The Book Club Hotel(87)

Delphi didn’t hesitate. “I think you should wear your princess dress.”

“My princess dress?” Hattie didn’t know she owned such a thing, but Delphi slid off the bed and padded to the clothes that Hattie had been rifling through.

“This one.” She tugged at a sequin dress in dark green and it slid off its hanger. “It’s like a Cinderella dress.”

“I assume you don’t mean the part when she is cleaning the kitchens. And since when have you been reading fairy tales?”

“Our teacher read it to us.”

“I hope she also told you to work hard, get a proper job and not wait around for a prince. In my favorite version of that story, Cinderella sets up her own cleaning company and goes global.” Hattie rescued the dress. She’d bought it years before and worn it once for a night out with her girlfriends in college. She hadn’t thought about it for years. “I’m too old for this dress.”

“I like it,” Delphi said emphatically. “I think Noah will like it, too. It’s very happy. What do you think, Rufus?”

Rufus gave an obliging bark and wagged his tail.

Great. The dress had the vote of a five-year-old and a dog. Based on that alone she should put it right back on the hanger. And anyway, it was far too dressy. Noah would probably have a heart attack if she wore it.

“It won’t fit.”

“Try it.” Delphi was insistent so Hattie took off the black dress and slid into sequins. Instantly, she was transported back to that night of the college ball. Music thumping, hair down, drinks flowing. It had been before her father had died, before she’d even met Brent. She’d been young and living in the moment. Another life.

Delphi smiled. “It fits. And it looks like Christmas.”

Surprisingly, it did fit. Maybe that was what stress and being too busy to eat did for you. And she could see why Delphi thought it looked festive—all she needed was a red bow in her hair and she’d look like something that had fallen off the Christmas tree.

She smoothed the fabric over her hips.

“I can’t wear this to dinner with Noah.”

“Why not?”

How to explain to a five-year-old the nuances of dressing for an evening out that definitely wasn’t a date?

“It’s too sparkly.”

“Sparkly is good.” Delphi grabbed her hand. “We need to ask Aunt Erica.”

“Excuse me?”

“You always say that if you don’t know something then you need to find out.” Delphi tugged her toward the door. “Aunt Erica is in the library.”

“I know, but she’s with her friends and they’re having lunch and talking about a book. I don’t want to disturb them—” But she was talking to herself because Delphi was already sprinting ahead, leaving Hattie with no choice but to follow.

Delphi knocked on the door of the library, but didn’t wait for an answer before entering. Hattie made a mental note to talk to her about being a little too comfortable intruding on guests’ spaces.

She heard laughter and the sound of Delphi’s voice and then Erica’s.

Feeling self-conscious, she followed her daughter and saw Erica, Anna and Claudia seated around the low coffee table. In front of them was a plate of freshly cut sandwiches and a pot of coffee. There were three copies of the novel they were reading, one of them peppered with pieces of paper covered in scrawled notes.

“I’m sorry to disturb you—” Mortified, she reached to tug Delphi away but Erica stood up.

“You’re not disturbing us. And that dress is incredible. Delphi was telling us you have a date on Thursday.”

She’d said that? Now they’d ask her who with, and then they’d make more of it than they should. And what if Delphi accidently said something to Noah? It was a meal; that was all. People had to eat, didn’t they?

Hattie felt her cheeks burn. “It’s not a date exactly. It’s more of an evening out. I haven’t been out in a while and I was trying to find something to wear and—”

“And I think you’ve found it,” Claudia said. “That dress is gorgeous. And perfect for Christmas.”

“It’s just dinner.”

“No reason why you can’t look pretty to eat dinner.” Erica studied her from all angles. “That dress wants to be taken dancing, but I’m sure it would settle for dinner.”

Hattie smoothed the fabric over her hips. “I’m not sure it’s right.”

“Mmm.” Erica narrowed her eyes. “I have just one question. Does wearing it make you feel good?”

It did make her feel good. More than that, it made her feel human. Like someone who had a life, and might actually go dancing on occasion.

Hattie felt herself weaken.

She did love the dress so perhaps she should wear it. It was Christmas, after all. So maybe Noah wouldn’t think she was overdressed or trying to dazzle him. Maybe he’d just think she was taking advantage of the season.

“If you think it’s okay, then I’ll wear it.”

“Good decision.” Erica sat down and helped herself to a slice of cheese. “You should let us help you get ready for the evening. There is nothing we love more. Anna is good with hair.”

Delphi brightened. “Can I do your makeup?”