“True.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I just don’t know if it’s the best idea.”

“I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. I mean, crap. What am I thinking? I love Demetri, I love him! He’s been so good to me, and he wrote that song, and… Ugh. I nodded at Alec. “I’ll go with you. Thank you for asking.”

He beamed.

My heart felt confused. After a few more moments of awkward stilted conversation we parted ways.

I ran to my truck and hopped in. I needed a dress and fast.

Where to find a dress in Seaside?

I knew Demetri had probably forgotten about our little deal to go together today. He was too excited about teaching. I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself. I quickly said goodbye to Bob and promised him I’d keep my cell phone around. Geez, the guy was nearly impossible to get rid of at school, but the minute I said dress shopping he backed off. Men.

I decided to drive the hour and half to Lincoln City. They had more choices and I needed more choices.

The drive took longer than it should have. Traffic was always awful on Highway 101, and I knew first hand that when tourists were pouring into town what should take an hour could take upward of three.

Chapter Seventeen

After almost two hours of traffic, I pulled into Daisy’s, a classic dress shop that I knew would have exactly what I needed. I only had a few hours before I was due back home. Not that my parents would even notice if I was gone, but still I was a rule follower.

The bell chimed as I stepped in. Colors and sparkles bombarded my senses until I felt slightly dizzy. I walked up to the plainest dress I could find and looked at the ticket. One hundred and twenty dollars. Not too bad, I guess.

I touched one of the fabrics. It was a dark red. It had a plunging neckline and was floor length.

“You don’t want that one,” a girl said.

I looked up. She was standing behind the counter filing her nails. Her hair was a dark brown and piled up on top of her head with a pencil sticking in it. “Trust me.” She shook her head. “The last girl who bought that dress is so not gonna get any action tonight.”

“Good.” I felt relieved. “Action is the last thing I want.”

The shop girl peered at me. “Really? Because you’re really pretty, I mean, I’m not hitting on you or anything, but you have like amazing eyelashes.”

I laughed. So I’ve been told. “Thanks.”

“Don’t get me wrong, but red wouldn’t look that great on you. I mean, it would be fine, but I’m thinking silver.”

“Silver?” I asked.

She nodded and walked around the counter. “I have the perfect one.”

Well, it wasn’t as if I was super fashion forward. Alec would probably want me to look nice, and Demetri would like the pictures. I found myself following her through the store, a ghost of a smile on my lips.

“This would be perfect!” My eyes fell to the short cocktail dress in her hands. It was strapless but had some sort of dip in the middle.

“What’s that called?” I pointed at the top of the dress where it seemed to curve towards the chest.

She looked at me like I was high. “That’s a sweetheart neckline. Haven’t you ever worn a cocktail dress before?”

“That would be a no.” I awkwardly stuffed my hands in my jean pockets.

“Well, The sweetheart should look killer on you, plus you’ve got long legs and this baby will make ‘em look even longer. Here, try it on.” She shoved the dress at me. “I guessed you at about a four or six, is that right?”

“I think so?” I wasn’t actually sure. I’ve never owned a dress like this before.

“Okay, well let me know if you need help.” She walked back to the register.

I took a deep breath and stepped behind the curtain. The dress was really smooth and frail. The silver was shimmery and stopped right at the hip where it flared out. It looked like something a fairy princess would wear.

I laughed and began stripping.

Nervously, I looked at the finished product in the mirror.

“You done?” the girl yelled.

“Um, yeah, just a second.” I took off my socks, because the dress looked weird with them, and stepped out.

“No. Way!” She clapped her hands. “You look like a super model.”

“Really?” I exhaled and turned around to look in the mirror. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

I had a bit of cle**age and she was right my legs looked dangerously long. I felt awkward and tall, but pretty at the same time.

“Yes. It’s too much, but it’s perfect. You have shoes?”

And like that she was off.

By the time I drove home an hour later. I had earrings, shoes, a bracelet, and a two hundred dollar dress. At least I knew my parents wouldn’t care. They probably wouldn’t even notice the hit on the credit card.

My cell rang the minute I drove out of the parking lot, but because of Oregon laws I couldn’t actually talk on it without getting a ticket. I hit speakerphone without looking at it and answered.

“Hello?”

“Nat! How are you?” Demetri gushed.

“Good! You on the plane yet?”

“Yeah, we’re getting ready to taxi. I just wanted to call and make sure you weren’t mad at me.”

“Mad?” I repeated.

“You know, for making Alec take you to Homecoming. I just didn’t want you to go by yourself.”