by Rachel Lacey
She flipped over the price tag and choked. When Theo had said to splurge, surely he hadn’t meant…
“Let me see,” Ruby said from outside the dressing room door.
Elle opened it, spinning for her friend so the rhinestones caught the light and the chiffon skirt swirled around her ankles.
Ruby nodded briskly. “Yep, that’s the one.”
Elle couldn’t argue with her. “And it’s fancier and more extravagant than the purple dress at the last store, so if I buy this one, you have to go back and get that one.”
The navy blue dress she wore now didn’t hold a candle to it, something Ruby seemed to realize because she nodded again. “You’re right.”
An hour later, they were seated at a restaurant in town, dresses and accessories stored in the car—including a beautiful coral necklace and matching pumps for Megan.
“To Megan,” Ruby said, holding up her wineglass.
“To Megan,” Elle repeated. “And a fresh start for all of us.”
“What do you think Theo’s doing in London this week?” Ruby asked.
“I don’t know.” And she’d tried not to let herself obsess about it too much. “Business, I guess. The timing is odd…unfortunate. I’m probably making too big of a deal out of it.”
“You’re not. It is odd. If he’s moving back full time next week, why couldn’t he just wait until then to take care of whatever it is?”
“It feels like he’s avoiding me because I told him I love him,” she said, taking a sip of wine to keep herself in check. “Like maybe he was afraid I was going to get clingy and needy here at the end.”
“Well, you deserve to be a little clingy,” Ruby said, “because this is something you guys have to talk about, and if he’s avoiding that conversation by spending the week in London, he’s more of a coward than I thought.”
“I don’t think he’s a coward,” Elle said. “I think he just…doesn’t know what he wants. Or he does, but he’s found himself in an impossible situation. One or both. I don’t know.”
“Either way, you still have to talk about it.”
“I know. And we will.” Because there was no way she was going to leave without having that conversation, and she truly hoped Theo wasn’t going to make it difficult for her.
When they got back to the castle, Elle couldn’t resist sending Megan a text. Miss you.
She’d tried to avoid dumping too many details on her friend, not wanting her to feel left out, but it just felt wrong not having her here, and she could only imagine how Megan was feeling about the whole thing. She’d been very quiet and subdued since the accident, and it scared Elle a little.
Miss you too, came Megan’s reply. Nothing else. No emojis.
Elle pressed her fingers against her lips. Girls’ night when we get back to Orlando?
Count on it, Megan replied.
Elle sent her a string of emojis before collapsing back on the bed, breathing past the urge to cry. After everything they’d been through at the castle, it was all going wrong here at the end. Nothing was the way it was supposed to be. And Elle had no idea how to fix it.
22
“What a day,” Elle muttered as she jogged up the castle’s front steps. And it wasn’t even half over yet. Yesterday, the team from Modern Home and Gardens had arrived for their interview and photoshoot. Later tonight, the charity ball would take over the castle.
Theo wasn’t back from London. She hadn’t even heard from him since yesterday. And she was trying to be mature about it, but she was hurt. And pissed. She really wanted to go to her room, curl up in bed, and cry about it, but the florist had just arrived, so she bit her lip and directed vases and pots and sprays and possibly more flowers than she’d ever seen in her whole life. Why had they ordered so many? She didn’t even remember doing it. Maybe Megan had.
A car pulled up in front of the castle, and Elle swallowed a groan. She wasn’t expecting anyone for hours. She didn’t have the time or energy to deal with an early—or unexpected—guest.
The back door opened, and for a moment, Elle just stared. And then the tears she’d been holding back all morning broke loose, coursing over her cheeks as she rushed down the steps to pull Megan into her arms.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, clutching her friend as tightly as she dared.
“My parents kind of insisted I get off my butt and come party with you guys.” Megan smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“You look good.” Elle pulled back to look at her. “Really good.”
Flesh-toned bandages ran the length of Megan’s cheek and jaw, concealing her wounds. Up close, Elle could see the residual bruising her friend had dabbed makeup over, but from a distance, she doubted any of it would be visible.
“I look a bit like Frankenstein, but I’m here.”
“I’m so glad.” Elle held her tight again, careful to avoid the bandages on her left arm. “And you don’t look even remotely like Frankenstein. I’ve been sick all day about hosting this party without you. I mean it, Megan. It hasn’t been the same.”
“I missed you too,” she said, and her voice caught.
“Let’s go tell Ruby.” Elle tugged at her hand, leading her up the front steps. “And we’ve got to get you a dress. Oh my God.” When would they have time to go shopping? There was so much to do!
“I have a dress,” Megan told her, nodding toward the garment bag the driver had taken out of the trunk. “Theo called my parents, told them to take me shopping and charge it to the castle, on the off chance I felt like coming today.”
Elle swiped at another tear. “He did?”
Megan just nodded. Then Ruby was dashing down the steps toward them, and they were all hugging and crying until everyone’s mascara was a streaky mess. “Come on, ladies, let’s go get cleaned up before our big night,” Megan said finally.
