Chapter 54

For a moment, I could barely move. There was a long mirror in the small changing cubicle with me, and I was right. The old, fading bruises on my right-hand side could be seen. While none of them looked as bad as they had when Greg had first given them to me, they stood out enough against my pale skin that I wanted to cry.

"Everything all right?" the assistant asked. "Do you need me to help with anything? A zip or… I can be discreet about it."

"No," I called back, my stomach knotting at the idea of her seeing the dress and bruises. I'd done everything I could to hide them. Would she think Jack had given them to me?

I looked amazing from the front, and I felt a pang of pain as I realized I couldn't buy the dress and wear it while on the island if I wanted to keep hiding them.

"Does it fit all right?"

"Yes, but…I'm not sure it's really right for me after all," I finally replied, feeling a little defeated.

"Oh, nonsense," she said. "I'm positive you'll be stunning in it. Let me see."

Once again, I froze as she came to the curtain. She didn't come in, but I had the feeling she wasn't going to let me off the hook for the dress.

Trying to calm my racing heart and focus on just showing her enough to satisfy her, I faced her and pulled back the curtain just enough so she could see the front.

"Oh, my. Yes, it suits you so well. It makes you look a little less pale and brings out that gorgeous blue in your eyes. You have to get this one."

"I'm really not sure," I said immediately, finding her enthusiasm made me feel worse.

"I'll get Jack. I'm sure he can help me convince you. You're a dream in this."

Before I could stop her, she strode out to the door and waved to him. I gulped and tried to decide how rude I could be and if I could simply pull the curtain back over and pretend I was so certain of my decision I didn't want Jack's opinion.

No sooner had I thought this than the moment passed, and he walked into the room, a glass of iced tea in one hand.

His eyes widened as he looked over the dress.

"Where's Juno, and what have you done with her?" he asked the assistant a moment later.

"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" she replied to him and ignored me.

"Come and do a twirl for me, angel," Jack said, going over to the sofa and sitting down. I gulped again and didn't move, but the assistant also motioned for me to do so.

I still didn't move. Both of them stared at me.

"I'm really not sure I like it," I said, hearing the tremor in my voice.

Jack gave me a look as if he'd picked up on my reluctance, but instead of saying anything or giving in, he held his hands out to me, trying to encourage me to go to him.

Taking a deep breath and trying to act as if I wasn't sure about the dress and not my bruises, I went over to him and put my hands in his.

The dress flowed behind me like silk, like I was some sort of summer nymph, making me feel even more sure he would insist I buy it.

I'd just reached Jack, going past the assistant, when I heard her intake of breath. Although it was subtle, both Jack and I looked her way. She was staring at the right-hand side of my back, and I knew she'd seen the fading bruises there.

This seemed to be enough that understanding dawned on Jack's face.

"It shows off the bruises," he said, uttering what I hadn't been able to.

I nodded, feeling my eyes water.

Immediately, he put his arms around me and pulled me into a warm, strong hug. It broke the dam, and I felt the first sob hitch in my breathing before I buried my face in his shoulder and tried not to cry.

"It's okay to be upset, Juno, but they'll fade. One day, they won't be there anymore. And he can't hurt you anymore. Okay? You're safe from him now."

The soothing, gentle tone to Jack's words helped calm me, and I pulled back, aware I'd smudged my makeup a little.

If Jack even noticed, he didn't seem to care as he gently kissed me, his arms still holding me close, making me feel safer than I had in months.

"I'll go get some tissues and water. Would you like some iced tea as well, my dear?" the assistant asked.

I nodded, not sure I did, but willing to say anything to get some privacy for a moment.

"Will she tell anyone?" I asked a moment later, fear gripping at me.

"No. We'll ask her not to, and I'm sure she'll understand." Jack kissed me again.

I leaned into him and felt the tension leave me. He knew now. There was a strange relief in not having to hide so much again.

"Do you like the dress?" he asked.

"Yes. I love it. It's just going to show the bruises."

"Get it anyway. Even if you'd rather not wear it on the island this time. You'll be able to wear it in only a week or two more."

It made sense, and part of me didn't know why I'd gotten so upset about it. Of course I'd still be able to wear it. I tried to smile as Jack made me twirl and admired it, seeming to look past the damage my ex had done to my back.

By the time I was in his arms again, the assistant had returned, a tissue box under one arm and a glass in each hand, one with water and the other with the iced tea she'd offered to fetch in the first place.

"There we go, my dear," she said, holding them out to me to let me choose which to pick.

I started with the water. She placed the iced tea on a coaster on a small side table and then pulled out a tissue.

"Why don't we get you cleaned up a little, and you can try on the rest of the clothes? And then, at the end, we'll go over to the makeup department, and we can get you looking amazing again."

I noticed she said 'again' at the end of the sentence and appreciated the vote of confidence on my looks, if nothing else. With Jack's encouragement and some help from the assistant wiping off the worst of the mascara that had run, I soon got back to trying on clothes.

Of the six outfits I tried on, Jack and I agreed on three of them but not all the accessories that went with them. I also liked the top that went with one of the other outfits and thought it went well with the pants I'd already picked out that day.

"You can keep that one on if you like. I hope you don't find it rude of me to say, but it looks better on you than the top you came in wearing."

I didn't disagree with the assistant and decided that if I was going to splurge on clothes, I might as well enjoy it.

With everything settled and all the clothes I wanted in a pile, the assistant gathered them up and took me to the makeup department. Jack excused himself from this part, saying he needed to talk to his PA and sort out some things.

Nodding, I watched him leave, feeling suddenly more apprehensive, but the assistant appeared to pick up on it.

"I promise everyone will be lovely to you," she said and put her arm around me. "I guess you've had a rough ride."

"You could say that," I replied without thinking.

"You've found a good man in Jack. He's one of the sweetest men in the city," she said. "Now, come on, let us make you feel like a princess. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone what I saw. I know it can't be easy to have the world know something like that."

"Thank you," I said, genuinely grateful. Maybe coming to a store like this wasn't so bad after all.