Chloe's Dream

by Jennifer Ann

  Chloe’s Dream

  NYC LOVE #3

  Jennifer Ann

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of writer’s imagination or have been used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  CHLOE’S DREAM (NYC LOVE #3)

  Copyright © 2015 Jennifer Naumann

  All rights reserved.

  Cover designed by BESTOFYOU Designs

  Image © danilkorolev

  A Treetop Fantasies book (a division of Phantom Owl Press)

  ASIN: B00U9T8BA8

  For my cousin (and sister from another mother) April.

  You know why.

  {Kelly Cavenaugh}

  If someone told me at the beginning of last summer that I’d soon be engaged to a gorgeous man who spoiled me rotten, living in a beautiful brownstone in New York City, planning for not only my wedding, but my best friend’s at the same time, I’d most likely ask what kind of medication they’re on and if they had any left to share.

  Watching my beautiful blonde friend emerge from the upscale dressing room to parade around in front of the wall of mirrors in a dizzying blur of white tulle and sparkles makes everything so surreal that I have to sit down in one of the plush armchairs next to Chloe to collect myself. We’re getting married. At times I wonder if I’ll ever have to stop reminding myself of the fact.

  “Oh my god you look like a freaking princess!” Chloe declares, clapping her hands together at the 3-way reflection of Jewels staring back at us. “Only you could pull that look off, J. Your waist is so tiny, and your boobs look amazing. I mean, that dress isn’t my style, of course, but you, you would probably look good in anything. We could be here for months trying on every dress in the store and you’d rock every single one.”

  I can’t stop myself from laughing at Chloe’s rant. Even though more than half a year has passed since Jewels introduced me to her, I’m still amazed by our “little” friend’s spirited quirks and how adorable she is: from the bright blue streaks in her bangs against her dark black hair to the way her heart-shaped mouth and big brown eyes stand out against her petite face like a sexy cartoon character, she’s one of the most enduring people I’ve met. I never used to be into music as much as Jewels, but my new favorite past time has become following Chloe’s hard rock band through New York bars. You’d never guess someone so little could belt out songs the way she can, plus she really knows how to rock a guitar.

  “What would be your style, Chloe?” I ask with a smirk. “I’m having a hard time picturing you in anything sparkling. Or bright white.”

  With her tattooed arm, she gestures to her light blue camisole and short skirt. “If I ever get married, what I wear on my wedding day would probably look something like this. But I say if with a capital ‘I F’ because it would take the perfect guy to make me settle down and commit to something that big. No offense, because the two of you have definitely found your Prince Charmings and they’re both amazing in their own way, but I have a really high set of standards. They can’t just be sweet and good-looking. They have to know how to rock a guitar and carry a note because he’ll probably go on the road with me when I make it big, so we may as well start a band together. It’s one of the reasons you’ve never seen me date anyone.”

  I nudge her, grinning. “What about Mick? He always asks me about you. Don’t even pretend like you didn’t kiss him on New Year’s, either, because I saw it.”

  Chloe’s face turns crimson red with the mention of my coworker. Although Mick and Chloe met at Flanagan’s last fall and really seemed to hit it off with their mutual interest in music and concerts, their only interaction that I know of was to add each other on Facebook and the brief kiss the night Adam proposed to Jewels on a rooftop overlooking Times Square.

  “What do you want me to say? The guy’s a total sweetheart. I wouldn’t mind getting to know him a little better, though I think if he felt the same he would’ve made a move by now. I did give him my number, and it’s been months.” She waves her hands through the air in a “never-mind” gesture. “Besides, I barely have time for you two outside of the band and the shop. I don’t know where a guy would fit into all of that. I can only be stretched so far. You can tell him next time you see him that I say hello anyway.”

  An older woman with white-blond hair slicked back into a pretentious bun, wearing a long dress and a name tag pinned to her chest, appears at my friend’s side. “Well, what did we decide? You look delightful in that dress, my dear.”

  This is when I realize Jewels is standing with her hands set firmly on her hips, staring holes into me. Oh, right. I haven’t said anything about the dress.

  “It’s pretty, but it’s not really you,” I say truthfully, gesturing to the nest of tulle. “I’ve never seen you wear anything so...girly. I see you in something long and elegant. Maybe something with a higher waistline and a sleek skirt. Flowing. Less bling. You know, classic.”

  The saleswoman purses her lips when looking my way, obviously dismayed by my lack of approval. But Jewels is the free-spirited type who likes to fight her way to the front of the crowd at concerts. As beautiful as she looks in the princess-style dress, it’s not her style.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right,” Jewels concedes, frowning at her reflection in the mirror. “I guess I just wanted to see what I’d look like in something like this.”

  “You look freaking gorgeous, of course,” I tell her. “Still, as your maid of honor it’s my duty to help you pick the perfect dress since your mom can’t be here. And that, my friend, is definitely not it.”

  “She’s right, you know,” Chloe chimes in. “Always listen to your bestie. She knows you better than anyone else. Me, I could sit here and tell you that you rock every dress you try on. I’m sure Adam will lose his shit no matter what you choose. Your wedding is going to be exactly like a fairy tale, I can see it now.”

