Page 77 of Taming the CEO

“Hell yes.”

Oh thank God. Miriam was... Well, we were a lot alike, but we were also very different. I spent my days wearing sneakers or boots and jeans. She was an elementary school teacher and had a very feminine style. She wore dresses a lot, whereas I owned all of half a dozen.

“Let’s look in the closet,” I suggested.

As we both went to my bedroom, I mentally reviewed my wardrobe. Nothing would make the cut. Miriam was inspecting the contents of my dresser. She was suspiciously silent.

"Think we should stop by Madam Danvers?" I suggested.

"You read my mind."

Madam Danvers had a great selection of evening dresses. I'd only been inside the shop twice; I didn't own any gowns because I had nowhere to wear them. On a few occasions, such as when I attended weddings, I usually rented a dress from one of my favorite shops in Boston. But I didn’t have time for that now.

Miriam and I took my car to Madam Danvers, which was open today, thank goodness. Some of the businesses in town were still closed because of the storm, but Ms. Danvers lived for her shop. She'd owned it for forty-five years and came in six days a week.

Miriam walked in front of me as we entered the store.

"Darling," Ms. Danvers said.

Miriam often stopped by, and they were friendly. Ms. Danvers was known for her amazing selection and even better prices. I asked her once at a Christmas festival how she managed to keep her prices so low. She’d confessed that it was important for her to keep the store running and have something to do every day. She wasn't making much profit.

"What can I get you, dear?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm not coming for myself today," Miriam said, pointing her thumb at me.

"I need a dress to go to an elegant restaurant," I said.

"In Boston. Very fancy," Miriam added.

"Occasion?" Ms. Danvers asked.

"A dinner date."

She smiled sweetly. "A date in Boston. My, my."

Oh, heavens. The Essex rumor mill would start soon enough. I wasn't sure how talkative Ms. Danvers was, but somehow, everything always got out in this town.

"Do you have a favorite color?" she asked.

"Not red or orange because it clashes with my hair."

She looked affronted. "I would never. Goodness, my girl. I'm a professional. I've been doing this since before you were born."

Miriam actually winced.

Oops. I didn't want to get on Ms. Danvers’s bad side before she’d even brought me dresses. "Know what? Surprise me. Just bring me whatever you think would look best on me."

Her expression changed instantly. She smiled broadly and nodded. "I know just what you need."

Ten minutes later, she'd brought me four dresses and showed me to the only changing room she had.

I inspected the choices carefully. I had to give it to Miriam—Ms. Danvers really knew what she was doing. All of them were beautiful, so I checked the prices, putting on the most affordable one. It was stunning on me. Black silk with elegant straps and a straight cut over my boobs. It was very tight around my waist, but I breathed easily. It was comfortable, and I looked amazing in it. The skirt was just a bit wider from my hipbones to my knees. I twirled around once and then, to my surprise, noticed two delicate pockets. The back had lace from my neck to the middle of my shoulders. It was a very classy dress, and I could see it being a staple in my wardrobe.

I stepped out and immediately twirled.

"I knew this would look fantastic on you," Ms. Danvers said as Miriam whistled.

"This is truly beautiful," I announced. “I’ll take it.”

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