Page 93 of The Desire

“I don’t know about this, Tori.” I’m standing with my eyes closed as she walks me toward the mirror, not letting me look at myself until now.

It’s been three hours here of a procession of people Tori organized to come to the house. First a massage which was divine, then hairdressers, makeup artists, and me trying not to freak out every five minutes. Blaise took it all in his stride mainly due to Sally being here to spend the day with him, which Tori of course had arranged without telling me.

The babysitter arrived fifteen minutes ago, and after settling her in with Blaise and giving her the rundown of the house, I’m now dressed and ready to see what I look like.

I have felt sick all day and wouldn’t have eaten anything if it wasn’t for Tori making me, and now, I’m even regretting that, because it feels like it’s about to come back up.

“Okay, take a deep breath and then open your eyes,” Tori whispers in my ear from behind me, and I’m almost too scared to do it.

But slowly, I raise my eyelids and don’t recognize the woman before me.

“Stunning. Just absolutely gorgeous.” I can hear the emotion in her voice as I’m still trying to come to terms with the makeover she has done on me.

“I can’t believe it,” I whisper to myself, my hands moving over my mouth in shock.

“I can. You never believed me when I told you how beautiful you were, even in your shabbiest clothes. But now maybe you will see what we all see, dressed up in a gown that leaves nothing to doubt. Time for the world to see the true queen you are.”

Feeling water welling in my eyes, I quickly fan myself because I can’t ruin the makeup now after all the effort that went into me looking like this.

“Don’t make me cry.” I turn and look at my best friend who has always believed in me.

“Okay, then I’ll tell you the truth, you look like shit tonight, bitch.” Tori’s words have the exact effect she was hoping for. I can’t help but laugh at the posh-looking redhead standing in front of me telling me how awful I look. My Tori is a woman of many talents.

Pulling the laughter back, I turn and take one last look in the mirror before I take my clutch from the bed and stand next to Tori, holding my arm out for her to take.

“Shall we?” Smiling at each other, we link arms and head downstairs to say good night to Blaise before we leave.

Walking into the lounge, Blaise looks up from coloring, and for the first time today, he stops talking and just stares at us. He’s so stunned that his English words are lost and all he can say to me in French is, “Tu es si jolie, Elouise. Papa t’aimera,” in his sweetest voice.

I crouch down to him as he comes to give me a cuddle, but he hesitates to touch me. Reaching for him, I wrap him in my arms and whisper in his ear, “Je l’espère, chèrie. Je t’aime, Blaise, et merci.” To have him tell me that his Papa will love me hit me so raw. I wanted to promise to bring Papa home with me, but I know enough that you never promise a child something unless you know one hundred percent that you can deliver.

As we start walking to the front door, Tori asks me what Blaise said.

“He just said we both looked pretty.” I leave it at that. I want to keep that special moment for just Blaise and me.

Opening the front door, Nic is standing waiting for us, and he just smiles at me as he leans in to kiss his fiancé. I never doubted for a minute he would be here to escort us. There is no way he would let Tori go on her own, or me for that matter. Tori promised she wouldn’t tell Nic, but either she couldn’t help herself, which I expected, or Rem has told him, because the way he is looking at me right now, it’s obvious he knows everything.

In a way, that gives me a little comfort because he isn’t telling me not to do this.

“Good evening, beautiful ladies. I will be the envy of every man in the room with you both on my arm.” His deep Australian accent sounds so smooth as he tries to woo his soon-to-be wife. He puts out both his arms for us to each take one to be helped down the few steps.

“Pfft, not likely. Lou doesn’t need a man to walk her into the room. She is going to stride in there like she owns the place and claim her man,” Tori blurts out as I almost throw up in my mouth.

“We all know that’s not going to happen, but nice try, Tori,” I say, sliding into the back of the limousine and on to the opposite seat so Tori and Nic can sit together, I feel so out of place, even if I do look the part.

“Don’t you dare retreat into that shell of yours just yet. This is your Cinderella moment, and you better live it to its fullest.” Tori is waving her finger at me like crazy, trying to make her point.

“Great, so if I can’t sort Rem out by midnight, then I’m turning back into my usual pumpkin-looking self.” I roll my eyes at her.

Nic grins. “It’s almost seven pm, and I think if you make it to nine pm still clothed after Rem takes one look at you in that dress, then you’ll be doing well. I don’t think the midnight pumpkin hour will be a problem for you, Lou.” His subtle wink confirms what I need to know.

Nic absolutely knows everything.

I don’t know how I managed to walk from the car into the building, smiling at every person who greets us like I don’t have a care in the world. I tried to keep my head down as we walked past the wall of photographers and flashes blasting us. At other events I’ve been to there were some, but nothing like tonight, and I know it has a lot to do with Flynn. There was extra security greeting us at the car, and I know that would have been Rem’s doing, making sure we were safely ushered through the madness.

But now it’s time, and as I take my first step into the room, Tori leans toward me with the biggest smile, mouthing the words to me, “Go get your man.”

It’s like the whole world is standing still as I look across the ballroom and see Rem in his perfectly tailored tuxedo. More than ever, he takes my breath away.

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