Page 57 of Rugged Heart

twenty

scarlett

Glancing up at the analog clock from the humongous pile of paperwork on my desk, I squawk.

“Layla!” I yell as I hop up and search frantically for my phone. She pops her honey blonde head in and watches as I grab my things in a hurry. “I forgot I had an appointment this afternoon. Please forward any fundraising or gala calls to my cell. I shouldn’t be too long, but I’m running late.”

“You got it, boss.” She salutes as she smirks and bops back to her desk.

I shuffle as fast as I can down the hall in my kitten heels, mindful not to trip and break an ankle. The gala will be here in less than two weeks and a cast would look terrible with a gown.

As I huff it to my car, I send off a text to Savy, letting her know I’m on my way. Today is the only day I had available to go shopping and I’m already eating into the allotted time I left for it.

Passing city limits and through one of the few stoplights, I arrive in Engelmann Square. It’s a little Hallmark-type town with all these mom-and-pop shops framed by the mountains. Simply gorgeous. No time to stop and stare, I remind myself as I leave my car and walk down the sidewalk to the dress shop.

The heavy scent of coffee beans hits me before I spy the Java Drip and I inhale the sweet scents of caramel and cinnamon, wishing I had time to dash in for a drink, but I don’t want to keep Savy waiting any longer.

I gaze longingly at the iced cappuccino in the hands of the customer exiting the door before I glimpse a pair sitting in the far corner. His back is to me, but there’s no mistaking his tight denim jeans and broad shoulders up to his ball-capped head.

He looks really good in a ball cap. Sexy. Ugh, what will it take to make these thoughts go away? Do I want them to go away?

He’s talking and laughing with Rowan. Her face alight, smiling behind her coffee cup and Grey relaxed in his chair strikes a jolt of unexpected jealousy through my veins and I stop myself from knocking on the window to get his attention. To look at me. To see me.

It shouldn’t surprise me he’s here with company. If it wasn’t Rowan, it would be some other woman. Greyson’s personality alone draws people to him. His outgoing and boyish charm, his willingness to help anyone out, not to mention that stinking dimple and sparkly blue eyes. Which someone else right now gets to stare into. He said they’re just friends, but are they really?

Alarm blares deep into my guts, and ignoring it is no longer an option. Platonic? Not anymore. Greyson is not only my best friend, but a man—a man I crave to look at me as a woman. Daily, images of him run through my head, my body thrumming and humming with an anticipation only he can fulfill. We’ve bonded as parents, but now I want him to see me as more than his son’s mom and it scares the ever-living daylights out of me.

Rushing past the window, I fling open the dress shop door and close it, the small bell jangling interrupting the quiet of the store. I gulp down air and pray no one else hears the pounding of my heart and anxiety zipping through my belly. The oxygen I so desperately seek is nonexistent and when Savy comes into view, she’s blurry, but I don’t miss the expression of concern on her face.

“Turtle, are you alright?” she asks, taking hold of my elbow and leading me to a chair near the dressing rooms.

I nod my head and fan my warm cheeks. “I’m okay. Just may have had too much coffee and not enough lunch before I came here.” I lie because it’s easier than the truth.

I’m falling for my best friend.

Knitting her eyebrows, she reaches into her purse and pulls out a granola bar. “Here, eat this. It might help.”

My fingers shake as I unwrap the bar. Shoving half in my mouth, I chew mechanically as I attempt to process what this means. Savy’s eyes, hazel laser beams, read my distress like the Guardians of the Galaxy. Realizing this is not the time nor place to meltdown, I quickly swallow and smile up at my sweet friend. “Thank you. I feel better already.”

She pauses briefly before patting my shoulder and glancing around. “I scoped out our options before you got here, and I found a few I think will look gorgeous on you.”

Dragging me to a rack, she pulls out a silky black number along with a red velvet version.

“I’m not sure I have to go all out, do I?” I ask her as she removes a green dress with capped sleeves that I shake my head at.

“Why not? Oh, this one is a power dress. This goes in the try-it-on pile.” She adds it to my arms growing heavy under the weight of the fabric.

“I put this on every year. I can re-wear one I already have.” I spy a powder blue one and move to grab it, but Savy wags her finger back and forth.

“That would make you look like Cinderella, and not in a good way. Here, what about this one?” She holds up a deep midnight blue dress, velvety with high slits, and shimmery with sparkles all over. It’s breath-taking, so I nod for her to add to the stack just as an employee glides over.

“Hi. Let me take those for you and start a dressing room, okay?”

I hand over my pile along with Savy’s.

“I have a feeling this year you’re gonna want a new dress.” She winks and picks up a pair of heels to inspect the size.

“Savy, I sure hope you don’t have any more dirty tricks up your sleeve. I have a bone to pick with you over that whole speed-dating fiasco.” A pair of six-inch black stilettos catches my eye and I run my fingers down the boxes to find my size. I love being taller at these functions. Makes me feel like a powerhouse.

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