“So you want me to go on a date with Eli Angelo?” Emotions rushed through me — shock, aggravation, excitement, lust — it was all there.
“Yes. He’s your age and you’ll have a much better time on the date than I would.”
“And, what does this date entail?” Shock filled me as I spoke the question.
I shouldn’t care. I mean, my grandmother was using me for something which meant she probably didn’t have a thing for me for Christmas. Maybe I could work at the restaurant or maybe the hotel until I could earn enough money to get somewhere to start over.
“The Snow Ball.” Both of the older women sighed dramatically.
“A what?”
“It’s a dance the town puts on. It allows the winners of the bachelor auction a place to have their dates and those who don’t win can still have a fun night.” Franny explained.
A dance. I’d never been to a dance. By the time we could have afforded it, mom had become sick and we couldn’t.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to a small amount of excitement about having a chance to go to a dance. But then reality set in.
“I don’t have anything to wear for something like that. I’m sor—”
“Already taken care of.” Franny chimed in. “Your grandma and I made you a dress. She knew your size from when she came out west and all we need is to do a final fitting.”
“You made… what?” Shock filled me. My heartbeat raced and I began to wonder if I had been blown off course somewhere in Kansas.
“We made the dress and we’ll just need to pop over to Montpellier to get you a pair of shoes and probably proper undergarments.” Amelia Wood’s face was lit up by her smile. The twinkle in her eye made me a bit nervous.
“I don’t think I can stay that long,” I replied lamely.
“Do it for Eli,” Franny urged.
“For Eli…”
“Yes. Don’t make that poor boy take an old woman to the ball.”
A pepperoni smile filled my mind. There was more to the man than what everyone could see. Originally, I had thought he was just another player. But… now… I knew what it was like to lose someone and lose yourself in the process.
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
Chapter Four
Three days had passed in a whirl of activity as my grandmother and her best friend fitted me for my dress, took me shopping for shoes, and today they dragged me to a small hair salon where a lady named Annette cut and highlighted my hair.
Currently, my feet were in a small whirlpool tub attached to a massage chair. Grandmother had insisted on a manicure and pedicure, stating all of us deserved some pampering. Sadly, I wouldn’t know anything about any of this because I’d never been pampered in my entire life.
“We’ll have to rush home in order to get Clara in her dress before Eli is due to arrive.” Franny chattered away from her seat beside my grandmother.
“Are you sure he won’t flake out on the date?” I mumbled as I stared at the glittery polish in the shape of snowflakes on my fingers.
The technician pulled my foot from the water and dried it as I waited to see if either of the older women had heard my question.
“He wouldn’t dare,” Franny hissed.
“The judge was adamant that he either did his community service or he’d find himself in a jail cell over the holidays.” Ms. Amelia’s voice was low and I almost missed her words.
The question in my mind, which one of us is the pity date? My grandmother had guilted me into taking her place and Eli was being forced to attend due to his streaking the church assembly at the local hotel.
Please, God, let him be the pity date.
**
At seven o’clock sharp I stood in my grandmother’s living room as the doorbell rang. Well, at least he’s punctual, I thought as I tugged at the sparkly dress my grandmother had practically poured me into only twenty minutes ago.
Standing in front of the fireplace I stared at a high school picture of my mom. She was hanging on the arm of a handsome boy in a tux. Her face was alight with joy as she smiled and posed in a white floor-length gown. The Snow Ball… I’m standing in the house where this picture was taken and waiting to go to the same dance. When I was small, I’d always dreamed of visiting the place in my mom’s stories. She’d talked about this dance. Her voice was soft and full of the past when she’d stood in front of a dress shop one winter day when I was eight. She painted a picture of a princess being escorted by her prince. A fairytale. And, it filled my dreams.
Now, I was waiting for my prince — albeit a slightly tarnished one.
“Good evening, Ms. Amelia,” the deep masculine voice of my date drifted from the hallway. “You’re not going to the dance dressed like that are you?”
“Of course not,” my grandmother chirped with a laugh. “You replaced your uncle and I’ve been replaced by my granddaughter.”
“Oh… I didn’t know you had one,” his voice was full of curiosity.
“Come this way and I’ll introduce you.” Grandmother’s steps came closer before I heard her yell for her best friend. “Franny, bring the camera. Quick.”
“Eli Angelo” — I turned at his name — “this is my granddaughter, Clara Wood.”
Our eyes locked together and my chest constricted. Eli Angelo had been sexy in his jeans and t-shirt covered in flour and tomato sauce stains… but in a tux, he absolutely stole my breath.
“Well hello there, sunshine.” He smirked as he broke the silence and took a step forward. “I hope your day is better today.”
“Yes…” I gasped as he reached to take my hand to slip a corsage onto my wrist.
“Did you enjoy your pizza?”
“It was very… smiley,” I smiled at him and he chuckled.
“Shall we?” He
