Dressed for Disaster

Stella

Piper flashes an angelically sweet grin across the table. "Look, I know the list is long, so just narrow it down to the guys you actually want to take to bed."

I shoot her a flat look, yet she holds that innocent expression, waiting expectantly for me to scroll through my phone. Next to me, Tessa tips her shoulder in, craning her neck to see the screen.

"Alright, him," I concede, turning the display so they can see the profile I tapped. "Happy now? I officially have a date."

"Since you're already dressing up, why not line up a second one?" Piper suggests brightly. "It'll save you a ton of time."

The idea of doubling up makes me hesitate at first, though Piper's relentless nudging eventually wears me down. Tapping out another quick text, I arrange to meet a second bachelor later tonight.

"Okay, if I'm doing this, the two of you are helping me find an outfit," I tell them once the times are locked in.

Both of them jump at the chance, and we quickly settle our tab. We browse through several boutiques along the street until we spot a storefront that looks promising. After Tessa and Piper pull a handful of options off the racks for me, I duck into the fitting area to try them on.

Ultimately, I settle on a tight black number. The cut molds straight to my hips and dips low enough in the front to show off a generous hint of cleavage. On my fuller frame, the fit is surprisingly flattering, and I linger in front of the mirror for a second just taking it in. Back when we were married, Vance would have hated seeing me in a cut like this.

The moment I step out of the dressing area, Piper beams. I give them a quick spin, prompting an enthusiastic clap from Tessa. "Now that is what I call a dress!" she cheers.

"Seriously, you look like a total goddess," Piper chimes in.

Heat creeps up into my cheeks. "Oh, knock it off," I laugh, waving a hand at them.

"So sexy," Tessa adds, turning my face an even deeper shade of red. Laughing them off, I duck back behind the curtain to put my day clothes back on. After paying for the dress and a matching pair of strappy black heels, I part ways with Tessa and Piper, promising to text them a full report the second my night wraps up.

A few hours later, I head out to meet my first date, Trent. By the time I push into the venue, the place is packed, and it takes me a solid minute to pick him out near the bar counter. In person, he is undeniably good-looking—honestly, even better than his profile photos suggested.

Most of the guys Piper sends my way turn out to be complete duds, so I let myself hope tonight might actually break the streak.

"You look stunning," Trent says, bending down to brush a quick kiss against my cheek.

I offer him a polite smile. "You clean up pretty well yourself."

We step slightly out of the main foot traffic so we can hear each other, and he leans in close. Right away, he launches into a monologue about his job, his eyes dropping blatantly to my chest every few seconds.

Boredom sets in faster than I expected. Going out with Vance used to be effortless fun. He was always pulling me toward the dance floor or cracking some ridiculous joke in my ear. With Vance, the night was completely unpredictable in the best possible way.

Trent, on the other hand, is a carbon copy of every bachelor I have met lately—far too busy selling his own accomplishments to care if I say a single word. Halfway through a drawn-out story about a corporate account he recently landed, I finally have to interrupt him. "Sorry to cut you off," I say, halting him mid-sentence. "I just need to slip away to the restroom."

"Sure thing, hurry back," he replies, tossing me a sleazy wink. Keeping a cringe off my face takes real effort as I weave through the crowd toward the back hallway.

Inside the restroom, I smooth down my hair in front of the mirror before stepping into an empty stall. Barely a minute passes before the outer door swings open and Trent barges straight into my stall before I can latch it. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he slides his palm down my lower back and grabs a handful of my ass.

Pure training takes over, and I drive my knee straight up into his groin. He crumples to the tiles with a strangled groan. Lucky for me, Warrior Training was the one subject I actually excelled at back in school. Leaving him curled up on the stall floor clutching himself in agony, I walk right out.

Over the past three years, I have gone on dates with plenty of attractive men, yet not a single one has made it home with me. Every last one of them only cares about getting me into bed, never bothering to learn who I actually am. Worse, no matter how hard I try to stop myself, I always end up measuring them against Vance, and nobody ever comes close.

Stepping back into the main bar area, a sudden, prickling sensation crawls down my spine, like someone is staring right at me. I glance around the room, half-expecting to see Trent lurking nearby, only to spot him limping hurriedly out the front exit. Even after the door closes behind him, that heavy feeling lingers. Scanning the packed floor a second time yields nothing; from where I am standing, nobody in the crowd looks familiar.

Before I can dwell on it, my second date of the night walks up, flashing a broad, easygoing grin.

"Hey there, I'm Nolan," he greets me, the rough, deep timbre of his voice immediately catching my interest. Pushing that weird feeling of being watched to the back of my mind, I focus on him.

He is very easy on the eyes, and much closer to my usual type. Thick, curly brown hair frames a pair of striking blue eyes, and while he isn't quite as tall as Trent, he still has a solid few inches on me. Once he grabs a round of drinks for the two of us, we navigate over to an open table tucked into the corner.

"Tell me, what do you like doing in your free time?" Nolan asks, leaning across the table a bit. That strange, heavy gaze still prickles against the back of my neck, though I refuse to look over my shoulder again.

"Promise you won't laugh," I start, catching my lower lip between my teeth for a second, "but honestly, it's cooking. I really love making food and sharing it with the people around me." Even as the words leave my mouth, a bitter memory of Vance surfaces—he always valued academic, book-smart women, never someone who worked in a kitchen.

For all I know, Nolan might look down on it too. Plenty of people treat food service like it sits at the very bottom of the social ladder.

His eyebrows lift in mild surprise, making me shift uncomfortably in my seat. "Any chance I could try your cooking sometime?" he asks, completely throwing me for a loop. "I actually invest in the restaurant industry."

"Of course," I reply, relaxing immediately. "You're welcome to drop by my restaurant whenever you're free." When I give him the name of the place, he pulls out his phone and types it straight into his notes.

"Looking forward to it."

He signals for another round of drinks, and a genuine smile tugs at my lips. Maybe I have been writing men off too quickly lately, and it is time to break that habit. Measuring every new guy against my ex isn't fair to anyone, especially when Nolan already seems miles ahead of the rest. At the very least, he has kept his eyes on my face and his hands to himself.

Just as I part my lips to ask what he does for fun, Nolan suddenly stiffens, a flash of pure intimidation crossing his features.

Out of nowhere, a wide, imposing frame wedges right between the two of us, completely blocking Nolan from my view. Startled, I tip my head back to look up, instinctively taking half a step backward.

Vance stares down at me with dark, furious eyes, the line of his jaw tight. Instantly, everything clicks into place—he was the heavy presence burning holes into my back all night. Honestly, I should have guessed. Just past his broad shoulder, Nolan shifts backward with an uneasy glance, though to my relief, he doesn't walk away entirely.

"Excuse me—" I begin sharply.

"I've been sitting in this bar for hours," Vance snaps, cutting right over me. "Watching you line up one man after another." His dark eyes drag slowly down the length of my dress, making my teeth clench together in rising anger. "And walking around in an outfit barely covering you? Since when did you turn into this?"

"What?!" I snap back, furious.