Page 20 of Saving Hanna
Chapter Fourteen
HANNA
My heart was racing. In less than eight hours I would be meeting Aiden’s father. Everything that I owned had been spread across the bed and nothing seemed to be good enough to wear. Even what I thought a month ago was my prettiest outfit just didn’t seem right. Frustrated and feeling as though accepting Aiden’s invitation might have been a mistake, I stared at my clothes and thought it would be best to tell Aiden I wouldn’t be able to go. Maybe if I pretended I wasn’t feeling well, he would understand.
Opening the door to my room, my heart jumped out of my chest, startled by Aiden standing on the other side. “Crap, crap. You scared me to death.”
“I’m sorry, Hanna,” he said, peering over my shoulder, more than likely wondering about the mess that I had made of my room. “Fight with your closet?”
Looking back over my shoulder, I replied, “Something like that. Listen, I’m not sure going to your father’s is such a good idea. Maybe you could tell him I wasn’t feeling well.”
Taking me by the hand, he pulled me closer and placed a kiss on my lips. “Let’s get out of here. I think a shopping day is in order.”
Grabbing my phone and my small shoulder purse, I pulled the door closed and followed Aiden down the stairs, walking hand in hand with him. I didn’t know why I didn’t think about it first. Certainly, I wouldn’t be able to afford a dress that would be suitable to wear to his father’s.
Heading towards downtown Houston, Aiden turned down Westheimer Road, where shop after shop appeared. In the year that I had lived here, the closest I ever came to shopping for new clothes was at your corner Wal-Mart store. Looking at the clothes displayed in the windows, I knew that these shops were way above what I could afford.
Looking over to Aiden, I said, “I don’t think there is anything I can afford in these shops. Is there a mall nearby where we can go?”
“Don’t be silly, Hanna. I invited you to my father’s and therefore, this is all on me.”
Even though I have never allowed anyone to buy anything for me, he did have a point. If it hadn’t it been for the fact that he invited me to his father’s I wouldn’t have needed a new dress. I wouldn’t be shopping for one in the first place. On second thought, there was still the fact that I accepted his invitation.
“I can tell that you’re overthinking this, Hanna.”
He was right. I was overthinking this, but only because I was trying to convince myself that he should have to buy me a dress for tonight. I have always been independent. The only man that ever bought me anything was my father, and that was only until I was seventeen.
Turning right at the light, Aiden pulled to the side of the street, parking in front of a fancy boutique that displayed beautiful dresses in the window. Looking up at the marquee hanging above the arched door, there was no way I could pronounce the name of the place. It had to be French since there was a picture of the Eiffel tower in black behind the pink lettering.
Aiden got out of the car first while I continued to admire the dresses from the inside of the car. Opening my door, Aiden assisted me out. My attention was still on one particular dress that was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. It was simple, with a neckline that crossed in the front and barely hung off the shoulders. There was a big black bow at the waist that added to the rest of the dress, which flared out. Even though teal wasn’t my favorite color, it was beautiful. Standing next to Aiden, his eyes were now upon the dress that I fixated on. “It’s very attractive and would look amazing on you.”
Giving him a smile, I stared at the dress and replied, “We’ll see.”
Entering the boutique, a young lady greeted us, or at least Aiden, “Good morning, sir. Welcome to Paradis sur Terre.”
“Thank you. My friend would like to try the dress on that you have displayed in the window. I believe a size four should fit nicely,” Aiden responded.
I had no idea how he knew about women’s sizes, unless of course, he had shopped with women before. Just the thought made me angry even though there was really nothing between us except a few episodes of amazing sex. There shouldn’t have been any reason to be angry. I should have felt flattered that he knew what size I wore.
Without thinking I blurted out, “Shop much?”
“Occasionally,” he began. “This was my mother’s favorite shop. I used to come here as a child.”
At that moment, I could have sunk into a hole. I needed to work on jumping to conclusions. Thankfully the clerk brought the dress before I said anything else. Taking it from her hand, I looked around to see if I could find a dressing room. The clerk pointed to the back of the store where I saw a row of dressing room along the back wall.
Heading in that direction, I said, “Thank you,” leaving Aiden with the clerk.
As I began getting undressed, I could hear the clerk laughing and carrying on with Aiden on the other side of the door. I wasn’t sure what it was about this woman, but just the sound of her laughing was making my stomach turn. It was then that I realized that I was acting like I was in high school. Never had I been jealous of a girl and there was no way I was going to start now.
Stepping into the dress, I pulled it up my legs and then over my shoulders. Pulling up the zipper located on the left side, I took one look in the mirror and was amazed at how well the dress fit me. It was beautiful and looked like it was made for me. At least, until I saw the price tag. “Fifteen hundred dollars, are you shitting me?” I choked.
“Hanna, is everything okay in there?” Aiden’s voice sounded like he was right outside the door. I had no idea that I had confessed my disbelief out loud.
“Couldn’t be better,” I said as I slowly opened the door.
His expression gave no clue whether he was disgusted or charmed by the way I looked in the dress. His mouth had dropped open and his eyes were glued to me. Taking a stab at how he was feeling, I said, “You don’t like it.”
“Don’t like it? Are you kidding? You look amazing.”
