Charisma
THIS FELT ENTIRELY too cozy. My ability to slip into this life and this lifestyle was making me second guess myself.
I was a firmly middle class kinda girlie but I knew the Chisholm-Loves had far exceeded that.
I didn’t feel intimidated, more like out of place.
Their wealth didn’t bother me nor did I feel a way because it wasn’t mine.
I was just used to something less extravagant than the event I was currently shopping for.
“Oh, he’s going to love you in this dress.”
I grinned but immediately tried to hide it because I shouldn’t have been thinking about Nate when I was looking for dresses with his mama. But I also couldn’t lie to myself that I didn’t put this dress on and immediately know that he was going to drool when he saw me in it.
“It’s very pretty.”
“And that color sky blue, is perfect. But we need to have some changes made.” His mother walked toward me with a discerning eye as the sales lady waited to hear what her opinions were.
The Chisholm-Love ladies had already tried on their dresses, which were hanging up in garment bags.
They wanted to get their fittings out of the way so they could all focus on me.
When I spoke to Mrs. Maureen she was more than happy to bring me to the boutique where they’d gotten their dresses.
When Reece and Yzzy heard that I was attending the gala they insisted on coming and making it a day.
We met up at the main house and Reece drove us into town within two hours of Nate giving me his card.
They made it seem like it was no big deal, just a regular girl’s day when the whole time I was worried about doing too much or too little.
“Changes?”
“We had our dresses custom made so that no one else would have them. You don’t have that type of time so we can have them do something to make it extraordinary.”
The dress I wore was one that they’d had in stock. It was in the same range of blue as their dresses but had an origami like quality to it with the pleated and folded embellishments throughout the mermaid style skirt. There was light beading throughout catching the light as I moved.
“It’s pretty enough that someone else might have it.” Despite not wanting to change anything I didn’t want to look ridiculous and show up there with the same dress as someone else.
“Oh, that won’t be possible.” The attendant smiled gleefully and I wasn’t sure if she was being honest or just wanted to make a sale.
“It won’t?” I looked at the ladies with me and Reece nodded her assurance.
“My mother has strict rules about people wearing the color of the night. Since light blue was banned for everyone she knows no one will have this. The alterations are just so you don’t feel some kinda way that the dress wasn’t custom made.”
That was sweet but completely unnecessary. I loved the dress exactly how it was and I didn’t want to spend too much of the next few days trying to rush something I didn’t think the dress even needed.
“That’s incredibly kind but I already feel special just getting the dress.”
“Oh please. You have got to understand that you are not dealing with a regular man in my brother.”
I couldn’t help my laughing because Reece seemed like she was gearing up for a lecture in these people’s establishment.
Everything in here was overdone: from the expansive chandelier that didn’t really light anything to the velvet furniture and tray of champagne that was poured into real crystal flutes.
I appreciated they wanted to set the tone but the tone was clearly that you’d be paying out the ass to get something from here.
“Is this the baby sister pep talk?”
“No, this is me telling you to finesse Nate’s ass the way he used to do our big brother.
It’s clear that my brother is crazy over you.
You have the world in the palm of your hands and you don’t even realize it.
Everything that he could give you, which is considerable when you think of all his money is there for the taking. ”
“I didn’t need it.”
“Give it to me straight, do you like Nate? Because as much as I like you, I won’t let you play around with my brother.”
“Why does everyone approach me like I’m trying to be a man eater?”
“Because Nate has never taken anyone this seriously before. He had a girlfriend in high school for like a year but then he did the right thing and broke up with her.”
“That’s the right thing?”
“Yeah so that they could be free to grow and see if they were going to be together.” His mama chimed in and I wondered how she felt about Nate’s high school sweetheart.
“But then Nate turned into a ho.”
“Technically she did first.” Reece dropped that information and then sipped from her flute. I felt like she’d given me the cheat codes but that maybe this was information I shouldn’t have.
