Page 70 of Unbreakable Vow

“We’re not done yet.” He exchanges his credit card with his business card and tells the cashier to have the packages delivered by this evening.

It’s impossible, surely, to have everything delivered in the next two hours. But she only nods with a gracious smile and promises to have everything at our door before six.

This is the third store we’ve been in this afternoon. My feet ache and my head is still sore, but it’s the amount that he’s spent that makes my stomach roll.

Once outside in the crisp spring air, Sergei laces his fingers through mine and squeezes.

“One more store.” He tugs me across the street to a small boutique.

Everywhere we’ve gone today there has been first class service. One store had champagne ready for us when we arrived.

“Sergei, I think I have enough.” He’s replaced my entire wardrobe. Pants, dresses, shorts, and loungewear, which is apparently different than pajamas. I blushed profusely when the saleslady explained it to me.

“You still need a dress for tomorrow night.” He opens the door for me.

“I thought we bought that already?”

“Not yet. I have this one waiting for you.” As soon as we’re inside, an older woman breezes through the small open space with excitement written all over her face. Her gray hair is swept up into a perfect bun on top of her head. A cloud of perfume follows her as she moves.

“Sergei!” She glides to him and hugs him, kissing each of his cheeks. He steps back as soon as she lets him go and she spins to look at me. “Cora!” She opens her arms and greets me the same way.

“Cora, this is Genova Romanov. Our families have been friendly for a long time.” Sergei introduces us, while pulling me to his side.

Genova taps her perfectly manicured finger to her chin. Her eyes roam over my body from my head to my toes and back again.

“You were right. She has the perfect curves for the dress you picked out.” She turns on her heel and hurries from the room.

“Where are all the dresses?” I ask him. The room is completely empty other than a three-part dressing mirror with a pedestal in the center.

“This is just her fitting salon. What she does is custom.”

“Custom?” I pull out of his hand. “How can she have a dress made for me by tomorrow?”

“I gave her your measurements last week. If anything needs to be altered it will be done before she sends it over.” He looks at his phone and frowns.

“If you need to go, we can go. I’m sure I can find something in the enormous pile of clothes you’ve bought today,” I offer.

He puts his phone away. “It can wait.” He gestures to Genova who has returned with a gown unlike anything I’ve ever seen. She holds it up so I can see the full dress. It’s a white dress with a delicate violet purple lace overlay on the bodice that gives way to an empire waist. The neckline plunges into a deep V and the sleeves are short, capped at the shoulder.

“It’s gorgeous,” I say, stepping up to it. The front hem is a great deal shorter than the back and the hemline is embellished with the same violet lace.

“Come try it on.” Genova leads me to a small curtained-off area behind the mirror where she leaves me to put the dress on so she can zip the back.

The moment she has it clasped, she stands back to admire her work.

“It’s perfect,” she says. “He told me you were a size eighteen, but I made him measure your best-fitting pants to be sure I would get the accurate measurements.”

I spin around to face her, my cheeks burning.

“He knows my size?” My mouth dries.

“Of course he does. Every good man knows what size his woman is so he can surprise her with pretty things. He measured well. I don’t think I will have to make any alterations. Unless you’d like to have it shorter in the front.” She picks up the hem of the dress. “Maybe show a little more of your pretty legs?”

I snort. “I don’t have pretty legs.”

“Of course you do.” She frowns. “You’ll be the talk of the party tonight.”

I laugh. The dress is amazing, and I look good wearing it, but I’m pretty sure there’s going to be plenty of women at the party that will actually turn heads.

---