  Jewels inhales sharply as she looks my way. “You should try this on, Kel!”

  I laugh bluntly. “Except that sparkles aren’t really my thing either. And I’m so not wearing white white.”

  Truthfully, I’m terrified to actually do something that will move the wedding forward. Sometimes I worry Theo and I moved too fast with the marriage thing even though I know in my heart he’s “the one” and I can’t envision a future without him. I fell so hard and fast after he finally understood my twisted past of trysts gone wrong that it seemed right when he proposed to me on Christmas. It’s just that I don’t know if I’m ready for the responsibilities that come with being a wife. I feel young, not to mention the fact that I’m new to this big city life and have so much to experience. What if married life makes us dull? I can’t bake worth a shit, gardening seems so boring, and I have no interest in sewing anything. Aren’t those things expected of a good wife?

  So far the good news is that Theo told me he doesn’t know if he sees himself becoming a dad one day, so at least we’re on the same page when it comes to children. There are days I’m amazed that I can take care of myself, and can’t imagine being responsible for a tiny, helpless human. Yet I’ve caught myself fantasizing at random times over what beautiful babies we’d make together, so there’s that.

  Jewels raises her eyebrows at the woman. “Could you maybe find her something like that? And maybe so
mething with a bunch of lace, too. With her awesome backside, she could pull off the look.”

  “I’ll gather some different styles together,” the saleslady tells Jewels, her tan skin appearing orange next to her artificial smile. She throws me a terse glance before turning on her heels and leaving us with our Barbie-esque friend.

  “Why does that lady keep looking at me like I’m going to pee on something?” I ask my friends once she’s gone. “And why did you sell me out like that, Jewels? Seriously, I wasn’t going to try anything on today. This isn’t about me, it’s all about you.”

  Since we haven’t set a date, I didn’t plan on actively shopping for a dress. Jewels has been with Adam a few months longer than Theo and I, plus they’ve had to deal with Adam’s medical issues that come with being a brittle diabetic. Neither of them has said it out loud, but I think they’re anxious to get married while he’s relatively healthy.

  Jewels touches my arm. “Except we’re both getting married. I’m so not letting you out of this shop until you try something on with me. It’s not like you have to buy something today. It’ll be fun trying them on together!”

  Less than ten minutes later, the woman returns and ushers me into an open dressing room with quilted benches and draping white cloth among a jungle of white flowers that give off the fragrance of a funeral home. Four dresses hang against a wall, one with a full lace skirt and heart-shaped bodice; a long, tame number with a lace covered front and funky lace detail on back; a dress similar to the one Jewels tried on with silver jewels instead of sparkles, and a champagne-colored number with more of a tame tulle skirt and big, chunky jewels on the bodice.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say, tapping my fingers against the wall and blowing a big breath of air out.

  None of the dresses are remotely close to anything I’d pick out. Then again, I have no freaking clue what I would choose. Until I hooked up with Theo, I was more a short skirt and low-cut top kind of girl. I still occasionally dress that way when we hit the clubs. Otherwise I’ve become conservative since doing away with one-night stands.

  Jewels closes the door behind me, her eyes dancing with mischief and excitement. “This is awesome! You may as well start trying them on. I’m camping in here until I see you in those dresses.”

  “I really wish we’d go somewhere else to look,” I tell Jewels. “Are you really going to give that snob out there commission? Did you see the dirty looks she kept throwing me and Chloe? She probably thinks we’re just trying dresses on for the hell of it. Either that or she’s worried they’ll stain with our redneck juices.”

  Jewels clicks her tongue after a little giggle. “Just try these on, and we’re out of here.”

  She helps me slip into the lace number first. Though it’s elegant and regal, it isn’t my style. I don’t even bother popping out to show Chloe. “Moving on,” I say, quickly stepping out of it. I skip over the next two and pause before taking the champagne-colored dress off the hanger. The sweetheart bodice and color are actually gorgeous. I just don’t know about all the tulle.

  When I slip into it, however, watching my reflection in the mirror as Jewels zips me up, I have to cover my mouth. I’m struck with a vision of myself walking down a sandy beach with a large bouquet of red roses in hand as Theo waits for me in a casual suit, button on his shirt gaping as he gives me the kind of grin that melts my heart. And I can see him peering up at me from beneath all that tulle once the reception is over, and we’re left alone to ravage each other.

  Jewels steps back to admire me, her eyes wide. “Hole. E. Shit. Kel, you look stellar. That dress is amazing on you!”

  A sudden wave of tears prick my eyes, even though there’s no way I’m about to allow myself to become soft in front of my bestie. I promised my three sisters and mom that I would wait until they were in town later this spring to shop for a dress. What if this is the one? How in the hell can I find the perfect one after only trying on two?

  Jewels pokes her head out the door. “Chloe, get your tiny ass in here!”

  Our friend skips into the dressing room with the saleswoman at her heels.

  “You’re a vision of pure beauty in that dress, my dear,” the saleswoman says, touching her chest in what I can’t decide to be mockery or sincerity.

