Chapter 1
Aspyn
I was a woman, not an airplane, so I wanted a sexy dress, something nice that showed off my body rather than something hideous with shoulders that looked like wings.
“I’m not really feeling any of these dresses from the ‘80s,” I said with a laugh. I put the crazy shoulder pad outfit I’d been eyeing back on the rack.
“Well, they don’t have to be from the ‘80s or ‘90s, but that’s the reunion’s theme, Aspyn,” Perri said. My best friend held up a teal strapless dress against her body, posing in front of a mirror while offering her best pouty-lipped expression. The look made me chuckle.
I didn’t quite get why our 10-year high school reunion’s theme was the ‘80s and ‘90s. We’d graduated from Livingston High in 2008. But I was willing to roll with it.
If anything, it’d be great to see people I’d lost touch with. Sure, social media was great, but I was surprised by how many people I still hadn’t heard from in years, even one from my old group.
Alex Kline.
Warmth spread through my body at the memory of his name. I’d had such a super crush on him in high school. That lopsided smile and that fit swimmer’s body. Oh, boy.
I sighed. The problem was we were never more than friends. Close friends even, but I’d always wanted more. Way more.
Alex was the only one in our group who had left town. He’d bagged himself a swimming scholarship to a school in Texas, of all places.
His dad had passed away while he was in college. Since his dad moved to Phoenix shortly after Alex started college, I didn’t get a chance to pay my respects or meet with Alex. Losing his dad took a lot out of him, I’d heard, and he’d ended up dropping out of college.
I didn’t know if he was coming to the reunion, but I dared to hope. And if he was, I wanted to make sure I was ready to wow him with a sexy dress that highlighted my good parts and hid my not-so-good parts.
I glanced over at the rack, shaking my head. There were plenty of decent dresses. They just weren’t good for me.
The first issue was that a lot of them seemed designed for tall, beanpole women. I was short and curvy. And the dresses that worked for my height didn’t work with my pale skin and dark hair.
My blonde friend, on the other hand, already looked like she’d found a good dress that fit her taller, leggier profile.
“We could try another store,” I said, worry creeping into me. I didn’t want Alex to come and see me after 10 years just to catch me in something awful.
“I called around,” Perri said. “This is the only consignment shop in town with more than a few ‘80s and ‘90s dresses. This is our best bet.”
I was about to complain when I suddenly fell in love, not with Perri but with a dress: black, strapless, deep V to show off my assets. I didn’t know if it was all that ‘80s or ‘90s, but I did know I’d look damn sexy in it.
“Perri,” I said, holding the dress up. “Look at this gorgeous thing!” The only thing that could make it better was a little midriff-baring so I could show off my belly button ring, but it’d still do. It’d more than do. I’d be a sexy seductress at our reunion.
I chilled at a sudden thought. What if Alex was married?