Ariana honestly lost count of how many designer stores and boutiques she and Bridget went to and they still, or rather, Bridget still hadn't found 'the one'. That's what she'd been calling the dress. Bridget told Ariana when they find 'the one', they would know and Ariana, honest to God, had no idea what she meant.
Ariana watched Bridget as she went through hangers as one of the attendants assisted her, going to the back of the store and coming back with everything Bridget requested for.
Bridget glanced at her,
"Well?"
"What?" Ariana was confused,
"Don't just stand there. Go through the other sections, you might find something you like."
"I doubt that," She smiled, "This is the umpteenth store we've been to."
Bridget gasped,
"This isn't just any store," She said, "This is the store. They have selections from top designers from Oscar de la Renta to Diane Von Furstenberg."
"I'm going to pretend like you just spoke English and I know who those people are. Also, if this is the store, why have we been to so many others, why didn't we just come here in the first place?" Ariana walked to one of the neatly spaced hangers with dresses that looked like they were worth thousands of dollars. She was afraid she'd touch one of them and stain it with her clean hands.
"Well, you know what they say: Save the best for last."
Ariana glanced back at her and shook her head.
"Would rather prefer to save time."
"Oh, this is pretty." Bridget pulled out a nude dress with its bodice covered in sequins.
"I already told you, none of that shiny stuff." Ariana went back to browsing the hangers.
"Do you have this is red?" Bridget asked the attendant,
"Red?" Ariana snapped around to look at her, "I hope that would be for you because I'm not wearing red."
"What's wrong with red?"
"It's too...loud."
Bridget sighed.
"You are something."
Ariana smiled and froze a second later when her eyes landed on the next dress. She stared at it and didn't hear Bridget calling her name. She took it off the rack to take a better look at it and Bridget walked up behind her to look at the dress Ariana held.
"Oh," Bridget said, "Do you have this in a size 2?"
"Yes." The polite and professional attendants said before she went to the back to get it.
"It's..." Ariana began,
"Perfect for you," Bridget said with a smile, "I should have thought about something like this."
Ariana understood at that moment what Bridget meant by she would know when she found 'the one'.
"Here you go," The attendant came with the dress in a size 2 as requested.
"Do you want to try it on?" Bridget asked,
Ariana looked at Bridget with a 'really' look. After making her try dresses for the past hour, they'd figured out she was a size 2 after a few tries, so why try something she knew would fit?
Bridget smiled at her and turned back to the attendant.
"We'll take it then," Bridget handed the dress back to the attendant, "Do you have shoes to match?"
The attendant smiled and nodded,
"We have the perfect shoes and a clutch if one is needed."
"That would be great," Bridget turned to her, "You don't have a problem with heels, right?"
"Heels?" Ariana asked, "As far as they're comfortable."
Bridget turned back to the attendant,
"Platforms please?"
"I'll be right back." The attendant left dropping the dress at the counter. She came back with other attendants carrying shoe boxes and clutches.
"Sit." Bridget ordered.
Oh well, since you asked so nicely.
Ariana thought as she sat down and watched as all the boxes were opened. She took off her converse as shoes were pushed in her direction to try on.
Half an hour later, they stopped to get something to eat on the way out of the mall before they headed back home. Ariana helped Bridget take the bags inside when they arrived home, taking it all to her former room before she moved to Jace's.
Just as they headed out of the room, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it. You go freshen up." Bridget headed to the door and she headed back to the guest room.
Ariana went straight to the bathroom and showered, she put on her underwear and a robe over it before she walked back into the room. Bridget stood there in the room with another woman, chatting with her as they stood at the end of the bed, all the things they'd bought spread out on the end of the bed.
Bridget turned to her as she shut the door behind her.
"Ariana, this is Giselle the hair and make-up stylist. Giselle, this is Ariana, Mr. Black's wife."
"When she told me Mr. Black was married I thought she was joking and now I'm just shocked," Giselle smiled, "You're very pretty and I'm looking forward to making you beautiful for tonight."
