CHAPTER 30
DIMPLES
I’m lying on my bed in my bra and underwear, listening to music when there’s a knock at my door. “Come in,” I say, knowing it’s Storm.
As soon as she enters, she says, “The fuck, put on some clothes.”
“Why?” I sulk. “This has about the same amount of fabric as my outfit for tonight.” I snap the band of my underwear to make my point. “Oh, hey, Shadow,” I say, finding my manners.
I get out of my bed and wrap her in a hug. My state of undress doesn’t seem to bother her as she hugs me back, but I can’t say the same for Storm, who huffs behind her.
“Shadow doesn’t want your naked body all over her,” Storm says.
I look over Shadow’s shoulder at Storm. “Speak for yourself,” I say, giving her a wicked smile.
“Yeah, speak for yourself.” Shadow giggles.
Storm glares at me, but there’s laughter in her eyes.
When I separate from Shadow, she holds me by the shoulders and looks me up and down. “Damn, girl. I didn’t know you had a body like that under all your leather.”
I flop onto my bed. “I try to hide it.” For dramatic effect, I point at Storm. “But she’s making me flash it all over the place.”
Storm puts her hands on her hips. “I’m not forcing you to do anything. You volunteered.” She turns to Shadow. “Don’t believe a word of her outburst. She’s making it sound like I’m trafficking her or something. The fuck?”
I know I’m overreacting, but the cocktail outfit is setting me off. I’d rather walk out in my bra and underwear than wear it.
Shadow grabs the skimpy black dress from the back of my door and holds it up. “Sexy.” She gives me a half-smile. “Can we see it on you?”
I rise from the bed and take it from her without a word.
While I could change in the bathroom, if I’m going to be uncomfortable, Storm can share in my discomfort.
I pull off my bra since the dress has one built in, and for good measure, I push down my panties and kick them across the room, almost hitting Storm.
She glowers at me. “You still need to wear underwear.” She picks them up as if there’s toxic sludge on them and tosses them onto the bed.
I slide into the dress, and it hugs my curves, making me feel exposed.
Shadow picks up my three-inch high heels and hands them to me. “My god, these will put you over six feet.”
“Just by an inch.” I sit on the bed and slip my foot into one shoe and then the other. I feel like a clown, but I stand, completing my humiliation.
“Damn, girl,” Shadow says, approaching me. She straightens the strap on my dress. “You’re gorgeous.” She looks over her shoulder at Storm. “Isn’t she?”
Storm scrunches up her face. “No. She’s my best friend. She can’t be gorgeous.”
Shadow and I both laugh, which I think was Storm’s intention. It takes some of the edge off, but not much. I’m gonna have to get drunk or high to make it through the night, which isn’t a wise idea since it’s important to remain alert.
Shadow’s eyes are soft when she steps back and looks at me before she moves forward and straightens the left side hem of my dress. “You look beautiful, but you’re not comfortable, are you?”
I walk to my mirror, but it’s not full length, so I can only see part of it. I snatch my phone off my nightstand. “Snap a picture so I can see how it looks.”
Shadow obliges, and when I scroll through the pictures, I know I look good. The dress highlights my long legs. Still, I’m not comfortable parading around a bunch of men dressed this way.
I toss my phone onto the bed. Apparently, I threw it harder than I intended because it bounces onto the floor.
Storm had been standing quietly, but at my outburst, she moves toward me. The concern in her eyes melts some of my anger.
“Dude,” she says, clasping my arm. “It ain’t worth it. We’ll do this shorthanded.”
My chest tightens. I know how much Storm loves me, and this is more proof. “We’re already seriously understaffed.”
“I should’ve gotten servers from the Broken Lantern who wanted to earn some extra cash.” She turns to Shadow. “That’s the bar we passed on our way here. Maybe I still can.”
“Find a dress that’ll fit me, and I’ll do it,” Shadow says.
Storm and I both snap around and stare at her.
“What?” a red-faced Shadow says. “I don’t want Dimples to do something that’s making her so upset. Before I got my job at the nursing home, I worked bars.”
“Absolutely not,” Storm says.
Shadow’s face goes from red to crimson. “Really? You’ll let Dimples prance around wearing that, but not me?” There’s fire in her eyes.
