Page 143 of Hale Damage
“Great. I want to check in on the kids. We brought my dad and Tora along to Florida to help with them.”
“Who’s Tora?” I ask.
Gianna takes a sip of her wine, smiling fondly around the rim. “He’s Dad’s husband and an assistant designer at Bouvier.” She laughs a little. “Just a warning. Tora is a bit of a drama queen and brutally honest. If something isn’t working on you, he’ll tell you. He’s got a great eye though, so I thought he might be helpful while we pick out your dress, if that’s okay with you.”
“Yeah, sure. I’m… a little nervous, to be honest. I don’t usually shop at expensive stores.” I wince a little, but her sweet smile tamps down my nerves a bit.
“Girl, same. I didn’t grow up like this at all,” she says, waving her empty glass around the huge limo.
“Really?” I ask, in a bit of shock as I look at the red halter jumpsuit that makes her look like some kind of fashion icon who was born with a silver spoon up her butt.
“Nope. It was a culture shock when I started dating Auburn.”
“How do you deal with all the extravagance? I feel like I’m a fish out of water, and now I’m dating Remington fucking Hale, and he acts like it’s no big deal to send me to a fancy store to buy a dress that probably costs more than my car.”
Gianna shakes her head. “Trust me, there’s no stopping them. Billionaires are gonna act like billionaires. The fuckers are audacious.”
I laugh into my glass. “Exactly.”
She’s on the seat adjacent to me and leans forward a little so I can see the glimmer in her green eyes. “Money doesn’t mean the same thing to them as it does to us unless it comes to their business. But in their personal lives, a thousand bucks is like a penny to the rest of us mere mortals. Remi looks at you the same way Auburn still looks at me, like he would turn the world upside down to see you smile.”
“I don’t need money to be happy,” I say, and she gives me a soft nod of understanding.
“That’s hard for them to comprehend, but they eventually learn. Auburn knows now that him bringing my favorite coffee is just as important to me as all the fancy clothes in the world. And this coming from a man who sent me a ton of clothes after my luggage got lost when I moved here. Not a couple shirts and some jeans. Nope.” She shakes her head, and her raven hair swirls around her tan shoulders. “A whole goddamn wardrobe, complete with lingerie and shoes.”
“Wow. I can see where that would have overwhelmed you,” I say, draining the rest of my excellent champagne.
Her lips hitch up on the side. “It pissed me off is what it did. Then he told me he selected every single piece he sent me. He didn’t have an assistant or a designer do it. He did it himself. Here I am, this little chick from Texas who just moved to the biggest city in the world, and somehow this very important CEO took time out of his day to pickout a new wardrobe for me.” She shrugs. “That totally knocked me for a loop.”
I think about Remi tracking down all my salt and pepper shakers and giving them to me for Christmas. It was the kindest gift I’ve ever received.
She leans back and sets down her glass. “Now my rule is as long as it’s done with thoughtfulness and intention, I say thank you and accept it. There are a lot of shallow women in this rich people realm who only care about how much their man spends on them. And the men just throw the most expensive things they can buy at them without any care.” She gives me a pointed look. “Those are the ones who don’t last.”
I nod my head. “I don’t feel like that with Remi. Everything he’s done for me so far has been thoughtful. Or something to make my life easier.”
Gianna’s smile broadens. “Good. I’ve only known Remi a few years, but he’s one of my favorites of Auburn’s friends. So many of them treat me like I’m merely an accessory to my husband, but Remi always takes time to speak to me. He really seems like a good guy.”
“He is,” I say softly, my heart melting into a pile of goo in my chest.
She brushes a strand of hair behind her ear. “Just be careful about who you let into your circle because some of the women are snakes. They look down on me because I’m not from their world.”
“They’re jealous,” I defend instantly. “They’re just mad you’re with Auburn Bouvier and they’re not.”
Gianna nods sagely. “I know. And I’m aware they have no idea about the man behind the perfect suits and gorgeous face. He’s such a private person.” Her eyes go dreamy. “But not with me. He’s vulnerable with me. My husband opened up his heart and let me in, and what I found on the inside is even more beautiful than what he portrays on the outside.”
“Remi’s learning to do that with me too,” I say quietly, reflecting on his confessions from last night. And that breathtaking tattoo… I can’t believe he actually did that after only one night with me.
“Oh, we’re here,” Gianna says, peering out the side window of the limo before turning back to me and patting my leg. “Let’s change intocasual clothes so you’ll feel more comfortable. Leggings and T-shirts?”
“Sounds good,” I say in relief as we exchange numbers. I feel like I’ve made a new friend in Gianna Bouvier.
After quickly showering, changing, and redoing my hair into a high ponytail, I walked over to Gianna’s hotel next door where I met her family. The kids are completely adorable. Her dad, Tony, is a handsome man with a salt-and-pepper goatee and a quiet demeanor. His husband, by contrast, is a ball of exuberance in tailored pants. Tora has a thin build and brown eyes that are almost too large for his face.
“Tora, what are you thinking about Mindy?” Gianna asks as we ride in the back of the limo.
Tora fans his face dramatically. “Oh, I think she’s an absolute siren. Just look at that hair.”
Gianna chuckles. “I meant for her dress.”
