Page 81 of Going the Distance
“I know I said I’m not stressing out,” I told her, opening my closet, “but this is different. This is my outfit. And I want something that screams ‘I’m totally happy with myself and totally over you.’ ”
“And ‘Look at what you’re missing out on now, Noah Flynn’?” Rachel added with a sly smile.
“Well, that too.”
She laughed, and settled down comfortably at the foot of my bed. “Okay, so what are the options?”
I pulled out one dress, which I’d bought about a year ago, that was mustard yellow and had long sleeves and a figure-hugging skirt.
Rachel pulled a face. “So not a fan. It looks like dog puke.”
“What? But it’s such a fall color!”
“And I’m sure you can do better. Next!”
I pulled out a floaty black blouse made out of a thin linen. The buttons only did up part way, because my boobs had grown since I’d last worn it. I tried it on to show Rachel what I meant.
She scrunched her nose up. “Hot, but might look like you’re trying too hard? And black seems kind of dull for Thanksgiving, unless you’re going for a classy LBD. Like you’re in mourning or something.”
“Okay…” I put the blouse back in the closet and pulled out a few more shirts to show her. Too casual, too summery, too brightly and garishly patterned, too conservative, too try-hard…
I found another dress buried in the back of my closet, one I’d almost forgotten I owned. I hadn’t worn it in a while.
“Ooh, cute,” Rachel said as I pulled it out. The dress was light cotton and deep burgundy, with a scoop neckline and sleeves to my elbows. I pulled it on for Rachel’s verdict.
“I think we’ve just found the perfect outfit,” Rachel declared.
“You think?” I twisted in front of my mirror, examining my legs, butt, waist, and arms in the dress.
“Wear it with some cute flats and nice earrings and Noah will be practically drooling,” she assured me.
I grinned. “That’s exactly the look I’m going for.”