I try not to smile at the little spitfire. Nobody challenges Storm like this, but Shadow seems to have no hesitation.
To my surprise, Storm holds both hands in front of her and backs up. “Whoa. Everyone needs to take it down a notch. Or three.”
I put my arm over Shadow’s shoulders. “I appreciate your kindness, but it isn’t your problem.” As much as I hated saying the words, it’s not fair putting my responsibilities on Shadow, and I won’t.
“But you’re not okay with this.” The compassion in Shadow’s eyes is going to break me if I’m not careful.
I step away from her and approach my dresser, where my small jewelry box sits. While I’m looking for a necklace, it serves the purpose of allowing me to keep my back to her and Storm. “I’ve lived through worse. I’ll be fine.”
An arm goes around me, and I expect it to be Shadow, so I’m surprised when I look down into Storm’s concerned eyes. I consider making a joke about our height difference, but judging by her expression, she’s not in the mood for teasing.
“I’ll find another way,” Storm says. “Take it off.”
“With your girlfriend in the room?” I raise my eyebrows, trying to lighten the tension I’ve created.
Neither of them laughs.
I flash them a smile, knowing my dimples will show. “Oh, come on, guys, lighten up.”
Storm shakes her head. “They won’t work on me. I see it in your eyes. I’m not putting you through it.”
“It’s not your fucking decision.” Now that I’ve put Storm in an awkward position, regret courses through me.
It’s not like me to show my hand. I should’ve sucked it up like I always have.
Now that people have my back, I’ve gotten soft.
“I’ll be fine.” I jut out my ass and wiggle it. “We’ll make a killing tonight.”
“Not at your expense,” Storm says with conviction in her voice.
Storm’s dark eyes grow darker. It’s times like this that it’s apparent how she got her name.
Then she reaches up and touches my cheek.
It’s an intimate gesture, not sexual, and her eyes soften, reminding me of the other side of Storm.
The side that most don’t see. I’m a little surprised she’s showing it in front of Shadow so soon, but it only confirms there’s something special about Shadow.
Her warm hand against my cheek is comforting, but I should push it away. I’m good at stepping out of my body, disconnecting. But her touch keeps me here.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Shadow studying us, so I turn to her. There’s no jealousy in her eyes, just questions. She’s sizing up the situation and has probably figured out that Storm’s grounding me, keeping me from leaving my body.
“I’ve got an idea,” Shadow says.
I give her a questioning look but say nothing.
“Do you mind if I look in your closet?”
I nod my assent.
Shadow pulls a black leather tank top corset that laces up the front from the closet. “Are you comfortable in this?”
I walk over and take it from her. “I love this piece,” I say with a smile.
“Okay, good.” She kneels.
I’m looking over her shoulder when she stands, almost clocking me in the chin.
“Uh, sorry,” Shadow says and hands me my pair of over-the-knee boots. “What about these?”
“Holy shit. I haven’t worn these in forever.” She hands them to me, and I wave them at Storm. “Remember when I wore these last?”
Storm laughs. “Halloween a couple of years ago. When you went as Cher.”
I pretend to toss back my hair and belt the lyrics from If I Could Turn Back Time.
“Stop.” Storm covers her ears. “You can’t sing.”
We both know I can, but I sing off key just to annoy her. I sing a few more lines while Shadow laughs.
“I’m taking it you like those boots then?” Shadow asks once I stop singing.
“I love them. They make me feel badass.”
“Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere.”
I’m seeing her plan, and I’m liking it.
Shadow turns back to my closet. “Do you have a skirt? No, any shorts? Something with an attitude?”
“Yes!” I rush to my dresser and pull out a pair of black shorts with white lace trim and buttons up the front. “How about these?”
“Perfect,” Shadow says. “Put ’em on.”
I kick off my shoes and step out of my dress. Once I’m in the new outfit, I turn in circles trying to look at myself. Shadow takes a few pictures with my phone so I can see.
“I love it,” I say.
“The fuck?” Storm says. “Those shorts are way fucking shorter than that dress.”
She’s right, but I no longer feel exposed. “Doesn’t matter. I feel like a badass bitch in this outfit.”
Shadow smiles. “Like someone nobody’s gonna mess with.”
I smile. She understands.