Elle and Ruby carried her bags as they made their way into the castle.
“Miss Perl,” Colin said, offering Megan a warm smile. “It is so good to have you back.”
“Good to be back, Colin,” she responded, and Elle was relieved to see that her smile was more genuine this time. The longer she stood here with them, the more comfortable Megan seemed to feel.
They went upstairs together, laughing and talking as they caught up on everything they’d missed in each other’s lives over the last week and a half. After retouching makeup, they attacked the day’s to-do list together, and Elle found her spirits buoyed infinitely by her friend’s return. Even Theo’s absence didn’t sting quite as badly.
Not surprisingly, every room in the castle was booked tonight. Most of their guests had checked in yesterday, but there were enough new arrivals today to add to an already hectic afternoon. Around two o’clock, Elle saw the guests she had been nervously anticipating all day approaching the castle’s front steps. Gulping a breath, she hurried down to greet them.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Her dad pulled her in for a warm hug.
“Hi, Dad. It’s so good to see you. And you too, Delilah.” She turned toward her step-mother, who was gazing up at the castle with an awestruck expression.
“The pictures don’t do it justice,” she said.
Elle grinned. “That’s exactly what I said the first time I saw it.”
“It’s something, all right,” her dad said.
Elle had been completely caught off guard when her dad called last week to say he and Delilah wanted to attend the ball to get a first hand look at all her hard work. She wasn’t sure whether to feel flattered or terrified. “Let me show you guys to your room.”
She got them settled and hurried back downstairs to greet the next guests. Before she knew it, it was time to get dressed. The team from Modern Home and Gardens would be here shortly, and Elle was so glad Megan would be in at least some of the photos for their feature spread. They brought their dresses up to Ruby’s room, which was by far the largest, and dressed together, helping each other with zippers and buttons.
&nbs
p; “You guys look like fairytale princesses,” Megan said when she saw Elle’s and Ruby’s dresses.
“Well, it’s only fitting for our Fairy Tails Ball that we look like princesses, right?” Elle twirled in her golden dress, feeling the part.
Megan’s dress was black, floor-length satin with a full skirt that pleated with endless folds. The color didn’t quite suit her ordinarily bubbly personality—although Elle thought it might represent her mood over the last week—but the dress was absolutely gorgeous, and Megan looked stunning in it. She paired it with the coral necklace and pumps Elle and Ruby had sent her.
They spent the next hour in the bathroom doing each other’s hair and makeup and taking silly selfies in front of the mirror. Elle held her phone overhead as Ruby and Megan pressed in on either side of her. Megan turned her head to the left, hiding her bandages behind Elle’s hair, but she pursed her lips, giving her best sultry look as Elle snapped the photo.
“I’m glad I came,” Megan admitted with a smile as they left the bathroom. “I don’t think I would have if my parents hadn’t given me a kick in the pants…and Theo buying my dress. Why isn’t he here?”
“He’s been in London all week on business,” Elle said. “He’d promised to be back for the event tonight, but I’m not sure he’s going to make it.”
“I think he will.” Megan gave her hand a squeeze. “All right, ladies, are we ready to do this?”
Hand in hand, they descended the stairs toward their big night.
Theo doublechecked his appearance in the mirror, fighting a smile as he remembered telling Elle about the identical tuxes he kept in each residence. Tonight, he was wearing his American tux, and he was exhausted as hell. He’d meant to return from London days ago, but the changes he’d set in motion this week had snowballed on him, keeping him much longer than he’d expected. Now, thanks to the time difference, it felt like three a.m. to him, and the party at the main castle was just getting started.
Giving one last tug at the bowtie around his neck, he left the guest house and began the walk up to the castle. Here and there, guests milled about, walking and talking, enjoying the pleasant summer evening. Lights twinkled from almost every window in the castle, and lanterns flickered along the pathways, illuminating the night.
He had no doubt the women had outdone themselves tonight. They seemed to outdo themselves at just about everything they did, Elle especially.
Elle.
A fire blazed through his chest, burning away his fatigue at the thought of seeing her. It had been a long, lonely week without her. He climbed the front steps, greeted by strains of music from the ballroom in the rear of the castle. Almost immediately, several women approached, cell phones in hand, and before he knew what was happening, he was surrounded by party guests eager to meet the Earl of Highcastle.
It felt like an eternity before he was able to break free, striding toward the ballroom. And suddenly, there she was, looking like a vision out of a fantasy he’d never even realized he had. She wore a gold dress that glittered like it was made of jewels, her hair pulled back in front with loose blonde curls tumbling over her shoulders and down her back.
“Theo?” A smile broke over her face like the sun coming out after days of drizzly gray London skies.
“Sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.” He took her hands in his, pulling her in for a kiss. “You are the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of gorgeous women in fancy dresses.”
“Thank you.” She blushed adorably, another smile toying with her lips. “And you’re wearing the same tux you wore the last time we went to an event like this, just like you said you would be, not that you look any less handsome in it tonight.”
