Deeper Than Dreams by Jessica Topper Read Free Book Online Page B

sparkled a blue patina. “So I told her about the Lions gala . . . and you.”
    I don’t know if it was due to the fact that he’d written dozens of songs, but Adrian had a way of making the simplest of words convey multiple meanings. As “you” dropped from his lips, he breathed life and love into it, and made me feel like the most cherished object in the room.
    Until Mindy’s mention of the tuxedo sank in.
    Adrian would be dressed to the nines, and I still had zero wardrobe possibilities that could begin to do this event justice. I thought back to my own closet, just about an hour’s drive away. Past the piles of laundry waiting for me, I probably had two dresses from my B.C. (Before Child) wardrobe hanging in there that could pass muster: the teal dupioni silk bridesmaid dress from Leanna’s wedding, and the black velvet cocktail number I wore way back when I accompanied Pete to that United Nations Association awards dinner. I wasn’t even sure if either still fit me, and truthfully, I had no desire to ever don either of them again.
    Adrian was eyeing me. Whether he detected my dilemma, or whether he had just been waiting to make the next move, I couldn’t tell. But he bit his lip in anticipation. “One more surprise, luv.”
    â€œJust one more? You sure about that?” Everyone laughed. “I don’t know if my heart can take it.” It was my attempt at a joke, but I was seriously
verklempt
at all their efforts. My heart filled to bursting.
    â€œCome now,” Adrian tilted his head toward the stairs. “You lot may want to see this, too.”
    ***
    The four of us trooped after him, spiraling up to the second floor. My brother, who could never deal with heights or spinning, used Liz’s belt loops for leverage, much to her delight. I followed behind Mindy, whose butt wasn’t nearly as big as she made it out to be.
    â€œOmigoddigger’sbedroom,” Kev hissed in Liz’s ear. I had to laugh. He had had a similar starstruck moment when we walked backstage last night and he had seen Abbey in Adrian’s arms. Now I could see him pretending not to gawk as he scoped out the sleeping quarters of rock royalty.
    At least I had remembered to make the bed.
    â€œFor she who claims she has nothing to wear to the ball.” Adrian approached the closet.
    Even Mindy, who had seen all levels of high fashion, gasped.
    Suspended within was an ethereal, frothy concoction of a dress. If I called it plain green, I would be lying, as its shades changed, from dark forest to a pale fern, with each fold and crease of the fabric.
    â€œOmbré chiffon,” Mindy surveyed with admiring, experienced eyes. “What an exquisite silhouette!”
    Everyone murmured in agreement. Even on the hanger, you could tell it was designed to beautifully drape, crisscrossing in several ways to nip at the waist. It had a boldly cut v-neckline, but there was a crystal beaded bodice inset to fill out and flatter the plunge.
    â€œYou like it?” Adrian asked. “My housekeeper made it.”
    My jaw unhinged at the notion of sweet Ana laboring over what looked like a couture gown. “But . . . when . . . and how . . . and . . . ?”
    Adrian chuckled, scratching modestly at his goatee. “The story starts with Natalie, actually. And September 11th. I never told you this, but she came to live here a few years back, and to attend FIT.” Adrian’s eyes clouded a bit as he brought up his only daughter. “Which was beyond huge, for her to want to come, and for her mother to let her. But then 9/11 happened, and yeah . . . she didn’t want to stay after that.”
    My face fell in sympathy for him. He scrubbed a hand across his face as if to wipe the memory aside. “As soon as flights resumed, Natalie wanted me to take her home. I understood. But I was gutted. We were just starting to