And I’m not keeping a gift like this from a man I’ve met exactly twice," I stroked the diamonds of the watch lovingly, realizing this would probably be the only time I held a vintage Tiffany anything in my hands.
"Yea, I guess not," Cate had the same dejected look in her eyes. "It is beautiful though." I closed the lid of the box and set it on the kitchen counter next to the lilies.
Later that evening Cate and I were getting ready for our night out at The Roxy. The club was now officially called Royale and had undergone an ultra-modern makeover, but most still called it by its former name. My thoughts had been consumed with Carter's gift all day. I had a feeling he wouldn't take my returning it very well.
I was just running a brush through my long, dark hair when Cate stepped up behind me. "I've got the perfect dress for you," she pushed an obscenely short silver dress into my hands.
"I don't think so. I’ll be pulling it down all night for fear of showing the goods to everyone in the room!"
"That's the point, Eva! If you want to get noticed, you've got to be a little more daring."
"Who says I want to get noticed?" I mumbled. Cate only smiled and shoved the dress into my arms. I pulled the slinky dress over my head and shimmied it down over my hips. I looked in the mirror with a sense of uncertainty.
"Oh, Eva… it's perfect," Cate pulled the hair back off of my shoulders to highlight the embellished halter straps. There was a sexy keyhole outlined in sequins at the bodice, making it impossible for me to wear a bra. The crinkled satin and chiffon hugged my curves and ended at mid-thigh. I turned to find the back was open. I smoothed my hands over the soft fabric and sighed. It was perfect. I still feared that I would be pulling the dress down all night, but to wear something so beautiful would be worth it.
"OK. I’ll wear it."
"Yay," Cate clapped her hands together. "Now to tackle that mess of hair on your head."
"What? What's wrong with my hair? I always wear it straight," I whined.
"Exactly, which is why we're going to give you some soft waves tonight." I sighed and slumped down into the chair in front of the vanity as Cate ran for her curling iron.
"I draw the line at lipstick. I’m not wearing it, Cate," I glared at her in the mirror once she'd returned.
"Lip gloss. At least lip gloss," Cate bargained.
"Fine," I smiled at her reflection.
Two hours later we'd just settled into a corner at the club. It was a swank space that walked the line between modern lounge and nightclub. The dance floor was large and packed with bodies, but there were small nooks with oversized chairs and couches tucked around the room. Sawyer had met us outside and we'd just ordered drinks.
"Let's dance, Eva," Cate attempted to haul me out on the floor by my elbow.
"Oh, no. I need a few drinks first." As if on cue the waitress arrived.
"Drinks are on the house tonight," she said with a smile.
"Really?" Sawyer's eyes brightened immediately
"According to who?" Cate looked at the waitress.
"Boss's orders," she shrugged. Vodka cranberry for Cate and I, and a draft beer for Sawyer. Cate introduced me to the vodka cranberry a few years ago and I quickly learned that they went down like juice and left me with a treacherous hangover the next morning, and sometimes with some blank spots in my memory of the night before.
"So what are you going to do about the watch?" Cate took a sip of her drink.
"I’m giving it back. I doubt he'll like it, but I’m not keeping it."
"Tell him I’ll keep it!" Cate giggled.
"What watch?" Sawyer narrowed his eyes. Cate jumped at the chance to fill him in on the gift that had arrived for me earlier this morning.
"I took the liberty of doing a little research on your behalf," Cate looked back at me. "It's worth a lot, Eva. Like, $12,000 conservatively." I choked on my vodka cranberry and my insides burned as the beverage sloshed around in my system.
"$12,000?" Sawyer coughed.
"No, he
"Yea, I guess not," Cate had the same dejected look in her eyes. "It is beautiful though." I closed the lid of the box and set it on the kitchen counter next to the lilies.
Later that evening Cate and I were getting ready for our night out at The Roxy. The club was now officially called Royale and had undergone an ultra-modern makeover, but most still called it by its former name. My thoughts had been consumed with Carter's gift all day. I had a feeling he wouldn't take my returning it very well.
I was just running a brush through my long, dark hair when Cate stepped up behind me. "I've got the perfect dress for you," she pushed an obscenely short silver dress into my hands.
"I don't think so. I’ll be pulling it down all night for fear of showing the goods to everyone in the room!"
"That's the point, Eva! If you want to get noticed, you've got to be a little more daring."
"Who says I want to get noticed?" I mumbled. Cate only smiled and shoved the dress into my arms. I pulled the slinky dress over my head and shimmied it down over my hips. I looked in the mirror with a sense of uncertainty.
"Oh, Eva… it's perfect," Cate pulled the hair back off of my shoulders to highlight the embellished halter straps. There was a sexy keyhole outlined in sequins at the bodice, making it impossible for me to wear a bra. The crinkled satin and chiffon hugged my curves and ended at mid-thigh. I turned to find the back was open. I smoothed my hands over the soft fabric and sighed. It was perfect. I still feared that I would be pulling the dress down all night, but to wear something so beautiful would be worth it.
"OK. I’ll wear it."
"Yay," Cate clapped her hands together. "Now to tackle that mess of hair on your head."
"What? What's wrong with my hair? I always wear it straight," I whined.
"Exactly, which is why we're going to give you some soft waves tonight." I sighed and slumped down into the chair in front of the vanity as Cate ran for her curling iron.
"I draw the line at lipstick. I’m not wearing it, Cate," I glared at her in the mirror once she'd returned.
"Lip gloss. At least lip gloss," Cate bargained.
"Fine," I smiled at her reflection.
Two hours later we'd just settled into a corner at the club. It was a swank space that walked the line between modern lounge and nightclub. The dance floor was large and packed with bodies, but there were small nooks with oversized chairs and couches tucked around the room. Sawyer had met us outside and we'd just ordered drinks.
"Let's dance, Eva," Cate attempted to haul me out on the floor by my elbow.
"Oh, no. I need a few drinks first." As if on cue the waitress arrived.
"Drinks are on the house tonight," she said with a smile.
"Really?" Sawyer's eyes brightened immediately
"According to who?" Cate looked at the waitress.
"Boss's orders," she shrugged. Vodka cranberry for Cate and I, and a draft beer for Sawyer. Cate introduced me to the vodka cranberry a few years ago and I quickly learned that they went down like juice and left me with a treacherous hangover the next morning, and sometimes with some blank spots in my memory of the night before.
"So what are you going to do about the watch?" Cate took a sip of her drink.
"I’m giving it back. I doubt he'll like it, but I’m not keeping it."
"Tell him I’ll keep it!" Cate giggled.
"What watch?" Sawyer narrowed his eyes. Cate jumped at the chance to fill him in on the gift that had arrived for me earlier this morning.
"I took the liberty of doing a little research on your behalf," Cate looked back at me. "It's worth a lot, Eva. Like, $12,000 conservatively." I choked on my vodka cranberry and my insides burned as the beverage sloshed around in my system.
"$12,000?" Sawyer coughed.
"No, he
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