Page 61 of The Accidental Beauty Queen
She hasgotto calm down. I really doubt the waiter was an undercover spy for Miss American Treasure. He didn’t even see her, for goodness’ sake.
I shove a glass in her hand. “Here.”
“Charlotte?” Susan says.
Ginny and I turn our heads in unison.
Oops.
“Should you be drinking while you’re still on medication for your allergic reaction?” Susan pulls a face.
“I’ll just have a tiny sip,” Ginny says, while I make a big show of helping Dad as if I didn’t accidentally think Susan was actually talking to me.
“When did you order this?” Ginny peers into her glass.
“I didn’t. I think it’s from the pageant.” My dad hands me a glass and I take a sip. The champagne is ice-cold, and the fizzy bubbles dance on my tongue. Mmm. “Oh, I almost forgot. There’s a card.”
I look around for the small white envelope. I can’t remember what I did with it. It’s not on the dresser or any of the other cluttered surfaces in our cramped room.
Just when I think it’s permanently buried beneath a pile of glitter somewhere, I spot Buttercup in the corner, gnawing gleefully on something. Upon closer inspection, I see that it’s my card.
“Gee, thanks.” I pry it from her jaws.
It’s a soggy mess, but still in one piece. With any luck, I’ll be able to read what it says.
I slide the card from the envelope, and my heart swells. It’s definitely readable, and I love what it says.
Well done, Hermione. Congratulations.
He didn’t sign the card, but he didn’t have to. I know the champagne was a gift from Gray. I’m suddenly glad I didn’t cave and confess all to Dad and Susan. I’m not ready for this crazy ride to end.
Not yet.
Just one more day.
The swelling in Ginny’s face has gone down nearly 75 percent, but now she’s got a purple bruise across the bridge of her nose where I hit her with the baton. I want her to get better. Of course I do. But I’m not ready to switch back. It’s too soon.
Just one more day.
It’s running through my head like a mantra. I refuse to ask myself the obvious follow-up question.And then what?
“Well?” Ginny eyes the square of paper in my hand.
I wad the note into a ball in my fist, but I don’t toss it into the trash. I save it, holding on tight to Gray’s words. “It’s from the pageant, just like I thought.”
“That was nice of them.” Ginny smiles and clinks her glass against mine. “And you deserve it. Congratulations, sis. Tomorrow is the evening-gown competition—the last stop before the finals. You know what that means.”
A lump forms in my throat, and I can’t bring myself to answer my twin because I do. I know exactly what it means.
Just one more day.
15
The early arrival of our parents changes everything.
At least they’ve got their own room. Thank God. But naturally, they want to have breakfast the next morning with us at the hotel’s posh restaurant overlooking the infinity pool. Which would be lovely, if only it were in the realm of possibility.
Ginny and I can’t be seen together. Trading places is risky enough when no one realizes there are two of us. If either Ginny or I get outed as an identical twin, our chances of getting caught would skyrocket. Also, Ginny being Ginny, she refuses to leave the room until her face is completely back to normal.