"Hmm, thank you?" Ariana had no idea what to say to that.
"Well, you better get started," Bridget said to Giselle looking at her wristwatch, "I'm going to head home because I have to be at the venue before the guests arrived and time's running out."
"Oh hmm, I'll see you later then." Ariana said to Bridget,
"Definitely," She smiled, "Take good care of her." She said to Giselle,
"I will." Giselle smiled at Bridget before she left the room.
"Well, let's get started." Giselle walked to the vanity and opened the two large bags placed on the floor. "Sit."
Ariana walked towards the vanity and sat in the chair with her back to the vanity.
Less than an hour later, Ariana squirmed in her seat as Giselle worked on her hair. After she'd done her makeup, she'd gone on to her hair. Ariana sat up when she heard the door close shut and she smiled knowing he was back. She heard footsteps going up the stairs and her heart hammered in her chest for no reason at all.
Her phone beeped in her hand and she opened it to see a message from him.
I'm home. Where are you?
-J.
In the guest room. Bridget set me up with Giselle and I've been stuck in this chair for what feels like hours.
-A.
Beep.
Lol, sorry. That would be my fault. I told her to hire the best. I'm going to freshen up then we'll leave together. We have half an hour.
-J.
Ariana smiled.
Not going to be my fault if we end of being late.
-A.
Beep.
Right. See you in a bit.
-J.
"Looks like we're done here." Giselle came around and stood in front of her with a smile.
"Thank God." Ariana exhaled,
"You aren't one to spend time on hair and makeup, are you?"
"Not really my cup of tea."
"Well, you're going to love what I did," She said, "I kept things simple and your hair, well, you have amazing hair and I just curled it and left it down because it would go well with your dress."
"Thank you."
"Ready the finished look?"
"I guess." Ariana was nervous for some reason,
She grinned at her before she made her turn to look at the mirror and Ariana froze staring at herself in the mirror.
"Oh."
She was stunned.
"So?"
"Is that me?"
"It's you, just a little bit made up."
"I look... different. Good different."
"You're welcome," She smiled, "Now you head in there and go put that dress on. I'd love to stay and see the entire look but I've got to head back, got other clients for tonight."
"Thank you so much, Giselle."
"You're welcome." She packed all her brushes, makeup and hair product into the bag. "I'm sure I'll see the entire look in the morning paper."
Ariana helped her pack up her things and walked her to the front door.
"See you soon, Ariana." Ariana smiled and held the door open for her,
"See you soon. It was nice meeting you."
"Same," Giselle said and left.
Ariana headed back to her room and changed into the dress. She fixed her gun holster around her left thigh because there was a long slit running up her right leg. She fastened the straps of her shoes before she got up and walked to the mirror to look at herself.
She smiled unable to wrap her head around the fact that the woman standing in the mirror was her. The heels were a few inches, and it felt comfortable, so it wasn't hard to walk in.
The dress was a simple black transparent dress with a nude lining under it. The bodice was corset like with a few gatherings in the front that ended at the band around the small of her waist. The rest of the dress fell all the way to her legs hugging her body to her hips and then the slit running up her right leg above mid-thigh. Her hair was parted to the side, one side tucked behind her ear and the other side curled framing one side of her face falling down her back.
She fixed her guns in the holster, picked up the matching clutch and put her phone inside before she made her way out of the room. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked to the living room. She stopped on her way to the living room when she found Jace in the kitchen drinking a glass of water.
Jace turned around when he heard her approach, cup lifted as he drank. He froze when he saw her standing there looking at him. Jace's hand fell and he placed the cup on the island without taking his eyes off of her.
Ariana had seen him in suits before but there was something different about the one he wore, maybe because it was a three-piece instead of the two-piece he usually wore to work. She caught his gaze to find them locked on her and she fidgeted.
"W-what's wrong?" Ariana asked after a moment of silence passed.