“Damn, that’s rough. So that’s why he’s…not in a relationship.” I had to clean up my language because I couldn’t’ be out here calling this man a ho to his mama’s face multiple times.
“Are you worried that he’s got a high body count?”
“I don’t care anything about that. But I don’t want to land into something that I’m thinking is serious and he’s not. Cause it would complicate so much in my life.”
“He’s worth it.”
I looked down at the dress and remembered what he told me before he walked out of the office. No man lied that well so I knew he was speaking the truth. “I know he is. That’s part of the problem.”
“Oh, you liiiike him!” Reece was kicking her feet, and Yzzy was grinning from ear to ear. Mrs. Maureen looked like she was going to tear up but she didn’t push.
“I do, don’t remind me.”
“Girl, you got to remember that I like you. And you have to understand that a man doing a woman wrong will always be a sore spot for me. I got cheated on and it came out publicly. In the most embarrassing way.” Mrs. Maureen’s face had changed shifting between rage and sadness as she listened to Reece.
Yzzy put her hand on her arm and I hated that I’d brought up a sore subject.
“Social media?”
“At the damn altar.”
She wasn’t still angry about what happened but I damn sure was. I was ready to get this dress off so that we could find whoever this nigga was and handle him today. “Oh, tell me you’ve gotten your lick back.”
“No. But I will. He works on the rodeo circuit with Nate so I’m even more invested in him getting on the bull this weekend.
My ex was more successful last year because Nate wasn’t participating.
This year I want my brother to remind him of who he really is.
He’s been bragging about being champion despite his stiffest competition being gone last year.
” She rolled her eyes and I knew just the thought of him irritated her soul.
“Nate is going to see to it that he loses. And if not, Sampson has already promised he’d beat him up again. Well, he’s gonna beat him up again even when Nate wins but that’s beside the point.” Yzzy had tried to sound diplomatic but had failed entirely.
“Had I not ignored the warning signs I wouldn’t need to have my brothers fighting my battles.”
“That ain’t got shit to do with you. A piece of shit man is going to be a piece of shit man no matter what.” I could hear the mama bear waking up in Mrs. Maureen and now I wanted to change the subject to something less sad.
“True. But that’s all in the past. I’m glad that Nate found you. You’re good for him and he wouldn’t be as far along with his business if you hadn’t come in and help. So don’t feel bad about running his pockets today.”
“His father and I instilled in both our boys that they are meant to be providers. So his wanting to make sure that you’re taken care of is the natural progression of how we raised them.”
I looked down at the dress I loved and could only smile because I wasn’t leaving out of here without it. “I think this is it.”
“Perfect. We can have the few alterations done tonight so it’s ready for you tomorrow.”
“Will you deliver everything to our house? It’s where we’ll be getting ready for the gala.”
“Yes, we can have it done first thing Friday morning and have a seamstress ready in case you all need any last minute fixes.”
“Perfect. Now that the dress is settled we’ve got a long day ahead of us. Shoes, bags, jewelry and whatever else you see that you need.” Mrs. Maureen was ticking off all the things left on our to do list and I thought the dress was more than enough.
“I see that stunned look on your face, but you might as well settle in. When these two get going it’s hard for them to stop.” Yzzy was grinning like she was happy she had someone else to hang with during these shopping marathons.
“Guess I need to get used to it, huh?” We shared a look and she only smiled broader.
“Yep, there’s no getting rid of any of us.” Yzzy wrapped her arm around mine and laid her head on my shoulder.
“Good because I need help with what to wear to the rodeo.”
Mrs. Maureen and Reece both clapped their hands like I’d told them Bucky proposed. I’d always planned on attending but I wanted to look my best and make a statement. Being in the family box was one thing but I knew I’d be in the spotlight after being seen with Nate at the gala.
Reece walked over and wrapped the small train of the dress to help me back into the dressing room so I could get out of it and move on to the next shop.
“I know exactly where to take you to get you what you need.”
“How are you feeling about the rodeo?”