Page 12 of Take A Number
“I’m gathering that, Norah.” I smile fondly at her. She’s cute when she’s flustered and trying not to be. “Well, if that’s everything, I guess I just need to know when to pick you up tomorrow.”
“The party starts at seven…so…six thirty? I don’t like to be late.”
My smile grows. “I’ll be here at six fifteen.”
She nods appreciatively, and we both stand, our bodies touching as we move away from the stools and walk down the hall.
As I turn to head down the stairs, Norah calls out. “Hey, Moser.”
I pause and turn to look at her.
“You ever done anything like this before?”
My brows lift. “Fake dated someone to get their mother off their ass? No, can’t say that I have.”
She fumbles with her fingers. “You think it’ll work?”
“Hell if I know,” I reply with a laugh. “But it’ll be damn fun finding out.”
“Your hair looks amazing,” Rachael exclaims with one last coat of hairspray before turning me on my vanity stool to look in the mirror. “I had no idea I was this good with white girl hair.”
My eyes widen as I take in the finished product. “Rachael, this is so, so cute.” I touch the loose Dutch braid across the top of my head. It sweeps down behind my ear like a headband and flows beautifully into short, loose beach waves. “I look like the mother of dragons fromGame of Thrones.”
Rachael lets out a deep laugh. “Girl, I was going for backyard chic, but leave it to you to go medieval on me.”
I exhale with relief because my mother called last night to ask if I was getting my hair professionally styled for the party tonight. I knew it was one of her passive-aggressive digs because she’s hated my hair ever since I cut off eight inches last year. But dang, Rachael is better than a salon.
I stand and wrap my arms around her neck. “You really are a great friend.”
“Whoa, we’re hugging friends now?” she asks with a stiff voice.
I pull back nervously. “Wearefriends, right?” Ugh, I sound so stupid. Ever since my social life conversation with Dean, I’ve been feeling insecure about all my relationships.
Rachael’s chocolate eyes widen. “Yes, we’re friends, you fool. But you know I hate hugs.”
I shake my head from side to side. “Duh. Obviously, I know that. I’m just…I’m nervous, Rachael. Dean and I didn’t cover hugging on my list of rules, so I feel seriously unprepared.”
A knowing smile spreads across her face. “You like him.”
“I don’t like him,” I snap and turn to face the floor-length mirror to smooth out the wrinkles on my blush-pink floral mini dress. “I mean, yes, he’s cute. But he’s so cocky.”
“Which can be hot,” Rachael interjects.
“Okay, sometimes his cockiness is hot.” I wince. God, I really hate even saying that out loud, but it’s undeniable. Dean has this boyish magnetic charm and an uncanny ability to make a person feel totally at ease, blurring the lines between professional and personal. He’s just a carefree guy who doesn’t take life too seriously. “But that arrogance is only hot if I was interested…which I’m not.”
She rolls her eyes. “I thought once you promoted me to manager last year, you’d get more of a social life.”
“I’ve been social,” I argue limply because it’s a total lie. “I went to that franchise mastermind conference six months ago. That was very social.”
“That does not even come close to counting because it was still for work.” She hits me with a look of unmitigated disappointment. “And tonight, you had an opportunity to bring a real date, and you found yourself a fake one just to prevent having any sort of fun. Who does that?”
“Fun?” I bark out a laugh. “At my parents’ house? Unlikely.” I lean into the mirror and slather on a pale pink gloss that smells like cake batter.
Rachael moves to stand behind me, her giant ball of twisted braids piled on top of her head as she towers over me with all her statuesque bronze glory. She narrows her eyes at me. “I vote you still treat this like a date and have a good time. You work hard, and you deserve to have some fun with a man who you can…” She grabs my hips and swivels me side to side.
“Stop!” I squeak and fight back a nervous giggle as the image of Dean’s naked body hovering over me pummels me out of nowhere. I twist to face her and lose all humor. “I showed you the rules. There will be no hip action.”
She shakes her head sadly. “When was the last time you had any hip action?”
