Various States of Undress: Virginia Read online

  Under the table, his leg began bouncing, and he sighed, forcing it to be still. He wanted to calm down, but he had amazing news for her—news that could change their future. After he’d confessed to her about London, he’d felt a lot better, but after meeting her father, he’d felt a lot worse. The president had been intimidating in general, that was for sure, but the look in the man’s eyes—that don’t-fuck-around-with-my-daughter look—had really made Dex think. He didn’t want to fuck around with her. He wanted to keep her. He’d promised Virginia that he’d trust his own intelligence to figure out the future, and an idea had quickly taken root.

  He’d gone to his grandfather this morning to put that idea into action. Dex hadn’t known what to expect, but after witnessing Granddad’s reaction outside of Lilah’s last week, he’d known that, where Lilah’s was concerned, there was a crack in the old man’s crusty exterior. Of all the things that Granddad had built from the ground up, that store was the one thing that he didn’t want to see in the wrong hands. So Dex had point-blank asked him: When you’re gone, do you trust me to take care of Lilah’s? Granddad hadn’t said anything for a bit, just stared out the window, but after a moment, he’d turned and looked at Dex. And then he’d said the one word that Dex had been aching to hear. Yes.

  Dex had almost jumped out of his chair with joy, but he’d managed to be calm because his next question was a lot tougher: Will you sell me the store? That had been met with immediate suspicion, but Dex had calmly explained himself. He’d told Granddad that he’d fallen in love with the place and wanted to know it would be taken care of—on his own terms—after the grand reopening. He didn’t want to have to worry about it while he was in London. The whole truth went unspoken because it had to. Dex wanted to buy Lilah’s for Virginia. He wanted to offer it to her—as his commitment to the future they could have together and because under her guidance, it would continue to blossom and thrive.

  His grandfather had folded his arms and stared out the window again. Dex had been pretty sure Granddad would do what he usually did—shake his head and tell Dex to get out. But he hadn’t. He’d told Dex to focus on London, and, should Dex get the job, owning Lilah’s would be part of the package. Then he’d turned with his typical, brittle smile and told Dex to get out.

  That had been hours ago, and the only thing Dex wanted to do now was discuss the idea with Virginia. They could make it work, couldn’t they? If she liked his plan. She could make Lilah’s better and better while he was in London, and they could fly back and forth until they could be together in New York again, if she was willing. He wanted more than anything to show her that he was.

  Glancing across the restaurant, Dex scanned the plate-glass windows for a familiar black SUV pulling up to the curb, but all he saw were parked cars and cabs whizzing by. Damn. Maybe he should call her again. Right as he picked up his phone, there was a commotion in the back of the dining room. He turned to look, and the worry he’d been holding in fell away because Virginia stood just outside the door to the kitchen, breathless and radiant in a sky-blue dress, Larry and Charlie behind her. Quickly, the agents moved to an empty table near the window, and Virginia walked toward Dex, a smile gracing her lovely face.

  “I’m so sorry for being late. You texted me a billion times, I know. But I have a great excuse for not answering.”

  Dex jumped up and pulled out a chair for her. “It’s okay, but I was worried. Why did you come in through the kitchen? And why couldn’t you answer?”

  “I came in through the kitchen—which smells awesome by the way—because the paparazzi are trailing me. And I couldn’t answer because I was in a meeting.” She waited until he’d seated himself opposite her, and then she leaned forward to take his hands. “A totally unexpected meeting.”

  “I had a meeting today too, and I . . .” He trailed off, noting the eagerness in her eyes. “I can’t wait to tell you about it, but you go first. Did you score a big designer collection?”

  Virginia laughed. “You could say that.”

  A waiter appeared to pour the champagne Dex had ordered. When he’d left, Virginia raised her glass. “What should we drink to?”

  He smiled. “To you. And your successful experiment last week at Lilah’s.” He touched his glass to hers. “And to the future.”

  “Perfect.” She took a sip and set the glass to the side. “The future is what I wanted to talk about.”

  “Me too.” As he anticipated telling her about the possibility of buying Lilah’s, his smile got bigger. “So spill your news, sweetheart.”

