Page 65 of Dark Love

Except that is the green shirt I tried on yesterday. The lovely one that I would never ever wear.

What happened? How did all of this stuff get in here?

Vex!

He was talking privately with Crystal.

I stalk back into the bedroom.

Vex—the devious man—is leaning against the headboard, waiting for me with an expectant smirk.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?” Okay, that might have come out a bit louder than I would have liked… but only a bit.

“Made sure you have clothes.”

I don’t know what irks me more; the nonchalant tone he said that with, like it made total sense for him to do what he just did, or the fact that he bought me clothing when I explicitly said that I would pay for my own, or that everything in there looks amazing on me.

It’s totally the first two. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

“Aren’t you worried about being late?”

Evil devious man. “This conversation isn’t over.” I storm back into the closet. The green shirt is way too tempting not to wear, but I grab a cardigan to cover up.

Thankfully, it’s cool enough that I can wear it without looking odd.

There are even matching shoes.

Do the drawers have anything in them?

I pull one open and find a selection of silk scarves and another of hose.

People still wear hose? Though these have some interesting patterns.

No. There’s no way I want people staring at my legs, but I run a finger across the silky material before closing the drawer. The next one holds underwear. Stacks and stacks of stunning underwear, but there isn’t a single bra… which isn’t unexpected. I take the new outfit through the now-empty bedroom and into the bathroom.

Are there new things in here too? I open a bottom cabinet to find all sorts of hair supplies, including a blow dryer. The other cabinet holds a couple of dozen different hair products and several different body washes.

There isn’t time for me to process all of this.

Just shove it into the corner of your mind. None of this is real. You’re going to go to work and real life will start again.

Everything is fine.

You’re fine.

Just shower and get ready for work.

This weekend was one long bad and sort of good dream combined.

You’re fine. Ignoring the tremble in my hands, I do what needs to be done.

***

Vex isn’t in the bedroom when I step out.

Maybe that’s a good thing. He’s left me alone to walk away without the awkwardness of saying thank you or goodbye.

This is it. I’m never going to see him again. And even though he deserves more than thank you cookies for all he did this weekend, even a ‘thanks a trillion’ turtle cake wouldn’t be enough, I’m not going to say thank you again.

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