Page 34 of Coming Home

She lets out a breath. “Honey, it’s plain to everyone except you. That man is crazy for you.”

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. “I can’t tell you how I know, but I know. He’s just not into me. Not like that.”

Lilian does a whole eye roll that even includes her head. She’s fed up with me, and the theatrics are strong as she gets exasperated with me. “Okay, we’re going to prove it.”

I should just give it up. I need to finish the design for his house, and hopefully my apartment will be ready soon and I can get out of his hair. “There’s nothing to prove.”

She gives me a measured look and then jumps to her feet. “Come on.”

She grabs my hand to pull me up, but I’m not budging. “Where are we going?”

She yanks harder until I’m standing up. “Ford and Ollie are watching some kind of soccer game on TV tonight. You and I are going out. I’ll see if Isabella, Ally, or Natalie want to go too. We can have a girls’ night out.”

My instinct is to say no. I’m used to being on my own, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if maybe this is a good idea. I hope to stay in Whiskey Run, and I know I should try to make friends while I’m here. “Okay… I’m in.”

She looks at me with surprise. “You’re in?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer. Instead, she reaches for my purse under my desk and practically throws it at me. “Forget it. I’m getting you out of here before you change your mind.”

We’re halfway out the door before I cut in. “Where are we going?”

“Shopping. Dinner and then the Whistler.”

I curl my nose up at her. “The bar?”

She puts her hand on her hip. “I’ll have you know the Whiskey Whistler is a fine establishment. You’ve never been inside, have you?”

I shake my head, and she threads her arm with mine. “Well, you’re in for a treat. Let’s go.”

We leave and go straight to a boutique downtown. Lilian pulls dresses off the rack and leads me to the dressing room. She hangs them inside. “Try those on. I’m going to text the girls and see who can meet us.”

I close the door behind her, but I hear her call out, “I want to see them on, Elle.”

I pull out the first dress and hold it up. It’s a short dress with flowers, and it’s actually kind of cute. At least I think so until I get it on. It’s fitted at the waist and way too low-cut. I’m about to jerk it off when Lilian hollers through the door again, “Let me see.”

I crack the door open. “There’s no way I’m wearing this, Lilian. It’s too short and”—I point to my chest—“too low.”

She’s a tiny woman, but her strength amazes me when she shoves the door open. “Oh my God, Elle. You look amazing!”

“There’s no way I’m wearing this outside… in front of people.”

She crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot on the floor. “Okay, talk to me. Why do you dress the way you do?”

I point at the clothes I removed. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

She looks at me. “You really don’t know?”

“So they’re a little big.”

Lilian waves her hand up and down my body. “A little big? Your clothes hang off you and hide this beautiful body.”

“I’m not beautiful,” I insist.

Lilian is shocked. “Elle, you are beautiful, and more important, you’re beautiful inside and out.”

I grab the oversize dress shirt I took off and hold it in my hands. “Growing up, my mom always had me on a diet. No matter what I did, she thought I was too big and I needed to lose weight.” I hold the shirt up. “Eventually she gave up on me losing weight and convinced me that I needed to hide my body.”

Lilian comes toward me. She doesn’t say anything. She wraps her arms around me and holds on. When she pulls back, she wipes the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Elle. I know it’s not the same, but I’m telling you that you’re beautiful. Just the way you are, you’re beautiful.”

I reach over and hug her. When I pull back, I let out a breath, and it feels like I lose ten pounds of grief.

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