  “Okay. I was in the stockroom this morning, going over some orders with Ruston, and my phone rang with an unfamiliar number. That almost never happens because, you know, I have a super-secret phone.”

  Dex nodded fondly. “The Fort Knox of phones.”

  “So I answered it, and it was Perry Ellis.” She widened her eyes and looked at him expectantly.

  “Isn’t he . . .”

  “Oh! Yes, he’s dead. Yikes, I didn’t mean—” She grimaced. “I’m just excited. What I meant to say is that the brand is interested in me. It’s an American company, you know, and they want to design an entire line of fresh, American women’s wear . . . around me.”

  Dex stared at her and tried to form words, but the only ones he could force out of his mouth were the ones he was thinking. “What about being the face of Lilah’s?”

  She let go of his hands. “I’m still doing that, of course. This deal with Perry Ellis would be months from now. A year, maybe.” She frowned a little. “I’m not abandoning Lilah’s. But just think! I’d be travelling too—all over the world—to fashion weeks and things like that. I mean, I could do that anyway, but as a celebrity attendee, not as someone who had her own fashion line. What do you think?”

  What did he think? He was happy for her, and thrilled that she was so excited, but all the same, a thickness settled in his chest. If she took that opportunity, when could they be together? And if they stayed together, would they end up like a lot of other high-profile New York couples—barely seeing each other? “I—I’m proud of you, Virginia,” he finally said. It was true.

  “Thanks. I told them I’d be in touch in a couple of months, but right now? It seems very promising.” Virginia looked down and toyed with her glass. “It seems like the perfect thing for me since you’ll probably be in London after Lilah’s opens. Once that store is transformed, I won’t be needed as a full-time consultant.”

  Dex’s chest felt even tighter. If he didn’t own Lilah’s, what she said was the truth. “I’ll always need you,” he murmured, and when she looked up with luminous eyes, he took a deep breath. “I can’t predict what will happen, but I’ll always need you.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered. Then she gave him a small smile. “So what’s your news?”

  “I went to see my grandfather this morning.”

  “Oh yeah? What happened?”

  Dex opened his mouth, but nothing came out. How was he supposed to tell her that he was trying to buy Lilah’s for her when she had just been given such an amazing opportunity? It would be asking her to choose. He realized something all of a sudden, and it hit him like a ton of bricks. He desperately wanted her to choose him but only because she was crazy about him, not because he used Lilah’s as bait. What had he been thinking?

  He cleared his throat. “It was a good meeting. He seems very positive about the store launch, and it’s looking more and more like I’ll get what I’ve been working for.” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word “London.” That word was riddled with anxiety for him.

  “Great!” Virginia’s voice sounded forced as she took his hands again. “That is good news. See what happens when you trust yourself?”

  Dex nodded slowly. “Should we order some dinner?”

  “Yeah, I’m starving,” she answered quickly. “And while we eat, you can fill me in on what’s happening with the ad campaign.”

  “Perfect.” Dex winked at her, even though nothing was
remotely perfect. He felt like he was on a precipice, not knowing what would be waiting for him should he choose to jump.

  THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY evening after Lilah’s closed, Virginia stood in a dressing room holding out a sea-green dinner jacket. She shook it at Dex. “Put it on. It matches your eyes.”

  “I don’t care.” He backed out of the stall. “You got me into the skinny pants and the Euro-trash shoes. I’m not wearing that jacket too. It looks like an Easter egg exploded. In 1979. And then someone saved the scraps to make that thing.”

  “Well, yeah. That’s basically what happened, and it’s called ironic retro fashion. It’s fun. And it’s also one of the items we’re carrying at Lilah’s in a few weeks.”

  “Great. Let a hipster wear it.”

  Virginia stared at him—at his folded arms and stubborn chin. She didn’t have time for this battle tonight—they were going to be late to the prelaunch party if she couldn’t wrestle him into the outfit she’d chosen. “Put. It. On.”

