Chapter 43
MAE
I stood back as far as the tiny cottage bathroom would let me and looked at myself in the mirror.
Holy crap. Holly had been right. The dress was not my normal style.
Not even close. The last time I’d worn anything as remotely revealing had been my clubbing days in my early twenties.
But… I didn’t hate it. In fact, I kind of loved it.
The dress was strapless and floor length, with a bodice featuring a deep plunging sweetheart neckline, with a structured V-shaped dip that created a dramatic, yet tasteful, focal point.
The waist was slightly cinched, emphasizing the hourglass shape that was incredibly sexy.
From the hips down, the dress was a fitted column style, with a slight flare at the hem that gave it a subtle mermaid twist. The final look was elegant and understated.
I had kept my hair simple, sleek and glamorous with a single clip pinning back the hair on one side to match the style of the dress.
I kept the jewelry to a minimum and simple, with a small pair of silver earrings and a silver necklace around my throat that had a pendant in the shape of a wave.
‘Are you ready yet?’ Jonah called. ‘The suspense is kind of killing me out here.’
‘What if you don’t like it?’
‘Unlikely. You could be wearing a trash bag and I’d still think you were the most beautiful woman in Pine Harbor.’
‘What if it’s not good enough for the winter formal though?’ I fretted. ‘What if it’s completely the wrong sort of dress and I embarrass you?’
‘You could never embarrass me. I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks.’
‘But what if—’
He opened the door. And then he spent so long staring at me that I thought for sure I’d been right, and he didn’t like it.
‘You hate it,’ I said. ‘I can change.’
‘Don’t you dare. You look stunning. I can’t believe I get to walk into that room tonight with you on my arm. I’m the luckiest man in Pine Harbor. In the world, in fact.’
‘Every woman in that room is going to hate me for having taken you off the market,’ I countered, looking him up and down. ‘How do you manage to look just as sexy in a tuxedo as you do in oilskins or jeans?’
He grinned. ‘Just luck, I guess.’ He held out his hand. ‘Ready?’
I took a deep breath in, held it for a second to steady my nerves, then breathed it out again slowly. ‘No. But let’s do it anyway.’