“The words Jewel and committed in a sentence together...” Dominique let her statement fall and sniffed out a chuckle.
“I know. It doesn’t even sound right. Ha!” Harper waved incredulously as if the concept was too ridiculous to consider.
“I’m completely capable of being in a committed relationship.” Jewel defended herself, twisting her ankle in the mirror to check out the stiletto she tried on. “I just have standards.”
“Standards,” her friends said together and burst out laughing.
“As penetrable as a petrified forest!” Dominique’s loud whisper elicited laughter from both ladies as she plopped on a pink faux fur bench with a shoebox in her hands.
Jewel placed her hand on her hip. “I am not that bad.” A beat passed. “Am I?”
Dominique and Harper exchanged sideways glances and looked back at Jewel.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting certain things in the man you date.” She dismissed their unspoken scrutiny with a flip of her hand. “Why waste time getting to know someone if you know you’re not compatible? I say have your fun and move on.” Jewel shrugged, slipped out of the stilettos and placed them back in the box.
Leaning against the shoe rack, Dominique crossed her arms. “You don’t give people a chance. Look at Maddox. He was charming and had a great body.”
“Please!” Jewel twisted her lips. “I’ll admit he was incredible in bed, but I don’t do ex-wives. It’s too much trouble.” Jewel slipped her foot into a pair of sandals and tilted her head in her reflection.
“What about Sabien?” Harper closed her eyes and shook her head. “That man was gorgeous. I would never tire of that sexy accent of his.”
“Boring!” Jewel sang. “And he had kids.”
“That can be challenging,” Dominique admitted.
“I don’t think that’s so bad—especially if he gets along with the child’s mother.”
“I prefer a man who doesn’t have those kinds of attachments,” Jewel said matter-of-factly.
“Oh! I know.” Dominique stepped forward. “What was that guy’s name?” She squinted. “Evan. That’s it. He had an edge.”
“Yeah, Jewel.” Harper tilted her head. “What happened to him? He was really sexy.”
“Oh. I remember.” Dominique nodded. “He wasn’t an Ivy League man.”
“You’re a tough one, Jewel,” Harper said.
“Hey! You ladies make it sound horrible. I know you can’t always help who you fall in love with so I just try to make sure I