Axel swore low under his breath. “That’s so fucking tragic I could cry.”
I didn’t understand what he meant, but I squealed with excitement over the pink Barbie sleeping bag, nestled between two much larger blue bags. I turned to Nash, eyeing the backpack he carried, as he crawled inside the tent with Axel close behind him.
I held my hands out expectantly for my treats, saliva filling my mouth at the thought of the deliciousness he held in that bag.
Axel laughed at my impatience. “Where’s your manners, kid? You need to say the magic password to get those candies.”
I frowned, racking my brain for a password. “Sandwiches?”
Nash and Axel burst into laughter while they settled on their sleeping bags.
Axel ruffled my hair. “Okay, I was going for please, but sandwiches is a good password too. We’ll work on your manners when you’ve got a full belly.”
Then the two of them pulled out more junk food than I’d ever seen. I was so hungry I would have eaten anything, but they had all my favorite things, and I wolfed down the Goldfish crackers so fast Nash had to thump me on the back when I choked on them.
I didn’t care. I grinned at him and went straight back to shoving more in my mouth, desperate to get as much in as I could.
The two of them let me eat, never asking me to share. And when I was finally done, the food washed down with root beer, Axel held up one corner of the little pink sleeping bag he’d found for me.
I snuggled in.
The tent was really too small for two tall boys, but neither complained. We lay there in the darkness, the boys talking quietly over my head while I watched them.
And when Jerry’s deep, angry voice called my name from somewhere in the distance, I only snuggled in farther, safe and hidden between the only two people in my life who actually cared about me.
1
BLISS
I smoothed my hands over the silky sapphire-blue ball gown, doing a little twirl in the women’s bathroom. The fabric flared in a circle around me, swishing softly around my calves when I came to a stop.
“Bethany-Melissa!” Sandra’s eyes were wide, her head bobbing up and down in approval. “That dress was made for you. It’s stunning.”
I smiled happily at the other woman. “Isn’t it beautiful? Caleb bought it for me especially for tonight.”
Sandra leaned against the little sofa to the side of the room, her extravagant dress spread out around her. It stood out beautifully, its bright-red vibrant against the black-and-gold luxury bathroom. “He must have dropped a pretty penny on that one. At least you know he has good taste for when he buys you an engagement ring.”
I studied my reflection in the mirror. She was right. The dress fit me perfectly, dipping between my full breasts, hiding the rolls on my tummy, and flaring out around my wide hips. It accentuated all my curves and hid the wobble in my thighs. I loved it. I’d gone to the hairdresser’s that morning and spent hours letting them freshen up my color and then curl the lengths. A makeup artist had been my next stop, and she’d worked her magic until I felt like I was Cinderella, ready for a ball.
Which wasn’t exactly where we were, but the charity auction did have the same sort of feel. A sleek black car had picked me up from my house, and when we’d arrived at the entrance to the fanciest hotel in Providence, Caleb had been waiting by the door for me like my very own Prince Charming.
I watched Sandra in the reflection of the mirror. “You don’t really think he’s going to propose, do you? It’s only been a year. It feels too soon…”
Sandra tutted, coming to stand beside me so we both stared into the mirror. “Does it matter? He’s handsome. Successful. Rich. And you’re downright fabulous in every way—”
I laughed. “Not sure about that.”
She waved around a manicured hand in dismissal. “Of course the man wants to marry you. Did you see there’s a ring up for auction tonight? It’s got an absolute boulder for a diamond too. Maybe that’s what Caleb will bid for.” Her gaze met mine in the mirror. “It’s the smart move, you know? The two of you, I mean. It would be such a great union for your families. Your father must be so thrilled the two of you are dating.”
I nodded. “He adores Caleb. They’re playing golf every other weekend lately. I barely get to see my own boyfriend.”
“Perfect! Leaves you plenty of time for shopping and lunch with me.”
That was true. It did leave me with plenty of time to myself. I’d never exactly seen that as a good thing, though I liked that my boyfriend and my father got along. It was just that perhaps they got a long too well. Their work talk tended to monopolize most conversations, to the point where anything I wanted to say was lost in business politics.