Chapter 83


    Chapter 83


    | nced at the clock and casually asked, “Hey, Darren, can | swing by here and pick you up at seven tomorrow evening?”


    Darren looked at me like | just grew a second head, then after a brief pause, he chuckled and said, “Sure, let’s roll with that.”


    | mean, | felt kinda bad always bumming favors off him. Just got myself a new ride, so ying chauffeur was really no biggie, just


    going with the flow.


    But there was something off about Darren’s tone.


    After leaving the Youth Hostel, | immediately called Wallis.


    As soon as she picked up, | heard heavy breathing on the other end. “What’s up, Xaviera?”


    Realizing | might have caught her at a bad time, | plucked up the courage and said, “I need a full set of threads, the battle-dress


    kind.”


    “Whoa there,” Wallis’s voice spiked, “With who?”


    “Professor Yearwood,” | spilled the beans. “I''ll be at the soirée tomorrow night too.”


    “Nice.” Wallis let out a thrilled yell, “Leave it to me, oh.”


    Aweird moan leaked through the phone.


    | froze for a sec, then tactfully hung up.


    Was this what they call the ‘thirsty thirties“?


    Wallis showed up at the office the next day, looking like she was glowing.


    | teased her, “Get a good night''s sleep?”


    She shot me a flirty nce and in a sing-song voice said, “You naughty thing, you should be asking how many times | scored.”


    What a saucy line.


    Rolling her eyes, Wallis said, “Xaviera, you seriously need to stop ying the nun. You know a woman''s eggs start to feel their


    age past thirty, right? Time to spice things up, embrace the sweet side of love, ya know?”


    | was blushing head to toe.


    “Don''t live like a saint all the time. It''s been ages; you should switch things up, try a new vor.” Images | had no control over


    shed through my mind, setting my face on fire.


    Nearly got derailed by Wallis’s banter there.


    Chapter 83


    So, | changed the subject, “When are we going shopping?”


    Wallis flicked her hair and giggled, “How about now?”


    She took me to her ex—hubby’s three-story vi he left her in Forest Whisper.


    | was floored by the variety of chic dresses in her walk-in closet.


    Suddenly, it struck me that even though her ex was a bastard, he sure didn’t shortchange her on the financial front.


    “Money or a pretty man, darling, gotta have one.” Wallis quipped about money and looks.


    | mulled over those words, then it clicked.


    Wallis then handed me an ivory satin slip dress, “I ordered this at a Bulgari event two years. back, never wore it. It''ll look fab on


    you.”


    The dress was simple but made of top-notch fabric, felt like feathers on my skin, definitely


    haute couture..


    Wallis even called in a stylist and makeup artist to do house calls. And vo, dressed in the white gown, hair up, with subtle


    eyeshadow and lip color, essorized with a ruby ne and bracelet from the same designer, and strutting in nude stilettos,


    | was out the door.


    “Xaviera, | can almost see the hordes of guys that''ll be lining up at our office after tonight,” Wallis patted my hand, “See you at


    the party.”


    | drove to the Youth Hostel to pick up Darren.


    Dressed in a ck suit and still sporting those silver specs, he looked a bit more solemn, but weirdly, it added a hint of a rakish


    charm.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    “Doesn''t fit right?” he adjusted his sses, “Too‘ formal?”


    | awkwardly looked away and muttered, “Looks good.”


    For some reason, Wallis’s words about ‘trying a new vor” popped into my head.


    ngan


    My bad.


    Clueless, Darren gave me a gentle smile, “Well then, Ms. March, shall we head out?”