For Once In My Life (Stevens Book 2)

Chapter 11

Needing something to wear for the upcoming evening, Dana was headed to the boutique that was run by the hotel when her cell phone rang. Pulling it out to look at it, she grimaced when she saw it was her father's number. She automatically pushed the button sending it to voicemail and dropped the phone back into her purse.

He had started calling her the week after her arrival in New York, and she had only made the mistake of answering the phone once. The things her father had said to her made her shudder. Since then she never answered, and she knew she would need to change her number soon.

Pushing the unpleasant thoughts of her father aside, Dana focused on the task ahead. It had been so long since she had worn anything but jeans, and she was secretly looking forward to dressing up for her evening out on the town.

Dana walked into the posh boutique with its quiet atmosphere that was a dramatic change from the lobby of the hotel, and even though Dana was dressed down the sales lady could smell money. She had learned to do it over years of working in upscale hotels. There were those that oozed it without even trying. Dana, utterly unaware of it, was one of those people.

"How may I help you?" She quietly approached Dana who had started to browse.

"I've been invited to a show tonight, and I have nothing to wear." Dana looked down at her jeans and gave an apologetic smile.

"Oh, I think I have just the thing."

She led Dana to the back of the shop and pulled out a gold lace cocktail dress.

Dana looked skeptical, but she insisted that Dana try it on before she made her decision, and she was right. As Dana walked out of the dressing room towards the mirrors the sales lady had a knowing smile on her lips.

"Perfect." She nodded.

Dana stopped in front of the mirror and shocked. She was no longer rail thin, and the Texas sun had added a warm glow to her complexion, making her able to pull the dress off without looking too pale.

The sales lady had brought over a pair of killer heels that added four inches to five-foot nine-inch height.

The dress was a gold slip with a gold lace overlay. It was strapless and was held up by boning in the bust. The skirt was pencil thin and stopped at mid-thigh making her legs looked endless. Recognizing that she was sold, the sales lady suggested she wear her hair up and no jewelry.

Dana nodded meekly, not even recognizing her own reflection.

"Which show will you be seeing?" the woman asked as she packaged her dress and shoes.

"Save the Last Dance," Dana answered on automatic polite.

"Oh, you're lucky. Those tickets have been next to impossible to get, and this is the closing night." She sighed. "Who wouldn't want to pass a night watching Mason Stevens sing about love to his wife? I hear that their chemistry is electric. They met during the making of the show. Did you know that?"

Dana shook her head, watching as the lady took her time with the tissue.

She started to get a little excited about the night. She knew that the dress she had picked would make her look amazing. Quinn had never seen her dressed-up before. She thought of the night she had spent in Quinn's arms and couldn't wait for the next. She would also like to see Mason and Cassie in action, and since they were pretty outrageous off the stage, she could imagine how they would be on the stage.

"Would you like me to call and make you an appointment in the salon to have your hair done?" she offered.

Dana knew that if the lady called, she was much more likely to get in then if she called herself. Dana looked at her phone checking the time.