"Try it on," Viv said as she unzipped the side panel and urged me to step into the dress. I did and sighed as she pulled the silky fabric up over my body. I slid my left arm through the opening and then let Viv adjust the bodice. Viv made a few adjustments, tugging on the fabric and fluffing the skirt before she said, "Step up on the platform and look at yourself in the mirror, Grace."
I hesitantly walked to the mirror with my eyes cast downward and stepped up on the platform. Viv made one more adjustment and then breathed, "Oh, will you look at you, hon?"
I looked up and gasped. The beaded bodice of the silver-gray dress fit me like a second skin flowing up over my shoulder and down across my back. The top of the dress was a triangle of fabric that folded down and attached at the shoulder, making the dress both elegant and modest. The skirt wrapped around my hips and was gathered at the waist with a large crystal decoration before flowing down into a short train in back. The dress was perfect in every way.
"You look amazing, Grace," Viv said as she walked around the platform straightening and tugging making the dress look better than I could have ever imagined.
"This is the one, Viv," I said as I looked down at her eyes shining with excitement. "It's the dress that will impress!"
"Oh Lordy, hon, now look at you!" Viv laughed as she stepped up on the platform and hugged me tightly. "You look like a princess."
"And a CPA?" I asked garnering a confused look from Viv. "I'm not only Amish, I'm a CPA. Can't get much more straight edge than that, can you?"
Viv burst into peals of laughter that were still ringing in my ears as I loaded myself, my suitcase, and my dress into the cab outside the store. Viv had given me a deep discount on the dress, and although I'd protested at first, I'd finally agreed to take the discount in exchange for a handful of her business cards which I promised I'd hand to every woman who asked me wh
ere I'd gotten my dress.
"Come back and tell me how the party went, Grace," Viv said. "I'll have Ella put out a real spread and we'll gossip about all the people you met!"
"I won't know them from Adam," I laughed as I closed the cab door and waved goodbye. Adam! I had promised to talk to him after he'd gotten the Mustang situation straightened out. I fished my phone out of my purse and dialed his number, but only got his voice mail. I left a brief message, and then tucked the phone back in my purse as my mind wandered to thoughts of dinner and how in the world I was going to sleep tonight.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Adam
Using the map that Honor had drawn me, I navigated the back roads of Corner Grove and took the long way back to the highway. Verity and I agreed that we didn't want anyone to know I'd left town, not even overnight, so I snuck out after dark, promising to be back by Sunday afternoon.
I left my cell phone with Danny and Honor and made them swear not to answer it unless I gave them the secret signal that it was me calling—two rings, then hang up, followed by two more rings and hang up. The third time they were to pick up. I showed Danny how to program the phone when I called so that they would know it was me if I called from that number again. He gave me a thumbs up and quickly programmed the phone to say, "No problem, English!"
I drove the Mustang back to Chicago, arriving at London House just before midnight. The desk clerk checked me in and gave me several messages from my mother, including an envelope containing several thousand dollars in cash. Inside there was a note that simply said, "You'll need money. Love, Mother." I rolled my eyes as I stuffed the envelope in my pocket and followed the bellhop up to my room on the 20th floor. Once he'd shown me the amenities and asked if I needed anything from the kitchen, he disappeared, leaving me alone in a room that bore only the crudest resemblance to the one I'd spent almost two weeks in at the Miller's.
I missed Grace. I wanted to call her, but I knew better than to risk it when I didn't have my phone. I trusted that she'd understand I was busy on the farm when I didn't immediately respond to her calls tomorrow, and by Sunday afternoon, I'd be back in Corner Grove, hopefully with Grace not far behind. All I had to do was get through the reception tomorrow night and I'd be golden.
I checked the closet and found that my mother had had several tuxes and a variety of shoe styles sent up to the room. The dresser drawer was full of underwear and the bathroom was stocked with all the products I'd used when I still lived at home. Something about this offering softened my heart a little; maybe my mother was trying to say she was sorry for the way she'd treated me in the only way she knew how-through products and clothing. I'd have to have a talk with her about how my tastes had radically changed since I was eighteen, but I smiled at the thought of her calling her department store sales people and placing orders for everything.
I grabbed the phone by the bedside and walked to the window as I dialed Bugsy's number and waited for him to answer. When the call went to voicemail, I left a short message, "Hey, Bugs, I'm back in town for one night. My mother put me up at London House, stop by tomorrow and we'll talk business. Room 2050. See ya, jackass!" I hung up just as the room server tapped on the door.
She rolled a cart in and asked where I wanted it set up.
"Just leave it there," I said indicating the spot in front of the plush gray couch. "I'll take care of it."
She bowed and then left the room as silently as she'd entered. I sighed, grabbed a beer from the fridge under the desk, flipped on the television to ESPN, and sat down to eat. I'd thought I'd miss these little luxuries while I was down in Corner Grove, but I was surprised to find that I missed them less than I thought I would. Still, it was nice to be able to order a meal and have it delivered while kicking back on the couch with a beer.
For a moment, I considered using the money my mother had given me to buy a television and take it down to the house for Danny and Honor. I pictured the look that Verity would give me if I did that, and quickly nixed the idea. Maybe I'd buy them each a phone and pay the plans ahead for a year. I'd have to see what Grace would say about that first, though.
Not long after I finished dinner and a second beer, I stripped down to my boxers and crawled into bed. It had been a long day, and if I knew anything about my parents, tomorrow was going to be even longer.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Grace
I tried to call Adam the next morning, but after the third time my call was sent to voicemail, I gave up and went to the gym to work off the nervousness that had been building overnight. I had never been to an event as fancy or exclusive as this one was going to be, and I was terrified that I'd stick out like a sore thumb.
I swam off my nerves for an hour and then showered and headed home, where I spent the next several hours going over the fine print on all the paperwork for Riser merger with Mija-WalCo merger. If anyone asked me questions tonight, I wanted to have the answers ready and waiting. My goal was to look pretty and be as businesslike as possible, then get out of there as quickly as I could manage.
Around noon, a call from a blocked number came in and I answered it, wondering if it was Adam.
"Grace!" Honor yelled as I answered.