  “Damn, Kelly!” Chloe exclaims, holding my arms out at my sides to get a better look. “I know you aren’t a fan of sparkle and fluffy shit, but this is perfect on you! It’s like you stepped right off the pages of Vogue!”

  “It could work,” I say cryptically. I’m not about to tell them just how much I’m in love with the dress. I can’t try on a mere two dresses if I’m only going to do this marriage thing once. Besides, I have no interest in telling the woman just how much I like something that she picked out. Yet there’s something deep down that tells me this is the dress I’ll be wearing when I marry Theo. My stomach flutters in anticipation.

  “I’ll write down the information so you’ll have it for later,” the saleswoman tells me, her smile a bit more generous as she leaves the dressing room.

  “Seriously, Kel, you look amazing,” Jewels gushes, beaming from ear to ear. She peers down inside the bodice of the dress at her boobs, frowning. “Now someone needs to help me out of this thing. I think all this bling is giving me hives.”

  The three of us celebrate the first, though unsuccessful for Jewels, wedding dress search with drinks at Flanagan’s. It was my idea to hit the bar in hopes that Chloe and Mick would reconnect. When we walk in, however, my co-worker Stella tells us he left for a family emergency.

  “I guess it’s nothing serious,” she assures us while pouring our drinks. “He said he might be able to come back in later.”

  The Irish pub I’ve come to cherish for so many reasons is fairly quiet for once as there isn’t a band. I belly up to the bar between my friends, enjoying a rare night off. Flanagan’s has become a second home of sorts and not just because I once lived in the apartment over it. Mick and the other bartenders have become my second family.

  Theo has been on me to find a different job with hours similar to his so we’ll see more of each other. I agree it needs to happen, though every time I walk into the low-lit building, seeing the worn wooden bar and beams overhead with the smell of stale peanuts and beer wafting through the air, I’m reminded of how I changed my life all on my own when Mick offered me the job, and I don’t have the heart to quit.

  A full hour later, I’ve just taken my first sip of the second round of Jameson when the strong arms I could ogle and stroke for hours on end slip around my waist. The tantalizing scent of my beautiful fiancé surrounds me like a cloud.

  “Did my smoking hot bride-to-be find her dream dress today?” Theo asks, his husky voice letting me know just how much he missed me while he was off at work. God, his affection for me will never grow old. Neither will the blazing desire I feel for him when he’s near. My underwear become damp with just the sound of his voice and fell of his warm body hovering near mine. I’m drawn to him like a moth to a light.

  “Hmmm, I think she was too busy exchanging flirty texts with her fiancé to bother with such trivial things,” I say over my shoulder with a coy smile. “Besides, it was all about Jewels. She’s on a deadline.” I’m not about to tell him this early on that I think I may have found the perfect dress. Besides, I don’t want him to think I’m suddenly eager to set a date.

  Theo brushes my hair off to one side and leans in to whisper, “If it weren’t for the fact that my aunt and sister would murder us both if we didn’t have a traditional wedding, I’d take you to some private island where we could marry in the nude and consummate our love right on the beach.” His soft lips brush against my jaw. “Over.” He kisses the corner of my mouth. “And over again until we collapsed from exhaustion.” He runs his nose along the ridge beneath my jaw before pulling away.

  With a turned-on quiver, I make a strange sound that comes out as a blend of laughter and choking. “Somehow I don’t think my sisters a
nd friends would be excited about it either. Especially when I’ve already asked them to be in the wedding.”

  “A man can fantasize.” He makes a low grumbling noise as he kisses the spot beneath my ear and pulls back. “And believe me when I say that I do. All. Day. Long.”

  Running my fingers over his rigid muscles, I turn to bring our lips together, allowing him just enough time to slip his mouthwash-flavored tongue into my mouth. I lean back with a satisfied grin, taking in his hazel eyes sparkling beneath his low eyebrows and the devilish smile against his square jaw. My gut stirs excitedly. More than anything I want to pull him somewhere private and have my way. I’ll never grow tired of our intense make out sessions or the chance to do naughty things with the beautiful man.

  For the first time I realize Theo didn’t come alone. Adam stands behind Jewels with his arm slung loosely around her neck, whispering into her ear. She clings onto his arms with both hands, giggling. They’ve become even more adorable since the night he proposed, though she may have mentioned the same about me and Theo. Several times.

  Chloe clears her throat at my other side. When I turn to her, she’s sliding off the barstool. There’s something off the way she blinks numerous times and holds her mouth tight. “Today was fun as always being with you girls. As much as I’d love to stay for another drink, I have a few errands to run before jamming with the band. If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late. Last time I was late, Beckett threatened to find a new lead singer. I know he was only joking, but you never know with that guy. His ego’s bigger than all of us put together.”

  “Hey, you okay?” I ask, touching her arm. Have we grossed her out with all the canoodling? I figured she’d be used to it by now and it never seemed to bother her before.

  “It’s all good. Like I said, I have to go.” She flashes me a tight smile and squeezes my arm. She tips her head at Jewels. “See you tomorrow, J.”