background and smiled. He was probably messing around on the boat. “Pretty formal,” he said. “But it’s the Caribbean, so keep that in mind.”
“What does that mean?” Mia had been on one cruise to the Bahamas. She doubted Blaine’s St. John crew would have the same stylistic appetites as the American tourists she’d rubbed elbows with at Atlantis.
“It means… I don’t know. Something light. Colorful?” A hammer against something, and then he said, “I know it when I see it.”
“You’re going to have to come with me.”
“Shopping?” He sounded as if she’d just asked him to attend a funeral for her pet goldfish.
“Yes,” she said. “Shopping. It won’t be that bad. We’ll go to Bloomingdales. They have everything there.”
“Okay,” he said. “Will it take hours and hours?”
She laughed. “First of all, no. I’m a pretty decisive shopper. Second of all, like I have time to spend hours and hours? I have to get all this crap packed up by like tomorrow so I can actually move around my apartment.”
Blaine laughed and said he’d pick her up in an hour. When they arrived at Bloomingdales, one of Mia’s favorite places in the world, she put on her shopping blinders and made a straight beeline for the formal section. If she got sucked into makeup, or handbags, or shoes, they really would be here for hours. Plus, she was a girl on a teacher’s salary. She’d learned to focus when she shopped.
She pulled a few likely dresses from the racks. Blaine sat in a chair outside the dressing room and read the Wall Street Journal online. Mia tried on a few things that were definite no’s, showed him a couple she felt wishy-washy about, and then hit the jackpot with a pretty sky blue beaded dress. It was tight, but came to just below her knee, so it felt elegant. She didn’t want to be trying too hard. She had a pair of gold heels that would match it perfectly. Best of all, it was on the sale rack.
She cat-walked the waiting area outside the dressing rooms for Blaine. A couple other bored husbands and boyfriends sat in the chairs around him, and she couldn’t help but notice their appreciative glances.
“Gorgeous, babe,” said Blaine. “Maybe one more, and you’ll be good to go.”
She scowled. “This was the last one. I don’t like any of the others that much.”
Blaine stood up. “I thought I saw something over here…”
She followed him. “What, are you the fashion expert now?”
“Haha, hardly. But it just screamed St. John to me.” He circled the racks of clothes. “Oh—here it is.”
He held up a stunning floor length gown. It was strapless, with an empire waist, and a long flowing silk skirt. The bodice started out white and spread to a rainbow of colors at the hem. Mia raised her eyebrows. “It’s gorgeous… but…” She glanced at the tag. The dress was $2,500. “A bit out of my price range.”
“Try it on,” he said.
She shrugged and took the dress from him. When she put it on in the dressing room, she almost gasped at her own reflection. It fit her like it had been hand tailored. The tight bodice tastefully showed off her breasts, and the free flowing skirt clung to her bottom just enough. She walked out of the dressing room.
“Wow,” said Blaine, and the two guys beside him looked at Mia with gaping mouths, like beached fish.
“It’s beautiful.” She motioned Blaine closer and whispered in his ear. When he leaned down
“What does that mean?” Mia had been on one cruise to the Bahamas. She doubted Blaine’s St. John crew would have the same stylistic appetites as the American tourists she’d rubbed elbows with at Atlantis.
“It means… I don’t know. Something light. Colorful?” A hammer against something, and then he said, “I know it when I see it.”
“You’re going to have to come with me.”
“Shopping?” He sounded as if she’d just asked him to attend a funeral for her pet goldfish.
“Yes,” she said. “Shopping. It won’t be that bad. We’ll go to Bloomingdales. They have everything there.”
“Okay,” he said. “Will it take hours and hours?”
She laughed. “First of all, no. I’m a pretty decisive shopper. Second of all, like I have time to spend hours and hours? I have to get all this crap packed up by like tomorrow so I can actually move around my apartment.”
Blaine laughed and said he’d pick her up in an hour. When they arrived at Bloomingdales, one of Mia’s favorite places in the world, she put on her shopping blinders and made a straight beeline for the formal section. If she got sucked into makeup, or handbags, or shoes, they really would be here for hours. Plus, she was a girl on a teacher’s salary. She’d learned to focus when she shopped.
She pulled a few likely dresses from the racks. Blaine sat in a chair outside the dressing room and read the Wall Street Journal online. Mia tried on a few things that were definite no’s, showed him a couple she felt wishy-washy about, and then hit the jackpot with a pretty sky blue beaded dress. It was tight, but came to just below her knee, so it felt elegant. She didn’t want to be trying too hard. She had a pair of gold heels that would match it perfectly. Best of all, it was on the sale rack.
She cat-walked the waiting area outside the dressing rooms for Blaine. A couple other bored husbands and boyfriends sat in the chairs around him, and she couldn’t help but notice their appreciative glances.
“Gorgeous, babe,” said Blaine. “Maybe one more, and you’ll be good to go.”
She scowled. “This was the last one. I don’t like any of the others that much.”
Blaine stood up. “I thought I saw something over here…”
She followed him. “What, are you the fashion expert now?”
“Haha, hardly. But it just screamed St. John to me.” He circled the racks of clothes. “Oh—here it is.”
He held up a stunning floor length gown. It was strapless, with an empire waist, and a long flowing silk skirt. The bodice started out white and spread to a rainbow of colors at the hem. Mia raised her eyebrows. “It’s gorgeous… but…” She glanced at the tag. The dress was $2,500. “A bit out of my price range.”
“Try it on,” he said.
She shrugged and took the dress from him. When she put it on in the dressing room, she almost gasped at her own reflection. It fit her like it had been hand tailored. The tight bodice tastefully showed off her breasts, and the free flowing skirt clung to her bottom just enough. She walked out of the dressing room.
“Wow,” said Blaine, and the two guys beside him looked at Mia with gaping mouths, like beached fish.
“It’s beautiful.” She motioned Blaine closer and whispered in his ear. When he leaned down
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