  “No.” He took the jacket from her hands and hung it on the top corner of the stall door. Then he advanced on her and leaned into the stall, his gaze sweeping over her. “But I will do this,” he added and hauled her into his arms to kiss her. She blocked him by shoving her palms against the front of his tux shirt. “I don’t think so,” she said sternly, even as her heart sped up.

  “Mmm,” he responded, his sexy mouth headed for the crook of her neck. She couldn’t let him kiss her there—she’d be a melted puddle on the dressing room floor within seconds. “Back off.” She pushed at him and heard a ripping noise. “Oh shit,” she muttered, sweeping her hair out of the way to look in the three-way mirror. “Shit!” The delicate chiffon overlay on the bodice of her dress was torn across her back and down her side, separated from the zipper, and caught in his cufflink. She met Dex’s eyes in the mirror.

  “You seem to have a problem with snagging yourself on ladies clothing, Dex. First that giant bra and now my dress. Can you explain it?”

  “No. You sound unnaturally calm. Is this the part right before you go ballistic?” he asked.

  “No,” she answered, “This is the part where I tell you that I have nothing else to wear.”

  Carefully, he detached his cufflink from her dress and took a step back, peering down at her side. “We . . . can’t fix it?”

  “Do you have a magic wand down those tight pants?” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t answer that.”

  Wisely, he shook his head. “I won’t. But I do have a solution. You could wear something from the sales floor.”

  Virginia could tell from the smile creeping around the corners of his lips that he was trying to lighten the mood by making her indignant. And then he would probably suggest that they run by Saks on their way to the party at Flash—but she wasn’t going to let him get her worked up, and she wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to surprise him. “Sure,” she said. “Go grab me something sparkly, and if I wear it? You wear that dinner jacket.”

  Dex raised his eyebrows. “Seriously? You know I’m going to pick something hideous.”

  “Hurry up. We don’t have much time.”

  When he left, she darted out of the dressing room and grabbed Ruston, whom she knew would be hovering nearby like a little brown bat. “I need a favor.”

  Ruston’s hands flew to his chest as he spied the gap at her side. “What did you do to your dress?”

  “Never mind that. Look, I know I’m not your favorite person, but I need you. Would you go get me some scissors and safety pins, please?”

  He lifted his chin. “Of course. A fashion emergency is a fashion emergency. I don’t discriminate.” He turned around and practically ran toward the stockroom.

  He and Dex returned to the dressing rooms almost at the same time—Ruston with a handful of safety pins and a wickedly long pair of scissors, and Dex with a bright green-and-orange tropical print muumuu. It was covered in sequins and sported a large faux gem collar sewn to the neckline. She sucked in a breath but held out her hands. “Give them to me, guys.” They did, and she turned to Ruston. “You—come in the stall with me.” She turned to Dex. “You—quit dawdling and put on that jacket. I’ve been behind all week on everything else, and I’ll be damned if I’m late to this party.”

  “You’re not the one who was behind, Virginia. The contractors were behind on estimates, which forced you to wait to order supplies.” Dex grabbed the jacket and stepped into the stall opposite hers. As he shrugged it on, he kept talking in what he probably thought was a soothing tone. “The painters were scheduled, though, and the show rooms are sending over the stock in less than a week. It’s all good, so don’t worry.”

  “I’m not worried. I just want to make sure that I get my ducks in a row because my sister will be here in a couple of days, which means that I won’t be at work much next week.”

  Dex frowned. “I . . . we . . . don’t get to see you for a week?”

  “I didn’t say that. I’ll be here bright and early on Thursday for the photo shoot. You knew my sister was coming to visit, Dex.”

  “Yeah, but I forgot. You distracted me.” He looked a little forlorn. “Are you seriously going to wear that dress?”

  “Yes.” She gave him a sunny smile, shut the dressing room door, and glanced at Ruston. “It’s not going to bother you if I take off—”

  “Miss Fulton. I’m a professional,” Ruston said in a clipped tone. “I’ve seen more women in lingerie than most men could even dream about. But believe me, I don’t dream about it at all, if you understand my meaning.”

  She grinned. “I do. Who’s the lucky fella?”

