Mr. Swoony (The Nest #3)

Chapter 23

Twenty-Three

Eloise

A knock sounds on the condo door, so I set down the book I bought yesterday and go to answer it. Rising on my tiptoes, I look through the peephole to see Kyleigh and Jade. Conor’s been out all day, and I’m trying to pretend that him seeing Tristan’s text yesterday isn’t the reason he’s keeping his distance.

I open the door. “Hi.” I step to the side to welcome them in.

“We’re going out shopping for fancy dresses and wondered if you’d come and help us pick them out?” Jade’s gaze roams around the room, taking in the space. I can’t tell if she’s remembering her and Henry here, or if she’s being a little protective and making sure there’s no signs of us sleeping together.

“Of course. When am I not up for shopping?” I walk back over to the table, put my bookmark in the book, and set it back down. “Let me grab my purse.”

“When did my brother become Betty Crocker?” Kyleigh calls from the kitchen.

I join her there to see her staring at the mixer on the counter. “Remember the other day with the flour and stuff?”

She leans her hip against the counter. “The day you moved in?”

I position my purse crossways over my chest. “He decided to help me bake a cake from scratch.”

Kyleigh’s nose scrunches, and she glances at Jade before looking back at me again. “Another item on the list?”

“I know what you guys are thinking, but he’s just being kind. It’s not a big deal.”

Kyleigh shrugs. “If you say so.”

“Come on, let’s go.” I wave them forward, away from the kitchen.

“How did the cake turn out?” Jade asks once we’re on the concrete steps heading down to street level.

“A disaster. It didn’t rise.”

Kyleigh pushes open the security gate, and I’m thankful there aren’t any women here today.

“Hey, guys, the other day I left, and there was a group of women hanging around here. Is that common?”

Jade and Kyleigh share a look and laugh.

“Unfortunately, yeah. Rowan always waited for me outside when we were dating.”

“I had the security code from day one,” Jade says with a grin.

“Oh, how nice for you,” Kyleigh jokes, lightly pushing Jade’s shoulder.

We wait at the curb for our Uber.

“What do you guys need fancy dresses for?” I ask.

“Well, Rowan and Henry’s agent holds a big dinner for all of his hockey clients in August so it’s before they start preseason,” Jade explains. “We just need cocktail dresses.”

“Anywhere specific you guys want to go?”

The Uber pulls up to the curb, and Kyleigh talks to the driver to make sure it’s ours before opening the back door and climbing in. “We were hoping you’d guide us since you’re the one with all the fashion sense. I just told the driver Michigan Avenue.”

“You’re a wedding dress designer,” I say to her.

“Yeah, I can work on an elaborate bridal gown, but not cocktail dresses or even everyday wear. I can see why my brother is so smitten with you. You always look like you stepped out of a fashion blog.”

Jade side-eyes me, and Kyleigh catches it, giving me no choice but to tell her.

“I used to do a little fashion blogging, but those days are over.”

“They don’t have to be,” Jade says.

I sigh. “It would take me a long time to find followers again.”

Thankfully, they let it go. It’s something I can’t think about yet. My future still feels very rocky, and my first step has to be settling things with Tristan and getting him out of my life. Which reminds me…

“So, Tristan messaged me yesterday. He’s back from our honeymoon.”

Jade’s head whips in my direction, and Kyleigh leans forward with the same reaction.

“What did you tell him?” Jade asks.

“Nothing. Not yet at least.”

Jade’s hand falls to my knee. “Just get it over with and put him behind you.”

“I know. I plan to, but I don’t want to see him again.”

“Make it a public place,” Kyleigh says.

“And I’ll go with you. I’ll sit at the bar and wait.” Jade isn’t asking, she’s telling me.

“I’m sure my brother would go.” Kyleigh smiles wide.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I don’t need another fight to break out.”

“That’s why I’ll go. He won’t even know I’m there.” It’s clear from Jade’s voice that she won’t take no for an answer.

I wouldn’t mind some support for after I say goodbye to him. Not because I think I’ll be sad—I’m sure about my decision—but I don’t think I’ll want to be alone. Even if I know it’s the right call, thinking about how much time and energy I put into the relationship to have it not work out is upsetting.