“Would you do me the honor?” He held out his elbow, and she took it demurely, tossing him another coy smile. “I’m quite curious to see this party you’ve put together.”
“I bet you’ve never been to a party with dogs in the ballroom before, have you?”
“Can’t say that I have, but you’ve always been full of firsts for me.” He led the way into the ballroom. He wasn’t really one to appreciate the details that went into party planning. He’d been to so many events that he was mostly immune to the finer touches.
But the ballroom looked really nice tonight. The tables were draped with flowers and lit with candles. The band played a lively tune, and the dancefloor was packed. In one corner, several people he assumed were employees of the shelter had dogs on leashes, allowing the guests to interact with them.
“What do you think?” she asked, sounding a bit breathless.
“It’s great, Elle, and I mean that. It’s not stuffy like the functions I’m used to. People look like they’re having fun. I have a feeling you and I are going to enjoy ourselves tonight too. Quite a bit, I hope.” He winked at her.
Her grip on his elbow tightened. “I hope so. Megan’s here.” She gestured to where her friend stood at a nearby table in a long black dress, talking to Sean.
He spotted Tucker and Jake by the bar with a few other guys he knew. “I’m glad.”
“Thanks for helping to nudge her in this direction,” Elle said softly. “She needed this. It’s good for her to be here and feel like her old self again.”
“I think so too.”
Elle turned toward him, her eyes gone suspiciously glossy. “It felt so wrong without her, and without you. I thought the party was going to end up making me sad. It felt like the wrong way to end our time here. But now, everything’s right, and I’m so happy I could burst.”
He had a lot of things to tell her tonight, but he didn’t want to rush right in with them, especially after he’d left her hanging for a week, so instead he said, “Care to dance?”
“I’d love to.” She led the way toward the dance floor. Her skirt swirled around her ankles as she walked, revealing gold heels that matched her dress.
“You look so gorgeous, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to take my eyes off you all night.”
“Who says you have to?” She tossed the words over her shoulder playfully, and he caught them, yanking her in for a kiss that only added to the fire already burning in his gut.
“Going to be the death of me tonight in that dress, I’m telling you.”
Elle hadn’t been able to catch her breath since Theo showed up, looking so dazzling in his tux that he’d stolen the air from her lungs. Who cared if he wore the same tux to every event if he looked so deliciously perfect in it every time? There was something about him tonight, an intensity in his eyes that seemed to sear in to her, warming her from the inside out every time she caught his gaze. It was doing all kinds of things to her heart…and various other parts of her anatomy.
But mostly her heart.
God, she loved him so much. How was she ever going to let him go? How was she supposed to let go of any of this? The ball that had once felt like everything around it was unraveling had spun itself back together in the last few hours. The music was lively. The food was delicious. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and the guests couldn’t get enough of the adoptable animals brought here by the shelter. The silent auction had already raised more money than she’d expected, and it wasn’t nearly over yet.
The team from Modern Home and Gardens milled about, interviewing a handful of guests and photographing the event for their spread in the magazine. Elle couldn’t help feeling that everything was going well…too well?
“This is quite a party,” her father said, coming to stand beside her as she sipped from a glass of wine. “You, Megan, and Ruby did all this yourselves?”
She nodded. “Our grand finale.”
Monica Jackson from Modern Home and Gardens approached with a polite smile. She wore a bronze-colored dress that brought out the warm tones in her mahogany skin and sparkled in the muted lighting of the ballroom. “Excuse me, Elle. I just wanted to let you know that we’ll be heading out shortly. We’re confident we’ve gotten everything we need for our piece.”
> “Oh, okay. Thanks so much for everything, Monica,” Elle told her, giving the woman an impromptu hug. If this was Elle’s Cinderella moment, then Monica was her fairy godmother. “You’ve given us the opportunity of a lifetime, and we’ll never forget it.”
“You’re with the magazine?” Elle’s father asked.
Monica nodded. “Monica Jackson from Modern Home and Gardens.”
“Tom Davenport. I’m Elle’s father.”
“It’s a pleasure, Mr. Davenport. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in giving us a quote for our piece? Your daughter and her friends are the cover story for our January issue.”
Elle cringed internally, imagining what he might say. “This was a nice summer activity for Elle, but I hope she’ll be enrolling in college this fall so that she can find a more sensible job like my other daughters.”
“I’d be glad to,” her father told Monica.
She pulled out her recorder and pressed a button, indicating that she was ready.
“I had my doubts when Elle told me she and her friends had won a contest from a magazine,” her father said. “But my wife and I came tonight to see her in action here at Rosemont Castle, and to say we’re impressed would be an understatement. The girls have pulled off something really special tonight, and it’s easy to see all the work and commitment they’ve put into their time here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my daughter look happier or more in her element than she does right now, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
“That’s lovely,” Monica told him. “Thank you so much, Mr. Davenport.”
She excused herself and made her way toward the exit as Elle swiped at the tears pooling in her eyes.