  “His name is Gordon. Raise your arms, please,” Ruston instructed, and then he whisked the dress up and off, detached the muumuu from the hanger, and, when she bent her head, he put it on her. It fell in voluminous folds all around her, and Virginia let herself have one moment for an internal shriek of horror. Then she squinted at the mirror and put her hands on her waist. “You ready?”

  Ruston grabbed the scissors. “Where first?”

  “Hemline,” she whispered. “High in front, low in back. Then the puffy sleeves. Cut them off; leave two inch straps. Last, the neckline. Hack off the collar. I’ll use it for a belt.” She stood completely still as Ruston went to work; after he’d finished the surgery and expertly cinched the collar around her waist so the safety pins didn’t show, she turned slowly in front of the mirror, nodding at the newly created maxi-dress. The colors in it matched her gold sandals, and her teardrop necklace looked even better with this than it had with her cocktail dress. “You’re amazing, Ruston. Although I obviously didn’t expect anything less, or I wouldn’t have let you come after me with a pair of scissors.”

  Ruston puffed up with pride but waggled an index finger at the dress. “I’ll bet you stop complaining about polyester now. The raw edges won’t ravel.”

  Virginia shook her head at him. “Learn to take a compliment, Ruston.” Then she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll never stop complaining about polyester, though, so get used to it.” Before he could answer, she opened the dressing room door and strode out, the full skirt of her dress sailing behind her.

  “Holy shit.” Dex stared at her as she twirled again. “How did you do that?”

  “Ruston and I did it together. Now quit gawking and take me to the party.” She took his arm and winked up at him. “You’re a very hot hipster, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” Dex said dryly. He led her to Muscles, who was on duty with Dave tonight, and they all piled into the SUV and drove south to Tribeca. When they arrived at Flash, the party was in full swing inside the narrow, elegantly decorated two-story venue. The music was loud, the place was crowded, but it didn’t take long at all for Dex and Virginia to be spotted by a clump of people near the door, whose mouths dropped open. The people exchanged glances and began to advance like zombies.

  “Here we go,” Virginia murmured. “Get ready.”

  “For
what?” Dex asked. He held her arm a bit too tightly—a good sign that the party had already made him anxious—so she winked up at him. “It’s going to be fine. I’ll stick with you.” But then, as usual, shit happened. Within a minute, she was crowded by people wanting to ogle a celebrity. Then several of the designers whose clothes she’d chosen to feature at Lilah’s came over to gush about her dress—causing her to think quickly and change the subject to shop talk. By the time she heard her name being screamed from a balcony and she looked up to see Stacey waving down, she’d lost Dex in the crowd. Sighing, she gathered her skirt and walked up the spiral staircase to give Stacey a hug.

  “Ginny! You’re here!” Stacey loved to state the obvious, and Virginia loved to give her crap about it, but now was not the time. “Oh my God! What the hell are you wearing?” Stacey blurted out.

  “Shh.” Virginia turned to the man who silently appeared next to Stacey and threw his arm over her shoulder. He was tall and had a gray ponytail, piercing black eyes, and an asshole smile. She detested him on sight. “Hi. You must be Dorian. Nice to meet you.”

  His smirk got bigger. “Yes, and you’re the lovely Virginia. Even lovelier in person, I might add. You have spectacular eyes.”

  Eww. Virginia nodded. “I am Virginia. Thanks for agreeing to host our prelaunch party.”

  “My pleasure.” Dorian waved an imperious hand down at the mass of bodies. “It’s . . . lively. I’ll give you that much.”

  Virginia had to smile at the eclectic crowd because Flash didn’t usually cater to flamboyant designers or trying-to-make-a-living-as-an-artist types, and especially not to college kids. The usual crowd at a place like this was very rich, very wry, and one step away from becoming versions of their uptight parents—even though they were still in denial about that, still pretending to be relevant and on the cutting edge of anything fashionable. Those people were here too, of course, but they stood in clusters, holding martinis and raising their eyebrows a lot. And those were the people to whom she had originally planned to market Lilah’s. Yikes. Virginia burst out laughing.