“I’ll let you know.”

We arrive at Michigan Avenue and file out of the Uber. Kyleigh and Jade let me lead them to the stores I frequent the most.

“How do you know all this?” Kyleigh asks when I lead them into one of the smaller shops that I love but isn’t nearly as popular as some of the others.

“She’s probably been to about one hundred cocktail parties. She was going to marry a Somerset after all.” Jade rolls her eyes.

“Stop it,” I chastise her.

“I still remember when I went with you to spend the night at your grandparents’ house because it was your dad’s weekend. They made us go to the country club, and I had to borrow a dress from your closet there. I was in awe of all the dresses and shoes you had.”

I nod, wondering what it will be like to leave that life completely. I’m sure my grandparents are more than upset. Their silence speaks more than if they’d reached out to yell at me. They’re embarrassed by their granddaughter’s actions, I’m sure. Another thing I need to deal with, but it’s been so much easier to ignore it all.

“I always hated the country club.” I sit on a chair while Kyleigh and Jade try on some dresses that I picked out for them.

“You should have seen it, Ky. It was like she was like some princess, her grandma taking her around the room and introducing her as her beautiful granddaughter, Eloise. Oh, and this is her friend.” She uses her best uppity rich accent. “No name or anything, like I was nothing.”

Kyleigh comes out first wearing a black high neck halter dress stitched with a diamond beaded pattern. It falls perfectly over her body, showing off her beautiful figure. It stops midway down her calf with a slit up the back.

“Rowan is definitely going to have to thank me.” I smile at her.

She goes to the three-way mirror. “I love it.” She circles around to see the back. “Yoga is doing my body good.” She laughs. “I was skeptical about the length since I usually always wear dresses above the knee, but it’s gorgeous.”

“I’m glad you like it and that you trusted me with my rule to try on the dress I liked for you first.”

We all laugh, since that was Kyleigh’s rule when I tried on wedding dresses at her boutique.

Jade’s dressing room door opens.

“Oh my god!” Kyleigh covers her mouth. “Jade…”

“I know, right?” She grins at us.

I smile, my chest warming at seeing them both so happy.

Jade’s is a blush, off-the-shoulder dress that is ruched on one side. Her dress is also mid-length, but it flares a little more with a dramatic slit over her right thigh. She looks supremely elegant.

“Your boys both owe me big time.” I clap my hands together in delight. They both look so beautiful.

They stare at themselves in the mirror, putting their arms around each other.

“It’s our first year going to this thing.” Jade’s shoulders rise with excitement. “Thank you so much, Eloise. I never would have picked this out for myself.”

“Well, we’re not done, ladies. We have shoes and jewelry still to go.” I shoo my hand at them to go get changed. “Let’s get out of those dresses. We have things to do.”

They laugh and take one last look at themselves before going into their designated dressing rooms.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, so I pull it out. A text from Tristan.

Stop ignoring me. Call me.

My stomach sinks, but he’s right. I can’t just pretend this isn’t something I need to address.

Tomorrow night. Seven o’clock at The Urban Acre.

You know I hate that place.

Will you be there or not?

Fine.

I click off the phone and tuck it into my purse, my belly filled with nerves. I want to take Jade with me, but at the same time, I feel as if it’s something I should do on my own.

My friends come out of their dressing rooms, each holding their dresses. I love the way they’re smiling and talking about how excited they are to have Rowan and Henry see them in their dresses. Somewhere along the line, I forgot what it was like to dress for your man. Was there ever a time that Tristan looked at me with awe when I stepped out to show him what I was wearing to a function we were attending? Maybe when you come from a world where dressing up is common, it’s not as exciting, or maybe it’s just because Tristan was always more worried about what he was wearing.

For a moment, I wonder what it would be like to walk out in a cocktail dress to show Conor. The space between my thighs hums because if it’s like when I catch him staring at me when I walk out in my pajamas, I’d love to see his reaction to a dress he knew he’d be unzipping me out of later that night. Maybe one day.