“I think all Paul’s friends will be drooling over you,” Dallas said.
That was the last thing Lia was looking for. She didn’t want anyone singling her out.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “But not exactly what I’m looking for. I feel a little too...” She tugged up the neckline, and then down on the hem. “I would feel a little too exposed in the dress.”
“Try the red one on,” Poppy said.
Lia returned to the dressing room and swapped dresses. Although the red halter was a little better, she still felt like she was trying too hard to send a message. She came out and had mixed reactions. While Poppy nodded vigorously, Dallas shook her head.
“The color is good on you and it really shows off the muscle tone in your arms, but that slit...”
“Agreed,” Lia said. “Let’s try somewhere else.”
King Street was lined with boutiques and Lia soon learned that at some point, the twins had shopped them all. At the next store they went to the dresses were more in Dallas’s style, with lace and ruffle details in pastel fabrics that made Lia look as if she was trying too hard to be someone she wasn’t.
“I’m looking for something between these two stores,” Lia said, worrying that she was never going to be able to find anything that suited her.
“I have a place in mind,” Dallas said.
Lia changed back into her regular clothes and the three women departed for yet another boutique. As soon as they entered, Lia knew this was exactly where she needed to be. This time, instead of letting the twins choose, Lia intended to be part of the search for something she liked. There was a lot for her to pick from, but she settled on one dress in particular.
The gorgeous long-sleeved, ankle-length sheath fit her perfectly. A subtle sparkle ran through the blush-colored fabric that helped define her slender curves without drawing too much attention.
“This one,” Lia said, exiting the dressing room to show off her pick.
“It’s elegant and understated,” Poppy said, but her expression reflected doubt. “Are you sure you don’t want something with more pizzazz?”
“Elegant and refined is what I was going for,” Lia said, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. “Unfortunately, I can’t afford this dress. But you get the idea of what I’m going for.”
“You shouldn’t worry about the expense,” Dallas said, highlighting the stark difference between how the twins lived and Lia’s reality.
Despite the fact that both women held down jobs and paid their own expenses, they came from a wealthy family and this gave them a financial edge. Where Lia lived simply and sometimes had to scrape the bottom of her piggy bank when something unexpected happened, she knew all the twins had to do was dip into their extensive reserves.
“It’s too much money to spend on something I can’t imagine having the chance to wear again,” Lia said, pretending not to see the look the twins exchanged.
Since the first day she’d met them, Lia had been dropping hints that she’d soon be leaving Charleston to get back on the road, preparing everyone for the moment when the testing mistake was revealed. Each time she mentioned leaving, one or more of the Wattses deflected her assertion, making it perfectly clear they didn’t want her to go. Even though she recognized their affection for her was based on their belief that she was Ava’s daughter, Lia had begun to dread the moment when she was no longer part of this family.
She’d always downplayed her need for an emotional support network. Her mother had instilled self-reliance in Lia from an early age. But looking at this way of life through the eyes of the Watts family, she’d started to see its limitations.
Bidding a determined farewell to the blush sheath, Lia settled on a markdown dress in black that skimmed her slim figure and highlighted her shoulders. Both Poppy and Dallas approved the sophisticated style, but best of all, the price was just inside her comfort zone. It wasn’t the dress of her dreams but it would definitely do, and she couldn’t wait to see Paul’s expression when he saw her in it.
* * *
Ethan was heading home after another long day at Watts Shipping when he spied the open door to his father’s large corner office and stepped inside. Instead of finding his father behind his large mahogany desk, Miles Watts stood near the windows, a drink in his hand, his gaze aimed toward the Cooper River, his mind far beyond the space he occupied.
“Wasn’t Mom expecting you home hours ago?” Ethan asked, struck as always by how much Paul resembled his father with their matching tall frames, the family’s distinct green eyes and wavy blond hair.
“No,” Miles replied, shifting his gaze to his younger son. “She had book club tonight.”
“I’m s
urprised you didn’t take the opportunity to head to Chapins.”
Chapins was a favorite of the Watts men. An upscale cigar lounge in the heart of downtown Charleston, it offered a large selection of rare and vintage brands.
“I had too much to do here,” Miles said, gesturing toward his desk with the crystal tumbler. “Are you heading out?”
“I thought I’d swing by the gym before heading home.” But instead of bidding his dad good-night, he advanced into the room. “Is everything okay? You seem distracted.”