Page 61 of Howling Night

“Courtney!” I said, secretly hoping she was right.

I gave in and bought the dress, along with the heels Courtney had insisted on. The saleslady packaged everything carefully in tissue paper, sliding it into a fancy shopping bag with rope handles. Even though it cost more than I’d planned to spend, the expression on Courtney’s face convinced me it was worth every penny.

At least I still had the money from working at The Timber Tavern that I could put toward the purchase, since Trevor had refused to take anything from me for fixing my car. There wouldn’t be much left, and I’d have to dig into my savings to pay the moving company a second time, but I’d most likely be able to get my job back in the city once I returned.

“Can we stop at the gas station for a snack?” Courtney asked as we climbed into the SUV. “I think I forgot to eat lunch.”

“Sounds good,” I said, my stomach rumbling.

We pulled into the gas station near the highway. Courtney was still talking about the dress as we went inside. While Courtney loaded up on chips and candy, I grabbed a bottle of diet soda and a pre-packaged sandwich on seeded bread.

“I’m going to get this for Mason,” she said, stepping up beside me, holding a little toy truck.

“I thought the candy was for him.”

Courtney rolled her eyes. “Please, he doesn’t need any more sugar. I don’t either, for that matter, but I need to recover from the shopping.”

“It wasn’t that long,” I said, paying for both of our items.

“You don’t have to do that!” Courtney said, pressing her hands together.

“I insist,” I said, handing her a bag filled with her snacks and the toy truck. “It’s my way of thanking you for your help and time.”

She got back into the passenger seat and opened her drink. “You’re really too sweet. Like this candy, I shouldn’t eat.”

I laughed and turned back onto the road. We munched our food and chatted about nothing as we headed back to our part of the countryside. I kept the conversation deliberately light, steering clear of any mention of Kellan. If I were only going to be here a few more days, I didn’t want to waste any more time talking or thinking about Kellan.

When I pulled up to Courtney’s house, I stopped at the end of the driveway instead of going all the way up. “Thanks again for coming with me.”

“Do you want to come in? Say hi to Mason?” she asked, sliding her purse off her shoulder and gripping the plastic bag in her other hand.

“I would, but I need to get back home and start getting ready,” I said, giving her a quick smile.

“Oh, right? Duh,” Courtney said, shaking her head. “Have a really good time, but not too good. Let me know how it goes, okay?”

“I will,” I said, waving.

She closed the door, and I reversed out onto the country road, speeding toward home without another look at her house. I didn’t even watch her walk to the door, afraid I might catch a glimpse of Kellan through a window or coming out on the porch to greet her. The thought of seeing him again made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

Back home, I hung the dress carefully in my closet and headed to the bathroom to shower. The hot water helped wash away some of the tension I was still holding onto, and I took my time shampooing and conditioning my hair until it was silky-soft.

I blow-dried it until it fell in gentle waves to my shoulders and then applied my makeup with more care than usual. A subtle smokey eye, with pink blush and red lipstick that matched the dress almost perfectly. My hands shook as I applied the final touches.

The butterflies in my stomach grew more intense as I slipped into the red dress and stepped into the heels. Looking at myself in the full-length mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back at me. The dress transformed me, making me look sophisticated and sexy in a way my usual jeans and t-shirts or business attire never could.

It was 7:55 pm when I finished. I paced around my living room, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor as I alternated between checking my phone and adjusting my hair every few seconds. At 7:59 exactly, I heard the low rumble of Ryder’s truck pulling up outside. My heart hammered against my ribs as I took one last look in the mirror, smoothed the dress down over my hips, and took a deep breath.

At precisely 8:00, he knocked at the door — three confident raps.

I walked to the door slowly, trying not to wobble in the heels, and pulled it open.

Ryder stood on my porch looking devastatingly handsome in dark jeans and a crisp button-down shirt, his sleeves rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms. When his eyes landed on me, they widened, and his mouth actually fell open.

He swallowed hard as his eyes traveled slowly from my face down the length of my body and back up again. “Holy shit.”

ChapterTwenty-Eight

I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face as heat filled my cheeks. It seemed Courtney was right about the dress.

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