On Sunday, Aurelia decided to treat herself to some live jazz at an amphitheater on the affluent side of town. Tickets to the event were a hundred dollars a head, but thankfully she didn’t have to pay a cent to get in.
Liam Thornton, her boss, had given Aurelia two tickets to the jazz event for a job well done last week. He often gave top performing employees boons like this. And she was definitely a top performer at the crime lab. Had been ever since she started.
Since Aurelia was still single, she only needed one ticket. Thus she gave the other ticket to Claude yesterday as a gift for being such a great lab partner.
Going over to her small closet, Aurelia took out a hazelnut-colored cocktail dress that would be excellent for the evening. She discovered the designer dress among the donated items in the thrift shop of the same church that hosted the soup kitchen. When Aurelia saw Carmen Marc Valvo’s name on the dress label, she knew she’d found a treasure. Even celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah, Vanessa Williams, and Mary J. Blige wore this designer.
Aurelia used to wear CMV designs all the time when she was with Cain. She loved them because they seldom needed the help of accessories. Even the dress she was about to wear tonight had its own personality which consisted of a beaded embellishment right underneath the bust line, elegant pleats along that same bust line, and a bra-friendly V-neck that was sure to accent her ample bosom.
The designer dress cost Aurelia all of $6 at the thrift shop, though it was well worth $600 even in its used state. Barely used at that. To set the dress off perfectly, she retrieved a shoe box from the bottom of her closet that contained a pair of transparent stilettos with a studded center strap and hazelnut-colored trimmings. They’d been found on a 75% off clearance rack in the Alcove Mall.
I just might snag another rich guy tonight with this outfit, Aurelia thought as she went to take a shower. Why not put herself back on the dating market? Why not follow Baron’s lead? He didn’t want her anymore.
* * *
“Did I tell you how nice you look in that dress?” Baron said to his date for the evening.
Jordin smiled. “Three times already and it’s still not enough, considering how much I paid for it.”
Baron chuckled. “Well, let me say it again. You look nice in that dress. Very nice,” he complimented, once again admiring her shapely form in that hazelnut Carmen Marc Valvo dress. On her feet were a pair of elegant brown and gold pumps.
“Thank you.” Jordin grinned and leaned over to give him a light peck on the cheek. Suddenly she frowned as her eyes came in contact with something offensive over his left shoulder. “Unfortunately, it looks like someone else decided to wear the same dress tonight,” she added, glaring at a woman who was taking a seat ten people away from them in the midsection of the amphitheater. “Wait a minute. Isn’t that one of your students? The same female student you were scowling at during the carnival yesterday?”
Baron’s head snapped to the left. Sure enough there was Aurelia in the exact same dress as Jordin. His heart instantly started to pound in his chest. His lower body stirred.
He thought Jordin looked good in that CMV dress, but she didn’t have anything on Aurelia. Matter of fact, that dress looked like it was specifically made for the V.I. native and her alone. It hugged every curve just right and showed off more leg since she was at least four inches taller than 5’5 Jordin.
And those sexy heels Aurelia wore. They reminded Baron of the whole glass slipper theme in Cinderella.
Would Aurelia like him to be her Prince Charming? Oh wait, he was already obligated to be that guy for Jordin tonight.
Dang.
Then as if she’d felt his hot gaze upon her, Aurelia turned and met Baron’s eyes. That’s when he knew that she wasn’t into Claude as much as he originally thought. If so, why would her nostrils flare and her eyes momentarily flash with jealousy before she gave him the stiffest of nods and looked away?
© 2009 by Mi’Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier
* * *
Photo of Aurelia’s dress:
http://www.edressme.com/11119.html#
* * *
Photo of Aurelia’s shoes, except hers were hazelnut in color:
Good, Baron gets a taste of what is feels like to know she isn't dating anyone else. What will he do now that he knows? Another post, PLEASE :) I want to know his reaction now.
ReplyDeleteJessie: These are hot-off-the-press chapters, so they're taking longer. The next post is still being written as we speak. I'll post it as soon as I'm done, okay?
ReplyDeleteFYI - Hubby is taking me out tonight, so I'm trying to get as much writing done as I can before he gets off from work.
