Contessa (63 page)

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Authors: Lori L. Otto

Tags: #Fiction, #Coming of Age

BOOK: Contessa
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Yes, that

s what I heard. This is just getting to be a regular old party, huh?

she asks.


Mom, I can ask them all not to come,

I suggest.


That

s silly, Livvy. It

s better, with more people. Keeps us a little distracted.


But I know you like to honor him today.


I have,

she says.

I nod to her.

I

m not quite finished,

I tell her, gesturing toward the book.

I want to read a few more things before Jon gets here.

She smiles and stands up, kissing me on the forehead.

What are you wearing tonight?


Probably this.

I glance down at my distressed jeans and t-shirt.


You should dress up,

she suggests.

To celebrate.


We mourn today,

I tell her.


You don

t have to, sweetie. Nate wouldn

t want that.


We do it every year.


I know. I

m going to dress up tonight,

she says, shrugging her shoulders.

Surprise your dad.


Wow, Mom, next thing you

ll tell me is that you

re going out on the town to celebrate.


I don

t think that

s completely out of the question. I

m ready.

Since the accident, there was only one New Year

s Eve that my parents didn

t spend together at home; it was the night before their wedding. Every year since then, I

ve been a part of their quiet evening of remembrance.


Wow. That

s a big step.


He

s been gone longer than I knew him,

she says.

I realized that this morning. That seems strange to me.


Gone, but not forgotten.


Never forgotten,

she confirms.

Don

t spend all afternoon down here, okay?

She walks over to my closet and flips through some of the newer garments.

I haven

t seen you in this,

she says, holding up an off-the-shoulder white peasant blouse paired with a red skirt.


Well, that seems a little showy for a night at home,

I tell her.


It

s so pretty, though. Did Anna help you pick that out?


No, I used my birthday money,

I tell her.


Wow, you picked this out?


Yeah.

I shrug my shoulders as she looks at the tags.


I

m impressed. I guess Anna

s rubbed off on you. You should wear this tonight, just for fun.


I don

t know.


Yeah, you

re right. Dad would probably flip.

Her smile is mischievous.


Fine,

I tell her.

I

ll wear it. I could break in my new shoes, too.


I like the way you think, Livvy,

she says as she begins to leave my room. Suddenly excited and anxious to see Jon, I put Nate

s book aside and decide to start getting ready, giving myself plenty of time to straighten my hair and paint my nails.

Now I won

t feel so silly getting a little glam tonight.


Dad

s not going to be mad, right?

I ask as I pull some accessories out of a drawer in my closet.


Dad

s not going to be able to keep his eyes off me,

she says.


Gross, Mom,

I mutter. Actually, though, I

m happy she

s in such good spirits. And I know it will make my dad really happy. He
does
hate it when she

s sad.

I take my time getting dressed, but when my aunt comes down two hours later, I can

t believe exactly how much time I

ve spent doing it.

That

s all wrong,

Anna says as she enters my room. I

m pacing, trying to break in the heels that I think might be too high.

I stop to stare, looking into my full-length mirror. I thought I looked pretty.

What?


Your blouse isn

t supposed to cover your shoulders,

she says as she pulls them down.


No, I know, Anna,

I laugh as I push them back up.

I

m doing that for Dad.


We don

t dress for Dad, Livvy,

she says as she repositions the sleeves once more.

We dress for that handsome boy that

s waiting upstairs ri–


He

s here already?


Yes, he is.


Is he just up there with Dad and Chris?

I panic.


No, Finn and Camille are up there, keeping him company. He

s fine. He looks good, Liv,

Anna says, lifting her eyebrows.


What

s he wearing?


Nice jeans. Shiny black shoes. A very proper, crisp white dress shirt and a deep red tie that matches that little rose blossom right there,

she says as she points to one of the decorative elements of my shirt.

And he

s got a nice five o

clock shadow for a teenager,

my aunt adds, impressed.

And messy hair.


I love it when his hair

s messy,

I tell her with a blush.


Where did you get that handbag?

she asks.


That boutique you took me to,

I answer.

Does it look okay with the shoes?


Stunning. It all looks stunning. Although, why the handbag when you

re staying in?


Why
any of this
if I

m staying in?

I ask her back.

Just because, I guess.


You look beautiful.


Thank you. Now go distract my dad or something so I can come upstairs and see Jon.


You got it,

she says with a smile. We pass my uncle on the stairs, who whistles as I walk by.


That

s
not weird or anything, Chris,

I say sarcastically. He laughs from behind us.

Camille engulfs me with a hug when she sees me.

I

ve missed you. I realize I can go without school altogether, but I miss seeing you over the holidays.


I know,

I agree.

But I

m still not excited to go back on Wednesday.


Me, neither.


Hey, Finn.

We hug each other quickly as I continue to scan the room for Jon. Finally, he stands up off the couch, straightening his tie. Anna wasn

t kidding. He
does
look handsome.


Olivia,

he says softly. Fortunately, my dad is in the kitchen, getting together last-minute preparations for the guests that will be coming tonight. He touches his bristly chin as a smile grows slowly across his face, his feet planted firmly as if he can

t move. I wave from the foyer. His eyes travel down the length of my body and stay focused on the shoes I got for Christmas when he finally decides to make a move in my direction.

He takes my hands in his and taps his shoe to one of mine, leaning in to whisper in my ear.

Those are even sexier on you than I imagined they would be.

He kisses the skin by my ear slowly, just once, before backing away. He drops one of my hands, but holds out the other.


But the shirt? The skirt? Nothing?

I ask him softly, teasing. Chris and Anna move past us into the living room, but Anna watches us slowly on her way. I hear Finn and Camille go down the stairs to the basement.


Turn around,

he says as he lifts my hand, helping me twirl once in front of him. I catch Anna

s gaze when he stops me. She smiles and nods before following her husband into the kitchen.

Hmmm,

he ponders his response and clears his throat.

I

m trying to think of the right word, but I honestly can

t think of
any
words right now.


Nothing?

I urge him to continue.


It

s not appropriate.

He bites his bottom lip.


My outfit?

I ask coquettishly, running my hands down my skirt.


No, not your outfit. The
word
. The outfit makes me libidinous.


What?

I ask him.


Yeah. Who knew I

d use SAT words in real life?

I look at him curiously, waiting for an explanation.

Just look it up later.

He laughs, silencing me with a kiss.

Libidinous.


Why do you have to be so smart?

I whisper.

It

s sexy, you know?

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