Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Britney
My friends and I decided to go shopping on London’s Bond Street because we’d only ever read about the cobblestone street in books. The shopping was cute, but the air in London was foggy and gloomy. However, they had designer names I’d known or seen only in magazines, so that was fun.
We hopped in and out of stores, but we finally stopped at a coffee shop. I folded my hands on a dark wooden circular table and said, “So shopping is almost like drinking cosmos.”
“It’s your norm when you’re stressed, absolutely,” Isabel said. “How were his parents?”
The waitress brought me my mint tea, and I slipped off my flats under the table and rubbed my feet. I had no idea pregnancy would make walking in heels unbearable. I had done so earlier that day, and my muscles still hadn’t forgiven me.
“Sad, actually,” I answered. “I’m glad I was there to help.”
Hope laughed. “Because you’re in love with him.”
My skin prickled. “What?” I picked up my mug like it was a shield.
Avril nodded as she joined Hope. “It’s pretty obvious. He’s everything you ever wanted and more.”
Hope lowered her voice an octave and mimicked me. “And we don’t go saying no to dukes with a trillion dollars.”
I laughed and put my glass down. When I was sure I could speak, I shook my head. “Don’t quote me to me.”
Avril asked, “Are we wrong?”
Heat rose to my face as I realized all five of my friends were earnest and waiting for my answer. I took a deep breath and answered as honest as I could. “Michael is kind, sweet, and the best man I’ve ever had sex with.”
No one said anything as we sipped, but I slipped my shoes back on as we weren’t home and no one needed to see my discomfort, which I was totally blaming on pregnancy.
Kelly broke the quiet. “Can I ask a really personal question, and we keep it just between us?”
Good. I preferred to think about someone other than me and nodded. “What’s going on, Kelly?”
She took a deep breath and stared into her black tea. “You’ve always seemed… to live your life out loud. I’m not like you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you asking, exactly?”
Her face reddened in a blush that went down her neck. “I talk a big game when I’m with y’all, and I say outrageous things because I feel I’m supposed to be more.” Her blush probably went all over her.
I sat back as she was clearly uncomfortable. “What, Kelly? Just say it.”
She closed her eyes and said, “So, unlike the rest of you, I’m a virgin, and I have no frame of reference when it comes to men, but I have a major question.”
“I’d thought so since we met, three years ago.” I didn’t even blink because I’d noticed Kelly clearly chose men extremely carefully.
Isabel asked, “Is that why you’re scared to go out with Xerses?”
She shook her head. “He’s never asked, and I’m not wilting away or anything. Either way, that’s not my question. The thing is… I was wondering… how do you compare men’s skills in bed… to know which is the best… if I’ve not?”
Got it. Fair. I smiled and took her hand. “Look, in high school, everyone thought I was a slut, including my sister.”
Isabel pressed a hand to her heart. “That’s horrible.”
All of us assumed Isabel had been rich all her life and privileged. She probably never had half my problems, but Isabel was sweet, always wanting the best for us. Either way, I focused on Kelly.
“I hate this word,” I said, “but there is nothing wrong with being discerning like you clearly are. You know if he’s good… like you know… when you find the perfect outfit that fits you like it was tailored just for you.”
“Or shoes,” Isabel added. “Good shoes don’t hurt, and you know how soft the leather is right away.”
I tensed and hoped no one had seen my new, slightly swollen feet or my slip a minute before.
Kelly pressed her lips together. “You have to try on a lot of clothes and shoes to find that. Maybe I made the wrong choices years ago.”
I shook my head. She had every right to her opinion. “Look, you only need to buy one in the store to feel like you’re on top of the world. And browsing means you can be discerning till you find the perfect pair.”
She stared at me wide-eyed and asked, “And that’s how Michael makes you feel?”
Yes. My heart hammered. Michael was fucking perfect. I sat straighter. “Honestly, I don’t know what I’m doing. I just know I want to help, which means I think we need to find Bernadette a husband.”
Avril said, “She doesn’t get Kir.”
I craned my neck. Ki and Avril were planning a wedding.
“Of course not. But he’s her type?”
Avril wrung her hands. “Yeah. She offered herself to him back in college, from what Kir said.”
I’d had no idea. Michael’s sister had never joined our circle of friends.
“That’s good to know,” I said. “So we need to look like the American nobility there to shine at this ball.”
Kelly said, “Miley, Isabel, and I must wear white as we’re not spoken for.”
Hope added, “Technically, Avril and I need to wear white, too, as we’re engaged, not married yet.”
At the debutante ball for the world to see, I now had five friends being presented. And none of them had picked anything white in the stores so far.
“So I’m the only one wearing color,” I said.
Avril said, “Tell me you’re picking something bright.”
I left money to pay the bill and pushed my chair back. “Oh, I promise I’ll shine like a star, which means we really need to hit some bridal stores for y’all now.”
Then we headed back out into the shopping mist. Since I knew they needed five white gowns, I was excited to help and give my opinions.
I noticed Kelly checking price tags, so I arranged for the sales clerk to tell her the one she looked best in was seventy-five percent off, and I paid for the rest of it secretly as a gift.
As the moon started coming out, we headed back to the limo and the house.
“I should go find Michael,” I said.
Hope bumped into me. “And tell him you love him.”
“Stop,” I said.
Avril said, “Don’t be so stubborn that you lose out on happiness because you’re scared of how you feel.”
“You know me too well,” I said, pressing my hands to my heart.
Love wasn’t something I’d ever thought about before. In fact, I’d never believed in the idea at all, past two people making money to combine resources and have a higher buying power.
However, Michael was wonderful. As I got out of the limo and headed into the huge three-story mansion, staff held the double doors open for me.
I handed over my bags and headed into the library, where Michael sat with his laptop. He closed it the second I came closer and walked over to join me on a couch, asking, “How was shopping?”
Spending the afternoon with my friends had been good, but I took off my shoes and rubbed my sore feet. “I found a dress for this ball.”
Michael pointed at my feet, and I nodded, giving him permission. As he gently rubbed the pain, he said, “My father had his barrister speak to mine, and we are drawing up documents together, concerning my sister and my money that is separate from what’s entailed.”
I leaned back as he was doing a better job than I had been with my feet. “So you told your parents I was pregnant?”
“No,” he said and stared at me quizzically.
I stared at him and tilted my head. “No?”
My heart pounded in my head at the thought that my friends had read me all wrong. Love wasn’t something that came on easy, ever. It was hard, fought for, and difficult to maintain. The truth was Michael and I were easy.
“I’m not embarrassed or anything,” he said and gave a half smile as though to calm me down. “You were there the last time I saw them, and that should be an in-person discussion. However, I assumed they already knew. We’ll discuss it tomorrow at tea.”
For the time being, I was good. I needed to stop thinking about feelings and love and whatever that meant. I stood, not caring the door was open, and unzipped my dress.
The way I felt about Michael wasn’t something I could label. I wasn’t sure. He held his tie as he stared at me above him, and my lips curved higher on my face.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Sex I understood. I dropped my dress as I stood above him in my black panties and bra. “Oh, I’m breaking all sort of rules tonight. This is your house, no?”
He traced the inner part of my thigh as he stood and pointed outside the room. “I’m sure you could lean over this balcony, and no one would see me inside you.”
The garden was safe. We weren’t showing all of London what we did best.
I winked then took his hand and led him out the glass door. “Let’s find out, darling.”
Being together was good. Nothing else should matter, especially feelings. We had a deal, and I refused to be the one to break any rules.