After a long luxurious bubble bath, Adrianna felt calmer and more relaxed. Her wolf, however, was not, but she was getting impatient with the damned thing, so she ignored its whines and cries. She was determined to have a good time tonight, to move on and forget … whatever it was she and Darius had.
She put on her makeup, some perfume, and some lingerie—because nothing made her feel better than wearing something lacy and sexy under her clothes—then walked over to her closet. She unzipped the garment bag hanging from the hook, carefully taking out the dress and laying it on the bed.
The red, off-the-shoulder dress was truly breathtaking. She gasped out loud and nearly cried when she saw it. Her grandmother Guilia had the exact same vintage Valentino dress that Frankie loved to wear, but over the years it had gotten old and delicate, so she had it preserved and put in storage. Her mother had always talked about buying something similar or having it recreated. And it looked like she finally got around to it, and custom-made at Maison Valentino to boot. She thought there was no way it would fit her—though she and Frankie were both curvy, she was taller. To her surprise it was a perfect fit, down to the length of the hem. Frankie had this dress made just for her.
Her heart was racing as she descended the stairs; why, she didn’t know. Was Darius still there? She supposed she was taking it for granted he would be or that he was even going to drive her to dinner. If he wasn’t, then it wouldn’t be a problem to have someone fetch her. Her damn brain and heart were at war, with the former wanting him out of her life and the latter longing to see him again.
When she heard the familiar sound of the Dodge Charger engine outside, her heart soared and fluttered in her chest. She dashed outside, lifting her skirt so she wouldn’t stumble on it. When she stepped out, she saw Darius, standing next to his car, the rear passenger door open. The disappointment crushed her heart.
“Good evening, Miss Anderson.”
She stiffened her spine. “Good evening,” she managed to say before climbing into the back seat.
The tension inside the car was thick, and the normally forty-five-minute trip felt like a lifetime. As soon as they arrived outside Petite Louve, she didn’t even bother to wait for him to open the door. She stepped out without a word and walked into the restaurant by herself. When she got in, she saw the familiar figure of the restaurant’s owner and head chef.
“Adrianna?” Holly Muccino exclaimed. “You look gorgeous! I love that dress.”
She kissed the other woman on the cheek. “Thanks, Aunt Holly. You don’t look too bad yourself.” An understatement, of course. Despite the deeper lines in the corner of her eyes and around her mouth, Aunt Holly looked just as beautiful as she did when she married Uncle Dante. She remembered the first time she came here as a child, playing with Lucas and Hannah in this very dining room. That seemed like a million years ago, back when everything was simpler.
“You’re the last one to arrive,” Holly said. “C’mon, we have the private dining room set up.”
She followed Aunt Holly toward the back. Originally, Petite Louve didn’t have a private dining room like Muccino’s did, but as its popularity grew, their regular VIPs clamored for it, and so they built one. Holly’s partner, Sharice, who also happened to be married to her uncle Enzo, designed it herself. It was made to look like a classic French countryside dining room and it was a hit with all their guests.
“Finally,” Grant Anderson said as she entered. “Hello, baby.”
“Papa!” She couldn’t help herself; it felt like she hadn’t seen her father in a long time, even though they danced at Zac and Astrid’s wedding. She hugged him tight, breathing in his familiar, ocean-scented smell. “I missed you.”
“Ooh, wow,” he chuckled at her exuberant greeting. “I missed you, too, baby.”
Normally, she would have bristled at the pet name, but she just laughed. “How are you, old man?”
“Old?” Grant mocked. “Old, eh? Well, maybe I’m not so glad to see you.”
“Adrianna,” Lucas greeted.
She embraced her brother next. “Nice to see you again,” she whispered.
“Same here.” She was hoping that things had improved with him, but looking at his face, she realized that wasn’t the case. In fact, he seemed worse. More weary and irritated. “By the way,” he stepped aside. “This is my date, Barbara Davis.”
The tall, stunning blonde beside him gave her a bright smile. “Hello, you must be Adrianna,” she said and grabbed her hand. “Nice to meet you. I love that dress.”
“Thanks. Er, nice to meet you too, Barbara.” With her expensive designer dress, highlights that must have cost a fortune, and perfectly-manicured nails, she didn’t look like a police officer. And by her scent—gardenias—she was definitely not human. She shot her brother a curious look, but he ignored her and instead, lead Barbara to the table.
“Mimma!” Frankie exclaimed. “I knew that dress would look perfect on you.”
“Thanks, Mama, it’s beautiful.”
“You look exquisite,” Alesso said as he offered her a glass of champagne. “I’m so glad you decided to come.”
“Thank you.” She accepted the champagne, but when she put the glass to her lips and got a whiff of the alcohol, her stomach recoiled. “Er, I think I’m a little queasy from the drive over. Maybe later.” She glanced around. “Are Julianna or Isabelle coming?” she asked.
“Julianna’s at work,” Frankie said, then frowned. “Isabelle is supposed to be here, but she’s gone AWOL.”
“She probably had a crisis. Like her favorite
