Escaping Death

Chapter 56

Solana

"It's official. I have nothing to wear." I complain lightly from within my walk-in closet.

Eli and Hunter vocalize their amusement from atop one of my dressers where they've been seated as I comb through racks of gowns, discarding every dress I see.

"Sunshine, you could wear a paper bag and still be the most beautiful woman in the room. Just pick a dress so we can get to the party some time tonight." Dean says gently and I cast him a doubtful look. He strains to keep his hands from landing on the small of my back in reassurance.

In fact, since the hot springs two days ago all of the guys have been actively avoiding physical contact. The only time anyone touches me is when Ace pulls me to him in his sleep and we wake together as a messy tangle of limbs. Then when he finally shakes the sleep from his mind he'll roll out of bed as if I've burned him and stalk to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Knock knock!" Rhys' voice calls from the threshold of my bedroom door. Ace moves to Eli and Hunter and teleports them out. Tate slips into the shadows leaving me seemingly alone with Dean in my closet.

"In here," I call to Rhys whose smile rounds to shock for a split second when he sees me in nothing but a towel, alone in my closet with Dean, before it curls back up into a much more mischievous grin.

"Wipe the grin off your face, Rhys. They literally never let me leave their sight." That was the wrong thing to say because his grin only broadens.

I roll my eyes in exasperation and throw one of the discarded dresses at him for being so unapologetically himself, but he blocks my attack with a large gift box.

"I yield!" He laughs from behind the box, thrusting it towards me like a peace offering. "Mom sent me up here with this in case you didn't have anything to wear tonight."

I eye the box skeptically, but nevertheless lift the lid to see what it is she's offering. My movements slow the moment I catch sight of the colorful fabric contained within the box.

I've seen this gown before — only in pictures, but still I'd recognize this dress anywhere.

I'm speechless. I look mutely between Rhys and the box several times, incapable of vocalizing any sound at all. Dean takes note of my shocked state and comes to my rescue.

"Everything okay, Sol?"

"Uh-huh." I nod still dazed. "Dean, would you —"

"Say no more," He throws his palms up, understanding what I'm asking without making me ask it. "I'll be across the hall with the guys."

Once the door closes behind Dean I look back at Rhys, "I can't wear this dress."

"Because it's a color other than black?" He laughs at my expense.

"No, idiot. Don't you know what this is?"

His eyebrows pinch together in genuine confusion, "uhh, a dress?"

I resist smacking a palm to his forehead to knock some sense into him. "This is the dress mom wore to her Centennial."

"Okay?" he drawls, still not connecting its significance. "I don't see the problem. You need a dress. This is a dress. Problem, meet Solution." He shoves the box into my arms and turns to walk out. "You have 15 minutes before dad comes and drags you downstairs. And you better be wearing more than a towel alone in a closet with one of the guys when they do get up here or else Death will be missing a letter."

Tate appears out of thin air in front of Rhys, taking him by surprise. "Fucking hell!" Rhys chuckles with his hand clasped over his heart. "I'm going to need to put a bell on you."