I reached into my small jewelry box and pulled out my mother’s worn pearl earrings. They were small and slightly yellowed with age, but they were the only real jewelry I owned. I clipped them into my ears, the cold metal stinging my earlobes.
“You can do it,” I whispered to myself, staring at the wall. “It’s just a dress.”
I put on the green silk and pulled it over my shoulders. The zipper fastened easily, and the material clung tightly to my waist.
I left the bedroom, my heels clicking softly on the wooden floor.
Damon climbed the stairs, his tie still loosely tied around his neck. He stopped on the third step from the top, holding onto the banister. His gaze traveled from my shoes up to my neck, lingering there for a long moment.
“Are you seriously wearing that?” he asked. His voice was flat, devoid of warmth.
