Page 75 of Love Redesigned
“Dani, don’t freak out. It’s Alex,” I hurriedly said. “It’s just me.”
She reached over and turned on the lamp beside her bed. “Geez, Alex, you scared me half to death. What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
“Sorry. It was dumb to wake you. Everything’s fine.”
“Oh.” She sat all the way up, then reached up and took down her hair. It had been piled high on top of her head and I watched, mesmerized as the blonde curls fell onto her shoulders. She ran her fingers across her scalp a few times and rubbed her eyes. She was just trying to wake up, and I was staring like an idiot. But how could I not? She was stunning.
“So did you want to hang out?” she said. “Or...?”
“Oh. Sorry. No. I, um, I have news.”
She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and stifled a yawn. “It better be good.”
“Do I need to give you a minute to wake up?”
She scrubbed her hands across her face one more time. “No, I’m good. Fully awake.”
I sat on the side of her bed and launched into the information I’d learned from Angelica, explaining everything as best I could. I’d have to forward her the email, so she could see all the evidence for herself, but for now, it was incredibly vindicating just to know, to say the truth out loud.
“Sally Mabel?” Dani repeated. “I never saw that coming.”
“I wonder how long it took to train the Alabama Southern out of her voice,” I said.
“No kidding,” Dani said. “I have a good ear for it, and I never caught even a shadow of a Southern accent from her.”
“The dress is ready, right?” I asked her.
She nodded. “I finished it right after Chase left. I had to so I could focus on the jackets.”
I looked to the small sewing table she’d been using the past couple of weeks. Three of the four leather jackets for Red Renegade hung on a rack in the corner. “They look good.”
“Thanks. I’m a little worried about fit. I mean, I had the band go into the Mood on Thirty-Seventh Street so my friend, Harper, could measure them for me, and I trust her measurements. But it’s not quite the same as seeing them in person, myself, you know?”
“I’m sure they’ll be perfect.”
“So I guess it’ll be a big couple of weeks,” Dani said, settling back against the headboard.
“Right. The Compassion Experiment and then Florida a week later. I’ll start working on our travel arrangements tomorrow.”
“Don’t forget about Paige’s wedding the week after that.”
“Right. Your weekwillbe busy. How’s all of that going?”
She shrugged and rolled her eyes. “It’s been a little crazy. Paige’s mom is super committed to making sure the wedding is worthy of Charleston’s finest. She and Paige argued for ten minutes yesterday because the napkins arrived, and Ms. Perry doesn’t think they’re the exact shade of cream they need to be.”
“Sounds...fun?”
“If anything, it’s helped me realize what Iwon’tcare about if I ever end up getting married.”
“Like napkin colors?”
“Absolutely not.”
Dani stilled, the humor and lightness of the moment quickly transforming into something much more serious. She kept her eyes down for a moment before she reached out and touched my arm, her fingers resting lightly just above my wrist. “I know you have a lot on the line here. Thank you for everything you’re doing. For helping me.”
I twisted my hand, closing my fingers over top of hers, and held her hand, my thumb rubbing slow circles across her knuckles.
She looked up and met my gaze, her expression showing surprise, but she didn’t pull her hand away.
