Spellbound - Cara Lynn Shultz [92]
“Kristin let a freshman on the dance committee?” I was incredulous.
“Well, Vanessa’s mom is donating all the refreshments, so that explains it,” Ashley said, throwing her hands up in frustration.
“That explains it.” Vanessa’s mom was a fairly well-known chef at one of the top restaurants in the city.
“Well, I’m going with the deejay if that’s what you’re wondering,” I replied, reminded that I needed to borrow a dress. But before I could ask, Ashley was jumping up and down, excitedly clapping her hands.
“I’m going, too! A bunch of us are going with Vanessa!” She squealed. “Oh, Emma, I don’t know why you worry about fitting in! You went on a date with Cisco, now you’re dating Brendan Salinger! We have to go shopping for a dress.”
“Or I can borrow one?” I wheedled, thinking of Ashley’s massive walk-in closet. Even though she was several inches smaller (in every way), I could usually squeeze into her clothing.
“No way, dude, you need something fabulous,” she squealed. “We’ll go shopping, it’ll be great. Besides, I don’t think I like the dress I bought. I want another.”
“Well, let me make sure Aunt Christine is okay with it,” I warned. But it was too late. The minute I turned the key in Aunt Christine’s door, Ashley pushed past me, giggling.
“We have to go shopping! Brendan asked Emma to the winter dance next week!” Ashley called out in her singsong voice to Aunt Christine, who was sitting at the kitchen table reading. Christine removed her glasses and her eyes darted back and forth from me to Ashley, then back to me.
“I mean, if that’s okay with you.” I rushed to amend Ashley’s gleeful proclamation.
“Yes, dear, it’s okay,” she said with a nod of her head.
“Well, his mother is making him deejay the dance so I’m really just going to keep him company,” I explained hastily. “So I don’t need to go shopping or anything—I can borrow something of Ash’s.”
Christine eyed my chest—then Ashley’s—and chuckled to herself. “No, dear, I think we can get you something. We’ll go to Bendel’s this weekend.”
“Are you sure?” I asked apprehensively.
“Of course, dear,” she said, picking her book back up and turning the page with a rose-painted fingernail.
“Thanks, Aunt Christine,” I murmured, a little embarrassed. “I don’t deserve all this.”
Christine just sighed. “Sweetheart, you do. I just want you to realize that. Although, I would like to meet Brendan again under different circumstances.”
“He’s pretty great,” I said dreamily.
“Well, at least I know you’ll be safe with the young man. He seems like he’d step in front of a truck for you,” she snorted. “Still, I’d like to meet him again.”
I nodded, but inwardly cringed. Soul mate or no soul mate, we were still going to have to properly do the “meet the parents” dance, I realized with a silent groan. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t want Christine to get to know him—I was absolutely terrified of Laura Salinger. Possibly more than I was of an unseen, impending doom.
Chapter 18
By the end of the week, I was amazed that the rumors had died down a teeny bit. Only Kristin was really stoking the fires anymore—but I figured she would be an evergreen thorn in my side, so to speak. I was pretty positive Kristin was my Lady Eleanor, except that she went for character assassination as opposed to actual assassination. The latest rumor? That I cheated on Brendan with a group of guys from Xavier High School. Never mind the fact that Brendan and I had only been public for a week and it would have been physically impossible to accomplish the level of whoring around in five days that I was accused of committing. But Kristin refused to let up. Still, it seemed like Brendan’s method of dispelling the rumors—remaining an ever-present figure by my side—was working. If there was one thing he knew, it was how to navigate these shark-infested waters. You know, if the sharks carried Dior purses.
I didn’t think it was possible to feel more out of my element than at Vince A—and then, that Saturday, I went dress shopping