17. Dani #2
“We can see what Uncle Hank digs up at Costco.” Piper snickers.
“Your father is very excited about the ball.” My mom shakes her head.
“It’s just a fundraiser,” I remind them. “It’s not Cinderella meeting the prince.”
“Because she’s already got him bagged and tagged!” Gran whoops.
“You’re being too loud, Mother,” Mom hisses.
Gran sticks her tongue out.
“Graham gave me his credit card to buy a dress.” I pull it out.
“Hell yeah! We’re blowing this out!” Gran crows, grabbing it and holding it aloft. “I bet it doesn’t have a limit.”
“We can’t just run up the bill,” I fret.
“He said you have to look nice,” Piper reminds me.
My mom plucks the credit card out of my hand. “We’re going to Bergdorf.”
Bergdorf Goodman is busy for a weeknight. Unfortunately.
Shopping with my mother is the eighth circle of hell, and our toxic mother-daughter dynamic is ten times worse to endure when there are witnesses.
“Just humor your mother and try on the white dress, Dani.”
“Mom!” I scream as she throws open the dressing room door while I’m mid-struggle trying to wedge myself into a blue dress that has zero stretch. “It’s not a wedding, Mom.”
“This might be the closest I get to seeing you married.” Mom dabs her eyes. “Vivienne doesn’t think that Graham is going to stay with you.”
“Oh dear, I couldn’t help but overhear…” That’s Mrs. Alcott coming out of a neighboring stall. “You’re not breaking up with Graham Richmond, are you, Danielle?”
“They’re fine.” Gran muscles in. “They’re in love. They had a pregnancy scare last week.”
Mrs. Alcott’s mouth drops open. “I see.”
“Thanks, Gran.” I sigh.
“You’re welcome.” Gran beams. “Now you need to try this on. Give me that blue dress. I don’t know who picked that out for you. It looks like trash on that mannequin. Give me that.”
“I think that would have looked nice maybe in a larger size.” My mom sniffs.
“Black. She needs a chic black dress. It’s stretchy,” Piper cajoles me, holding out a garment.
I check the price tag. “Put that back. That’s like ten thousand dollars. Why is it so expensive?”
“It’s got diamonds on a gold chain on the back of the dress.”
“I think you need something a little more conservative. You don’t want your back out.” Mom waves another option in my face.
“Hell no! She’s going to look like an old woman.” Gran slaps down my mom’s dress. “Mine has a plunge neckline. It’ll show off your boobs. All natural. All those tech-bro guys are into ‘natural this, natural that.’”
“Who’s your favorite cousin?” Piper begs.
“Fine, I’ll try it.” Though I think arguably Gran’s dress is probably better.
“This is a very nice print,” my mom complains as I shove them out.
The black dress that Piper picked out is so not my style. Colette or the Girl Squad could wear this dress and look stunning in it.
Me?
Maybe with better makeup and heels and my hair done and skipping breakfast—maybe I could feel okay in this dress.
But still. Ten thousand dollars? That’s too much for an article of clothing you’re going to wear once. Even if Graham is paying, I’m not wasting his money.
“Why is Graham paying?” I wonder as I brave the sales floor to find Piper and show her that I’m a team player.
I’m not his girlfriend. He doesn’t even like me. Why pay for my stuff? That’s… Well, that’s something a boyfriend would do.
Probably because it doesn’t mean anything to him. He’s a billionaire, right? It’s like tipping the barista a quarter or something.
My family is not waiting outside the dressing room like normal, conscientious people.
“They’re probably off trying to find more expensive dresses that make me look like a sausage,” I mutter as I peer through the racks of clothes.
I would give anything to look like the Girl Squad. Then maybe I could let myself fantasize about falling in love with—
Graham.
He’s here! In the department store! Help!
Do I dive into the nearby rack? Sprint back to the dressing room?
It’s too late.
He’s seen me.
His green eyes widen.
“Dani.”
“Don’t worry.” I take a step back. “I’m not buying this dress.”
“Why not? You look stunning in it.”
Stunning? Me?
My own parents had never referred to me as “stunning,” except maybe when I was going through my princess phase when I was five.
I search his eyes for the sarcasm or the joke.
He looks serious.
“It’s too expensive. It’s got diamonds all over it. On the back,” I explain at his questioning look.
I hold my breath as he wordlessly steps around me.
I feel his fingers brush lightly on the back of my neck, then he’s twisting my hair up so he can see the cascade of diamonds on the swooping gold chains cascading down my back.
“Sorry you have to see all my weird freckles.”
“No,” he murmurs. “Your skin is beautiful.”
I feel warm—not hot hot, just… warm. I want to believe him, but what if he’s just leading me on? It’s all one big fat joke. Just like all the other times…
The sound of a camera phone shutter going off snaps me out of it.
Graham’s hand jerks back.
A young brunette pops out from behind a clothes rack.
“Gotcha!” She’s giddy. “Oh my god, this is an amazing photo. You look hot in that dress!” She’s wearing the blue dress my mom wanted me to wear. The tags dangle from the hem.
“Hi, Dani!” Graham’s sister Hannah squeals and hugs me. “Great minds think alike. I ambushed Graham and made him take me shopping.”
“That sounds like fun. He didn’t want to spend that much time with me, so he just handed me his credit card.”
“No,” Graham corrects. “I don’t trust Hannah with my credit card. You, I do.”
Hannah claps her hands. “You two are so perfect together! Okay, Dani, buy that dress, and then we’re going to hit up the shoes upstairs, maybe the jewelry counter, then the purses.
Graham, you can go sit in the bar downstairs, and Dani and I will come get you when your card starts getting declined. ”
Hannah grabs my arm.
“Oh, I’m not getting this one, it’s—”
“I think it’s perfect,” Graham says softly.
Beside him, his sister is hopping up and down, sending her earrings jangling.
“You’re being nice. I’m just going to get a different one.” I feel flustered.
“Oh, there you are!” My family rushes over to me.
“Honestly, Dani, you’re not supposed to let him see you in the dress,” Mom scolds me.
“You look good, girl.” Piper nods approvingly.
“Doesn’t she!” Hannah says happily.
“I picked it out.” Piper preens.
“Amazing taste.” Hannah fist-bumps her.
“It’s going back on the rack,” I inform everyone.
“Tragic,” Hannah says.
“Heartbreaking,” Piper adds.
Gran shakes her head. “A loss for femininity.”
“I don’t need to look amazing. This is basically a work event,” I protest.
Graham watches me quietly. Then his face steels.
“Suit yourself.” He turns to my mom. “Just make sure she looks suitable as my girlfriend when I pick her up tomorrow evening.”