Page 60 of Dirty Big Sins

“Of course you can. And I know just the thing you need to get you through it.”

“Me too,” offered Nina from the door where she stood holding two glasses of wine.

“I’m not going to turn down the wine, but even that might not be enough to get me through tonight.”

“Bull. You don’t even need the wine for that. It’ll just calm the nerves enough to get it done.” Nina came forward and handed me one of the glasses. The other she offered to Julie, who shook her head and wandered farther away to the end of the closet where the formal dresses hung.

“Is this about the stuff from today?”

I barked out a rough laugh. “You mean the fact my entire career is currently circling the drain?”

“Well, yeah. But I don’t think that is it at all. I’d bet dollars to donuts you’re more worried about this date with Vincent than you are about anything else. Falling in love is confusing, not to mention sometimes painful as hell.”

The denial hovered at the end of my tongue.

“I know. I know. You don’t want to admit it. I get it, believe me. You don’t think I’ve been where you are right now? Remember I mentioned a bottle of tequila and a breakdown the night we first met? Big life changes do strange things to the brain. I might not have had a celebrity career at stake, but my life did get turned upside down and I was ready to give up and possibly drink myself to death.”

“So what happened?”

She smiled, her face softening. “Gabe pulled me out of it like he always did back then. That man has been my rock for more years than I care to admit. Not that getting to where we are now didn’t take a lot of compromise and forgiveness. A lot of shit went down between us and I didn’t take kindly to all of it. Not that that matters here. My point is just this. Don’t let the external shit get in the way. Not totally. Love and family mean more than anything else. Even when that family is found instead of blood. Of course, when he does something that pisses you off, feel free to let him know by kicking him in the balls if that’s what it takes. These alpha men are used to being in charge and that makes them stupid sometimes. But their hearts are in the right place and that’s why we love them.”

“But this isn’t Vincent’s fault. Everything you’ve seen in those pictures was consensual. It was my decision to take the risk with him. Maybe in a different time in our lives this would have been easier though. But he definitely didn’t do anything wrong.”

Another laugh rang through the air. “Trust me, he will. And you’ll give him hell for it. Then he’ll put you on your knees and you’ll remember why you are there.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s where you want to be and that’s where your heart belongs.”

God, what she said sounded so good. It sounded like her and Gabe had walked through fire together and came out perfect. I still wasn’t sure how that applied to me and Vincent, but it was a damn good story anyway.

“Okay, before you try to veto me on this, Zia…” Julie walked back over to us with a long dress wrapped in a black garment bag. I didn’t have to see it to know which dress she carried.

“Julie, no. I can’t.”

“You can. You have to.”

“Ooh, let me see. I’m intrigued.” Nina seemed almost giddy, which left me wanting to roll my eyes. I could already see that I was going to lose this fight.

Julie unzipped the bag and revealed the long-sleeved blue silk sheath of a dress that I already knew skimmed my figure to absolute perfection. And that the butter soft fabric glided over my skin in sensual waves every time I moved. Not to mention the mostly bare back that dipped perilously low on my backside. It was by far the sexiest dress I owned.

“I think it’s going to send the wrong message.”

“Oh no! I disagree.” Nina dove for the dress and quickly pulled it free so she could survey it even closer. “Not only is Vincent going to lose his mind when he sees you in this, the pictures are going to leave the whole world breathless. I don’t know what you were saving this gem for, but Julie is right. You have to wear this.”

I could see that neither woman was going to take no for an answer and as Julie had so painfully pointed out, I didn’t have enough time to go searching for something else.

“Fine. Hand it over and I’ll put it on, but I’d like it on the record that I think this is a bad idea.”

Both women gave each other a knowing look that made me roll my eyes as I disappeared into the bathroom. Meddling know-it-alls. Yes, they were my friends, but still…

“I’ll pick out the jewelry,” I heard Julie say, to which Nina responded that she would choose the shoes. Considering the skyscrapers I’d seen Nina always wearing around the hotel, I had no doubt which ones she would pick. Not only would I be completely overdressed, I’d be struggling to walk without falling on my face.Oh joy.

At least the hairdresser and makeup artist Nina had sent in for tonight hadn’t gone overboard. Letting my hair flow freely down my back in soft waves looked natural and went perfectly with the smoky eyes I had going on.

Halfway into the dress, I refused to look in the mirror for fear I would have to admit my friends were right.

“Oh my God!”

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