Paige
The moment I wake up the next day, I pop out of bed and pull on a big sweatshirt. Then I take the black card from my nightstand and hop across the hallway to Chelsie’s room.
“Paige…” she groans, opening the door. She has a frilly, pink eye mask pushed up on her forehead, her light brown hair sticking up at all angles. “What is it? It’s only noon.”
“Come on!” I say, grabbing her hand. Then I pull her toward Sean’s door, and knock. After a minute, he swings his door open. He’s wear a pair of silk, red boxers and nothing else.
“What’s going…?”
I hold up the card, and their eyes both widen.
“Is that…?” asks Sean.
“Crimson gave it to me. It has no limit,” I reply with a smile.
“Noway…” Sean gasps.
“We’re going to themall!” Chelsie squeals, ripping the sleep mask from her head and tossing it triumphantly into the air.
I pull back the plush, pink curtain of the dressing room.
“Ooh, do a little twirl!” Chelsie demands.
Obligingly, I spin around, the flared skirt of the dress billowing out around me.
“Socute,” Sean says approvingly.
“I don’t know, you two,” I say, looking myself up and down in thedressing room mirror. This dress is very different than what I usually wear. It has a corset-style top, providing enough support that I don’t need to wear a bra with it. Its skirt fans out in layers of lace, but still stops short of my mid-thigh.
“Youhaveto get it,” Chelsie says. “It looks like it was made for you.”
Sean nods. “Crimson will love it. And it will go with your new shoes!”
There’s a twinge of guilt in my stomach as I look over at the heaping pile of shopping bags we’re quickly accumulating. “Is it too much?”
“Absolutely not,” Sean counters. “Crimson’s worth a fortune. Have you seen her Rolexes? She wears a different oneevery night.”
“Yeah, you should buy this dress, just so I can borrow it!” Chelsie giggles.
“And some make-up for me too, please?” Sean adds, batting his eyelashes at me.
I check myself out in the mirror again. Crimsonhadsaid that I should enjoy myself. And I know she would love me in this dress. I have to admit, I’m having more fun than I have inages. It’s amazing to be able to buy things without agonizing about the price. And knowing that there’s someone at home who’s going to enjoy seeing me in them.
I smile at myself. A real, genuine, happy smile. But is it at the thought of spending all this money? Or the idea that there’s someone waiting for me, back at the mansion?
“All right,” I concede. “I’ll take it. And we’ll go to the make-up store next!”
Sean and Chelsie cheer as I close the curtain again.
Then my phone dings.
It’s Blake.
Hey babe
I wait a moment, to see if he adds anything else. But that’s the whole message. I sigh, but it’s not unlike him to be so curt. I respond right away.
Hi love, how are you doing? I miss you
