Page 21 of Broken Prince
“What are those?” I ask him.
“Scuba suits.” He grins.
“Oh, so he has a sense of humor,” I laugh.
“I have my moments,” he chuckles. “While your mom was trying on dresses, I thought I’d take a look around and grab a few for you.”
“Thanks.” That was really sweet of him. I step over to the dresses and take a look at what he picked. They’re not bad, compared to the ones I tried on. “Do you hate me?”
The question is sudden and takes him by surprise.
“What?” His eyes widen, lips parting and closing. “Why would you think that?”
I shrug, trying to play it off as casual, but I’ve been wanting to know why he’s been avoiding me since I’ve gotten here. Granted, it’s only been three days, but still.
Looking back at the dresses, I mindlessly move them around. “Because it seems like you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I haven’t. Trust me. I’m sorry if you’ve thought that. I just...” He sighs. “I haven’t been home. And not because I wanted to get away from you. I was with my friends.”
“Oh.” I blink a few times. I feel like shit now, assuming the worst. Of course, he has a life. Why did my mind go right to the worst.
Because you like the three of them more than you want to, and the idea of them hating you makes you want to puke, that's why.
His hand touches my shoulder, and a jolt shoots down my spine. “Delaney, what I feel for you is far from hate.”
I risk a glance his way and have to swallow down a gasp. He looks at me with so much pain and longing, it actually hurts.
My heart races as my mind goes blank. I want to kiss him, damn it. But I won’t.
When I finally speak, it’s a whisper. “I’m glad. I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if any of you hated me. Pathetic, right?”
“Not at all. And trust me, we don’t. We could never.”
We stare at each other, things we can’t say hanging in the air. I shouldn’t be glad that he likes me. I shouldn’t have a burst of happiness that he looks like he wants to kiss me too. But I do.
“I should try these on,” I say, breaking the stare-off, looking back to the dresses.
“Yeah.” He clears his throat.
“Why these dresses?” I ask, looking back to Elijah, highly aware his hand is still on me. As if he can sense my thoughts, he snaps it back.
He clears his throat. “Joy showed you all the dresses that cost the most,” he chuckles. “They’re all big and flashy. I could tell by the look on your face that style wasn’t for you. So, I looked for something a little more simple but not boring. Something classy but fun. Like you.”
That makes me smile. “Well, I like your mindset. Let’s see if any of these are the winner.”
While all the dresses are a million times better than the ones Joy picked out, it’s the last one I try on that I end up loving.
“Laney, baby!” Mom gasps as she steps into the stall. “You look so beautiful.”
Smiling at myself in the mirror, I agree. “I love it.”
“Oh my god!” Mom gasps, more in a joking manner, but I can see the shock on her face. “Did you find something you actually like?”
“No,” I laugh. “Elijah did.”
Her face softens. “That's sweet of him to help out.”
He was right. Everything Joy showed me just wasn’t my style. But this dress, it’s perfect. It’s maroon, matching my mom’s chosen colors.