Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

don’t recognize coming into view.
Huh?
Distracted from her news, I flip the bag back down to check the name, see
that it’s mine, and inspect the dress again.
This isn’t my dress. It’s even more hideous, if that’s possible.
But then…I notice the silk. The same shade of chiffon that made up my
dress, and I study it some more, taking in the lace and flowers, all mine but
repositioned.
A halter-top neckline of bushy white flowers has been added, and sequins
stick to the bodice like pinstriping, ending at the waist and giving way to the
feathers adorning the skirt in a spiral formation.
A laugh bubbles up in my chest, but I hold it in. It’s awful, and I
absolutely adore it. She did this.
I contain my smile and look over my shoulder, seeing her watch me with
a calm but amused expression. She’s waiting for me to react.
She did this on purpose. She risked getting fired—hell, risked the wrath
of my mother and grandmother—to get me back for the Sharpie incident.
She wants a rise out of me, and she’s not going to get it. I couldn’t be
more pleased.
“Put it on me,” I tell her, almost lightheaded from the high.
She stares at me, pausing only a moment, before rolling with it. The next
thirty seconds could be her last in this store, and she doesn’t even seem to
care. I’m more pleased I was significant enough for her to trouble herself.
She must’ve spent all night on it.
I pull on the petticoat, and she takes the dress off the hanger, spreads the
bodice open, and lowers it to my knees.
I step in, letting her pull it up my body and button the back while I drape
the flowers around my neck and attach it to the dress.
But before I can fan out the dress and take a good look at myself, seeing
what my mother will see and fantasizing about her reaction, I hear a screech
behind us.
“What is this?”
We both stop and turn, Lavinia stands with her hand holding the curtain
open.
“What is this?!” she shrieks again and then her eyes shoot to Liv. “Did
you…? Olivia…?”
Laughter shakes my stomach, and I turn away to hide my smile.