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I peek my head around the open doorway. “He didn’t even notice. He was too busy talking to Brooks once he showed up.”
The satisfied smile on Iris’s face tells me everything I didn’t ask. They disappeared at the same time for at least a half hour, maybe longer, and I assumed they were together. I’m sure I was right.
“He was paying attention to you.”
“No, he wasn’t.”
“Yes, he was. I saw him staring at you. And don’t deny that you look hot because you do. I’m proud of you for wearing the bikini in front of him.”
I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. That’s why I wore it. Plus, there’s something about this bright green two-piece that fills me with confidence every time I wear it. I bought it when we were in Europe, and the first time I wore it on the beach in the South of France, my father demanded I cover myself. Mom had to calm him down and remind him that his daughter isn’t a little girl anymore, which from the look on his face, he hated to hear.
Mom never complaining about the bikini made me feel like a grown-up. Like she was on my side and saw nothing wrong with me wearing it. Ever since that moment, this swimsuit has become a total confidence builder.
And fine, I did notice Rhett looking my way a few times while we were in the pool, but I told myself I was probably overreacting. I wanted him to look at me so badly I took any glance in the pool’s direction as him ogling me.
Maybe he actually was.
“What are you wearing to this party?”
“Something cute and with easy access. A dress.” Iris disappears into her walk-in closet, and I can hear her rifling through her clothes. “What about you?”
“I didn’t bring anything cute enough to wear to the party.” I wasn’t aware there was even going to be a party today. I knew the twins’ birthday was coming up, but normally our family has their party the weekend after the date, not before.
“You have a couple of dresses in here,” Iris tells me.
I abandon my brushing session to go into her closet, checking out my options. One dress is old. A blue floral sundress that I wore a couple of years ago at some sort of formal event that was being held here.
“I don’t think this will fit across my chest anymore.” I pull the dress out and hold it in front of me.
“You’d look like a little girl in it anyway. You need something more sophisticated,” Iris says.
“I don’t own anything sophisticated.”
“Oh, come on now. Of course, you do.” Iris joins me, sifting through the meager options I have hanging in her closet, pausing to pull out a specific dress. “Now this could work.”
It’s pink and short, with straps for sleeves that tie on top of the shoulder and cutouts on either side, right at the rib cage. The skirt is tiered with white ribbon trim and it hits at about mid to upperthigh. One strong breeze and I’d be exposed. Speaking of exposed, the back of the dress is totally open, with a band of pink stretched across mid-back and open both above and below it. I probably can’t wear a bra with it.
“My boobs are probably too big.”
“No way. We can shove them in there.” Iris presses the dress against the front of me, her gaze assessing. “You could borrow my off-white strappy sandals.”
We may not have the same body type, but we share a shoe size, which comes in handy in times like these.
“Isn’t it too … sexy for this party?” I wrinkle my nose, grabbing the dress from her and approaching the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. “My dad might flip.”
“Is he coming?”
I send a quick text to my mom asking if they’re attending Prudence and Paris’s birthday party.
Mama: Unfortunately, we can’t make it this year. There’s an art exposition opening tonight that your father and I RSVP’d to months ago. We don’t want to miss it. We sent the girls presents though! You’ll have to tell me if they like them.
“They’re not coming,” I announce to Iris after reading the text. The relief I feel knowing that my father won’t see me in this dress is monumental.
He’d freak out. I know he would.
She grins. “Perfect. Go take a shower and get ready. I’ll help you with the dress if you have trouble getting your tits in it.”
I burst out laughing. “Gee, thanks.”