SUPRINA,
ReplyDeleteWOW I HAVE BEEN CATCHING UP ON THE STORY AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU IT IS AMAZING. AS USUAL YOU HAVE ME HANGING ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT WAITING WITH BATED BREATH FOR THE NEXT ENTRY. OK HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS SO FAR:
BARON: HE APPARENTLY WAS NOT LISTENING TO AURELIA PRIVATE CONV AS MUCH AS HE SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE SHE SAID IT WASN'T A DATE AND SO DID HE.
BAMBI: I AM GLAD THAT SHE DIDN'T END A VERY GOOD FRIENDSHIP OVER A MAN THAT SHE HADN'T TOLD AURELIA THAT SHE LIKED ANYWAY AND TO FINANCE THE FRAGRANCE FOR A SOFT LAUNCH THAT SHOWS CHARACTER. I LIKE HER.
CAIN: GOOD RIDDANCE AND I AM SURE HE IS ONE OF THE STALKERS ONE OF THE ONES REQUESTING A WEEKLY UPDATE.
AURELIA: SHE IS SO AMBITIOUS, AND EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS A VAILD FEAR OF POVERTY SHE IS ALSO A GOOD PERSON. I JUST HATE THAT SHE IS AFTER A "RICH" BOYFRIEND. SHE WILL NOT FIND WHAT SHE IS LOOKING FOR BY GIVING LIMITATIONS BEFORE SHE HAS EVEN MEET THE PERSON.
WILLY: I BELIEVE HE IS ONE OF THE OTHER STALKERS. HE IS ALSO NASTY.
CLAUDE: HE NEEDS TO CATCH A CLUE.
SASHA: I AM GLAD HER AND DUKE (I THINK) ARE MAKING THERE MARRIAGE WORK, BUT SHE WANTS TO BE APART OF THE SOCIALITE CROWD FOR ME. PLUS SHE DOSEN'T SOUND LIKE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL USE THE SECERTS SHE HAS TO HELP ANYBODY BUT HERSELF.
MARQUESS: HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE MARRIED ONE WOMAN TO GET OVER ANOTHER. HE NEEDS TO TAKE THIS TIME TO GET TO KNOW PAULA WITHOUT THE SEX AND MAYBE THEY CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE A RELATIONSHIP WORK. I AM SURE THAT THEY WILL EITHER GET TOGETHER IN THIS BOOK OR THAT WOULD BE A GREAT STORY FOR A SEQUEL. (NOT THAT I AM TRYING TO GIVE YOU IDEAS CAUSE I DON'T THINK I CAN WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL TO SEE HOW THEIR STORY ENDS)
PAULA: WHATEVER HER SECERT IS I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE TOLD SASHA WHO HAS NO REASON TO KEEP IT.
THE STORY IS GOING GREAT, THE PACE IS GOOD AND WE ARE GETTING A MYSTERY TOO AND ALL THE MUSIC AND PICTURES GIRLLLLLLLL YOU KNOW YOU DA BOMB!!!!
Carmel B: You wrote a lot, girl. In all caps too. That's what happens when you hang around folks like the real Paula. lol.
ReplyDeleteAnyhoo, a lot of what you said I can not comment on because it will be telling the story. Here's what I can say:
1. Baron only heard the tail end of that conversation, starting from Aurelia agreeing to go to lunch with Claude and then Claude's vivid response. Bambi heard the same thing.
2. Bambi should have told Aurelia about her feelings for Claude. The fact that she was able to move past her disappointments got me liking Bambi a lot, too.
3. I can't STAND Cain. No comment on the stalker thing.
4. You're so right about Aurelia, especially about her not finding what she's looking for by focusing too much on the money issue. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to find ways for her to make her own cheese in greater quantities. It's just going slow.
5. No comment on Willy.
6. Claude's a good dude. Clueless, yes, but a good dude. lol. You'll see in the chapters ahead.
7. You got Sasha pegged right.
8. So true about Marquess. No sequel in store for him and Paula. What's going to happen with them will be dealt with in this story.
8. Paula's secret is part of a family secret, so Sasha ain't about to tell it and miss things up for her kinfolk.
Finally, thanks for giving me your opinion about how the story is going. I need that kind of feedback, too. And yes, I'm trying to dabble in a little mystery/suspense for this story. Tryna expand my writing wings and all that.
Okay, going back to write now...
LOL!! Sorry about the two 8's within my earlier response, Carmel B. I was typing in a hurry.
ReplyDelete