Page 56 of Cinderella Is Faking It

“Because I’m getting a kick out of seeing you suck at something.”

“I don’t suck at anything.”

“You suck at courting fair lady Cordelia.” He grinned. “I’m a doctor, so you can trust me when I tell you that the way to a woman’s heart is not through her cervix.” I hadn’t even told him about the little freezer moment.

“Why don’t you leave fair lady Cordelia to me?”

“Because your idea of a romantic gesture is buying someone a vibrator.”

“Vibrators can be romantic.” Del piped up behind Isaac, who whirred around, soap still in hand.

“I’ll take this.” Defne plucked the bottle from his fingers and let it disappear in a huge shoulder bag that seemed a little too bulky for a casual chic event like this.

“You shouldn’t use that to rejuvenate anything,” Isaac said.

“I’m not.” She blinked at him and shouldered her bag higher. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Beck, you know Defne. Defne, this is… Isaac, right?”

“Dr. Isaac Hunter, enchanté.” He bowed his head and kissed Defne’s hand, and the poor girl erupted in giggles, her long, sleek black hair dropping like a curtain in front of her face.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I muttered, and Del whacked her pale-yellow clutch against my upper arm. It complimented the daisy-print crop top and skirt combination that bared a sliver of midriff, just wide enough to tempt me to run a finger along.

“Found another one,” Del said, picking the hand wash out of my gift bag and handing it to Defne.

“That was mine,” I said, less bothered than intrigued.

“We’ll put your name on the donation receipt,” Del replied, grinning.

“Do you know what’s so great about the Kit rejuvenating hand wash?” Defne asked, holding the bottle up with a pearly white grin as if she was presenting it on a late night shopping channel. “The bottle is worth more than its content. It’s sturdy.” She rapped her knuckles against the plastic. “Spill proof.” She turned the bottle upside down and squeezed. “And reusable.” She twisted the lid off and on again.

“I don’t follow,” Isaac said.

“Do you know how many homeless women get sick due to infections caused by inadequate access to hygiene products during their period?”

“I do,” Isaac said, causing Defne to falter in her speech.

“Well, we’re dropping these off at a shelter afterwards. Everyone here can buy their own soap.”

“You could also just donate money,” Isaac said.

“That’s not the point,” Del replied, shaking her head.

“It’s also not half as much fun,” I said, a small grin unfolding on my lips, “don’t you want to be a little more like Robin Hood? Steal from the rich and give to the poor?”

Isaac scoffed. “You’rethe rich.”

“And my soap has already been stolen. How many have you got so far?” I nodded at Defne’s bag.

“Around 15,” Del said.

“That won’t do. There have to be at least 100 people here.”

“Alright,” Isaac clapped his hands, “First of all, we’ll need a second bag. Then we divide and conquer.” He shot me a pointed look over the girls’ heads. Divide and conquer had been our play when we’d wing-manned each other through college, one of us voluntarily entertaining the best friend or sister of the girl the other one wanted some quality time with.

“I’ll just use this.” Del emptied his gift bag on the table, face cream, face masks and whatnot spilling out.

“No offense, but you two are probably recognized less than us, so I suggest you hit the tables where people have left their gift bags out, and we’ll go socialize.” I put a hand between Del’s shoulders, and she leaned into it just enough for her earlier words to echo in my thoughts.Vibrators can be romantic.“We’ll meet back here in an hour.”

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