Page 63 of Embrace Me Forever

With a resigned smile, I click away, fully embracing the indulgence as Blake’s amused expression reappears, accepting his fate as my perpetual financier.

As we finalize the transaction, I spot his middle name on his credit card. “You don’t like Cillian?” I ask.

He shoots me a side glare. “It’s better than Simon, but I still don’t want to be called that.”

“Cillian Blake. It has a nice ring to it,” I counter.

He shakes his head, and just as I’m about to repeat the names, he playfully cups my mouth. “Please, stick with Blake.”

I give him a mischievous look. “No promises.”

“Code Queen—promise me, and I’ll do something nice for you.”

“Huh! All right,” I relent.

Blake wraps an arm around me, nervously clearing his throat despite his earlier promise to do something nice. “Hypothetically,” he begins, pulling up another website, “if I decided to grab something extra from here, would you stop me?”

I eye the display, where not a single price tag is in sight, a clear warning of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

“They look amazing,” I remark, gazing at the sumptuous arrays of bikinis and resort wear that scream sultry luxury.

“Leave it to me. Trust me, I have exquisite taste,” Blake says with a confident grin that’s all too familiar.

“Why do I need a?—”

Blake presses a finger to my lips, cutting me off. “Uh-uh, no more words,” he jests, “You’re just going to ruin the surprise.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Is the surprise the bankruptcy filing or the fabulous beach wardrobe?”

He laughs, closing the site with dramatic flair, not giving me even a hint about what he’s going to buy me exactly.

Just as Poppy’s footsteps approach our door, Blake’s phone buzzes. “Isabelle’s outside,” he informs me.

“Oh shoot!” I glance at myself, the very picture of bedroom chic, which is just a fancy way of saying I’ve mastered the pajama look, while Blake transforms into a morning catalog model in seconds.

“I’ll get the door. You try to look less…like you just rolled out of a laundry basket.”

I glare at the man laughing in the mirror. All I have on is Blake’s T-shirt, which drapes over me like lazy work-from-home loungewear. “Blake, seriously. I look so…so…unfinished.”

Blake’s laugh subsides into chuckles as he heads to the door. “We really should’ve hit that boutique yesterday. But hey, Isabelle’s chill. She won’t mind. Just own it. This is your castle!”

As Blake opens the door, I peek out to catch a glimpse of the famed Isabelle Hartley.

She enters, telling Blake that Pedro has driven her. She’s carrying more than Coco’s medications. It looks like a mini pharmacy. “Good morning! Just making a quick delivery from the UCLA Children’s Hospital gift shop!” she jokes.

I rummage through Blake’s closet. Good grief! This man could open a department store. Shirts in every color of the rainbow, pants for every occasion. You name it, he’s got it. If only I could swipe something to make myself look halfway decent.

Slim pickings for my size, though. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. I grab one of his sweaters, which probably fits him like a glove but looks fashionably oversized on me. Then, I nab a pair of his workout leggings. On me, they’re more like stylish harem pants, with the cuffs grazing my ankles instead of his mid-calf.

A quick face wash and a valiant attempt to wrestle my hair into submission later, I’m ready. Well, as ready as one can be in an impromptu outfit concocted from their boyfriend’s wardrobe.

And here I am, greeting one of the most graceful women I’ve ever seen. A woman I’ve come to admire, even though this is our first meeting. My outfit, a haphazard mix of Blake’s clothes, stands in stark contrast to her modish yellow dress.

“Isabelle, it’s so nice to meet you,” I say, stepping forward for a hug. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Blake giving me that look. Whether he thinks I’ve managed to pull this off or if he’s just impressed by my audacity, I have no idea.

Isabelle’s warmth is instant, her smile genuine, not even a flicker of amusement at my outfit. “Georgia-May.” She returns my hug with a reassuring squeeze.

“Thank you so much for these.” I point at the medications. “And for everything you and Amber have done for us.”

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