Page 103 of The Lies I've Told
I guessed it was time to face it head-on.
Turning to my sister, I said, “Let’s go get that dress.”
Her eyes brightened. “Does that mean…”
I shrugged, but I couldn’t hide the small bit of glee that escaped as I rose from the chair.
My own store.
My own line of clothing.
Yeah, it was a pipe dream, but it was mine.
And damn if it wasn’t about time I started having those again.
By the time we made it to the store, I was leaking sweat out of every pore on my body. I’d never purchased anything like this before in my life.
Unless you counted my apartment.
Oh crap, my apartment.
I’d probably have to sell that now that I was moving.
Moving…
Was I actually moving?
So. Much. Sweat.
Even the idea had my heart galloping to an unknown destination in my chest.
“Are you nervous?” Molly asked as we walked up to Beachcombers.
“Yes,” I managed to say.
“Excited?”
“Yes.”
“Do you hate me for suggesting the idea?”
We both stopped at the entrance as I tried to steady my breath.
“A little,” I answered. “But, more than that, I’m disappointed with myself for not thinking of it. I’ve spent too long working on other people’s dreams and ambitions; I’ve kind of forgotten what it’s like to have my own. I kept rising through the ranks at my company, believing that was enough, but really, I was just moving further and further away from what I wanted. I mean, this is why I wanted to go into design in the first place.” A memory flickered back to the forefront of my mind. “I think I told Aiden that.”
“You think? Is that part of the whole drunken night coming back at you?”
“Yeah.” I smiled, happy I’d shared it with him. Apparently, I was more honest with him drunk than I was with myself sober.
“Well, let’s see if we can get you one giant step closer to those dreams of yours, shall we?”
With my gorgeous hand-sewn masterpiece of a homecoming dress in my arms, the one that had started it all, we stepped into Rita’s shop.
“Yes. Let’s.”
“Two McIntyre girls at once!” Rita exclaimed the moment she saw us enter. “Well, isn’t it my lucky day? And is that a little angel sleeping on your chest, Miss Molly?”
“It is,” she said, looking down at Ruby, who had been fed just before we left Molly’s house after picking up the dress.
