clean now or I’ll never get your arse in the shop - your fairy godmother or rather Finn’s extremely wealthy alpha Godfather, Seb, gave me his credit card last night and asked me to pay for your dress today and all the trimmings that go with turning you into Cinderella for the ball.”

“Are you serious?”

“As the Silver brothers’ next credit card statements.”

I laugh openly at her quick comeback. Touché

“I know - we have seriously doting men here, Lu and I’m not about to disappoint Silver brother No.1. We are spending and spending big. They obviously want us to look and feel amazing to represent the Silver brand at tonight’s Ball and who am I to say no to being pampered and spoiled in such an extravagant manner?”

Her lovely face is animated and full of passion and I take a second to mull over her words, feeling my grip on control and feministic views slipping away - she was right. We are here to represent them and I want Sebastian to stop breathing when I walk in the room tonight and be proud to have me on his arm. I want him to know I’d gone the extra mile for him, the way he had indulged me and pampered me during our amazing trip in The Maldives. Besides, I really do have nothing with me that I could wear to a black and gold Masquerade Ball.

“Come on.” I link arms with my best-friend and squeeze my shoulders upwards in excitement, as we turn to enter the Aladdin’s cave of jewelled gowns. “Ellie Saab it is - I feel sick just thinking about the money we’re about to spend but by God, we’re going have some fun. You only live once.”


Half an hour later and I’m slipping into what could be the ninth, maybe tenth Ellie saab creation, each one more stunning than the first but none of them were the one and all of them were black.