Page 91 of How He Got the Girl
“Are you trying to spoil me?”
“Now that you’re my girlfriend…” Griffin leans in and presses his mouth to mine, parting my lips and getting myheart racing. He pulls away with a knowing smile; he definitely just got a point in the game. “I plan on giving you anything your heart desires.”
“Anything?” I move closer, brushing my lips against his.
He laughs. “There will be more time for that later. For now, I want you to feel as beautiful as you are, so pick whatever dress makes you feel like that.”
A few weeks ago, I would’ve thought his words were crap. But now that I know that his intentions are true, they leave me feeling warm. Something akin to love swirls inside, though I’m hesitant to call it that when he hasn’t shared those words with me yet.
It takes a minute for everything he said to sink in. “Wait, you’re not coming in with me?”
“Karina wants to meet with me in person while I’m here. Besides, I want to be surprised when I see you on the red carpet tomorrow. I’ll have a driver here to take you to my apartment when you’re done.”
“Okay.” I scoot away, trying to sound more confident than I feel. I’m in a pink sweat set, about to shop in what I’m sure is not a sweats kind of store. I open the car door and step outside. When I turn back to him, he’s smiling widely.
“I’ll see you soon, beautiful.”
I wave goodbye and open the shop door, making the bell chime. After taking a steadying breath, I walk inside. A tall middle-aged woman with a pinched expression immediately walks over. She’s in a tight dress that looks like it would cost more than my monthly salary. “Hello, I’m Serafina. Feel free to browse and bring me any gowns you’d like to try on. I’ll be just over there if you need anything.” She points to a counter before moving that way.
I clasp my hands behind my back and begin perusing the racks at the front of the store. There are no windowsin here—likely for privacy reasons— but there are enough bright lights to make me feel like I’m in a spotlight center stage.
There are so many options, I honestly don’t even know where to start. Do I look for high necklines or a low back? Straps or strapless? What kind of material says high-end so I don’t end up being listed as the worst-dressed guest in articles? I’m sure many of Griffin’s fans already think I’m not good enough for him. I don’t want to give them more reasons to think they’re right, but I’m way out of my depth here.
I pull my phone out of my pocket, ready to call Alyssa and get her fashion expertise, when the bell on the door chimes again.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
I turn and watch as the woman removes her large designer sunglasses, slipping them into her purse. My mouth falls open as she approaches me with an outstretched hand. “I’m Brit—”
“You’re Brittany Clearwater.” I stare at her as if she’s a figment of my imagination.
Brittany tosses her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Did Griffin not tell you I was coming?” When I shake my head, she sighs. “That’s men for you.”
“You’ve got that right.” But that still doesn’t explain why Griffin sent her.
“When he mentioned that he was setting this shopping spree up for you, I offered to come help,” she clarifies. “I remember how overwhelming it was when I had to dress up for my first Hollywood event.”
I immediately decide that I like her. For someone so famous, Brittany seems down-to-earth. “That was really thoughtful of you. Thanks for taking time out of your busyschedule to be here. I could use all the help I can get.” I let out a nervous laugh.
“You’re so welcome.” Brittany smiles, and it lights up the whole room. She gestures to the racks of dresses. “Are you ready to shop until you drop?”
I’m not sure that my petite body type is built for all these long, glittering gowns, but I nod anyway. “Let’s do it.”
“What style of dress are you typically drawn to?” Brittany peers at me over the rack. She’s tall and slender, a true model figure. I’m sure she’d look stunning in any style of gown. As for me, I could only dream of looking good in a handful of these.
“I was just asking myself what kind of dress I should look for.” I place my hands on my hips, my cheeks warm as I admit the truth. “I have no clue. I never wear long dresses, let alone evening gowns meant for the red carpet. It’s always been hard to find ones that work for me.” I shrug. “Short girl problems.”
“That’s where the fabulous Helen comes in.”
“Helen?”
“She’s the in-house seamstress who’ll have any dress you want fitting you like a glove in no time.”
“She sounds more like a fairy godmother.”
Brittany steps in front of me with a smile. “Let’s let her work her magic, then. Do you have a color that you feel most confident in?” She takes a step back, eyeing me up and down. “I’m thinking reds or pinks would look best with your skin tone and hair, but it’s up to you.”
This is the question I was born for. “Pink,” I answer without hesitation.
