Lucy looked at her, shocked. ‘Well, of course I’ve left my bra on.’
Tina shook her head. ‘That dress needs you to go braless.’
‘Tina, I’m hardly small in that department,’ Lucy pointed out, scarlet with embarrassment as Tina delved inside the dress and deftly removed her bra. ‘I need to wear a bra.’
‘Not with this dress you don’t,’ Tina said firmly, picking up a packet of pins and making some quick adjustments. ‘There, that’s better. Just scoop your hair up… Perfect.’ She smiled with satisfaction. ‘Now look at yourself.’
Lucy glanced at her reflection and her eyes widened. A complete stranger stared back at her. The stranger had lush, extravagant curves and a ridiculously tiny waist.
Was it really her?
‘You look sensational,’ Tina said, an awed expression on her pretty face. ‘I’d do anything for a figure like yours. That dress was made for you.’
Lucy tugged dubiously at the neckline. ‘It’s too revealing. And I’m too top-heavy.’
‘Nonsense. It’s totally stunning.’ Tina stepped back and narrowed her eyes. ‘Joel isn’t going to be able to keep his hands off you.’
Remembering the previous night’s kiss, Lucy felt a blush come to her cheeks and Tina gave a cheeky grin.
‘Come on—tell me everything.’
‘There’s nothing to tell,’ Lucy said firmly, but Tina’s smile was so warm and understanding and she was such a kind person that Lucy found herself telling Tina everything.
‘You married your childhood sweetheart? Wow.’ Tina shook her head slowly as Lucy came to the end of her story. ‘I mean, that’s great,’ she said, correcting herself hastily. ‘I just can’t imagine it myself. What happened when you were training? Did you do the usual round of drunken parties?’
Lucy shook her head. ‘Not really. I was nineteen when we married, and we didn’t go out much, to be honest.’
‘Oh.’ Tina looked taken aback and then gave a sheepish grin. ‘In that case, remind me never to tell you about my university days. You’d be scandalised.’
Lucy smiled. ‘I don’t think so.’
Tina looked at her curiously. ‘Didn’t you ever feel that you missed out? While the rest of us were all experimenting, you were already married.’
‘And raising a family,’ Lucy said quietly. ‘I had Sam when I was twenty.’
Tina nodded slowly and fingered the gorgeous dress. ‘So now maybe it’s time to have some fun, Lucy Bishop. You need to live a little. Think of enjoying yourself, and nothing else.’
‘I have a child!’
Tina raised an eyebrow. ‘And he’s going to mind if his mother wears a stunning dress that makes her look like a film star? I don’t think so.’
Lucy looked at her reflection and felt a thrill of excitement. She’d never worn a dress like this before, and suddenly she wanted to, more than anything in the world.
‘I’ll have it,’ she said shyly, and Tina whooped.
‘That’s my girl! Let’s knock him dead!’
As she prepared for her afternoon clinic, Lucy couldn’t stop thinking about what Tina had said.
Had she really missed out? While everyone else had been partying, she and Tim had been building a home together. At the time she’d never even questioned what they were doing—it had just seemed to be the inevitable conclusion of their relationship.
But had they both misunderstood their relationship? Had she been too young and inexperienced to understand the difference between friendship and true love?
Was that why Tim had left?
Had he found something different with the young woman he’d left her for?
Puzzled and thoughtful, she worked her way through her afternoon list.