Georgia bit into a finger sandwich. "Ari looks good in everything."
"If only," Ari said, following Lauren over to the closet. "I brought a simple black dress just in case."
"You can't wear black!" Becca argued, pouring the wine. "I want to see you in one of Lauren's designer numbers. And I'll paint your toenails to match."
"Let's pick something," Lauren agreed. "I brought six dresses. And not one of them is purple." A cheer rose up, because they were all sick of wearing the team color. "How do you feel about red?" She pulled out a dress with a gathered waist that would look pretty on Ari's yoga body.
"That's a little brighter than I usually go," Ari admitted. "But the fabric is gorgeous. Wow."
Lauren set it aside. Maybe she'd wear the red one tonight, then. "Okay, this one is great," she said, pulling out a silver sheath. "But we'd have to pad your bra. It's a little too big in the chest for me."
"Oh, god," Ari laughed. "If it's too big for you, it's never fitting me. There isn't enough padding to make that one work."
Lauren had to agree. She pulled out the next one and hesitated. "I wasn't sure whether to bring this."
"Why?" Becca asked. "That would look smashing on you, Lauren. It would make your eyes look super blue."
Lauren held the dress up and tried to see it with unbiased eyes. "Mike Beacon bought me this dress as a surprise. I wore it to a wedding here in Florida."
"Wait!" Becca squeaked. "What do you mean he bought it as a surprise? Like-he walked into a store and chose it?"
"He did, in one of those boutiques on Collins Avenue in South Beach," she said, her eyes traveling the soft gathers of silk at the bosom. "He bought it because he said it was exactly the same color as my favorite hydrangeas. It fit me perfectly, too."
Georgia laughed over the rim of her wineglass. "I love Leo desperately, but I'd be terrified to see what he'd walk out of a dress shop with."
Ari snorted. "Patrick would probably choose stripper wear."
"Right?" Georgia cackled. "Try it on, Lauren. I want to see."
"We're dressing Ari right now," she dodged.
"True," the publicist said, sipping her wine. "But later I want a look at this mythical creature-a nice dress chosen by a man."
Ari tried on a fit-and-flare dress that Lauren had brought in white with little black hearts all over it. "What do you think?" she asked, emerging from the bedroom.
"Cute!" Georgia said. "It's so whimsical that I wouldn't have thought you'd like it. But it's adorable."
Ari turned in a circle. "It's not too young?"
"Oh, please!" Lauren said, clasping her hands. "In the first place, you're still young. Because if you're old then there's no hope for me."
Becca giggled.
"And furthermore . . ." Lauren walked in a circle around Ari. "That looks fabulous. Your legs look about seven miles long, and your coloring makes you the only person I know who can wear white in April."
"True dat," Becca agreed. "Well, Georgia could. She's sort of golden all year round."
Ari smiled, moving over to admire herself in the bathroom doorway, where she could see the mirror. "If you really don't mind, I'd love to borrow it."
"I really don't mind. Lending out a dress almost justifies my shopping habits."
"I'll be really careful."
"I'm not worried." Lauren chose a sandwich for herself and began to relax. "What are you wearing, Rebecca?"
"I'll show you after we paint everyone's nails. Let's put a few inches of water in that ridiculous hot tub and we can all soak our feet. And Lauren-that glass of wine I poured is for you. I'm not allowed to have any alcohol yet."
"Bummer," Lauren sympathized.
"It really is."
• • •
Lauren had gotten a pedicure before leaving New York, so she didn't need Becca's services. But facing a black-tie party with Mike Beacon in attendance required careful attention to the rest of her grooming. She curled and styled her hair while everyone else got painted. The constant chatter of female voices in her suite made her feel less lonely.
Becca unveiled her dress, and it was so her-a strapless vintage dress from the 1950s. Rose-colored lace flowers covered white fabric, and a matching satin sash circled the waist.
"Wow!" Georgia said. "I'm glad you decided it was time to wear that one."
"I know, right?" Becca gave it a little shake. "I hope it's dressy enough. Nate asked me to have drinks with him before this shindig starts. He's meeting his old friend before the party starts, and he says . . ." She pulled out her phone and squinted at it. "Stick close because I don't want to talk business. Alex wants to pick my pocket on the router division."
Lauren laughed. "Oh, Nate. Way to handle it like a grown-up."
"I met Alex once a long time ago," Becca said. "Do you think Nate has a thing for her? Is there another angle, here? Am I supposed to make her jealous or something?"
"No," Lauren said quickly. "Nate doesn't want to get an offer from Alex on the router division because he thinks he can get a better deal if someone else offers first."
"Oh." Becca sniffed. "Tonight just got so much less interesting than I thought it was. Too bad I'm not supposed to drink. Georgia-come here, honey. Let me fix your mascara."
Her friend turned around. "Did I goof it up?"
"Not yet, baby doll. But you're probably going to. Let Auntie Becca do that."
"You have no confidence in me!" Georgia complained. But she handed over the mascara wand.
"I have every confidence in you," Becca cooed, tilting Georgia's chin so she could apply the mascara. "Except when it comes to fashion and makeup. Now, Lauren! Let's see that blue dress."
"I'm not wearing it."
"Let's see it before you decide."
It was probably time to settle her own fashion crisis, so Lauren carried the blue dress into the bedroom where she donned a strapless bra. Then she shimmied into the blue dress, and the silk was cool against her skin.
"I'll zip you," Ari offered, hustling to help. "Whoa! This fits you perfectly. When did you wear this last?"
Lauren did the math. "Three years ago."
"It's stunning. Guys-look at this."
Georgia and Becca stuck their heads through the bedroom doorway. "Wow!" Georgia said, while Becca made "hummanah-hummanuh" noises.
Lauren went to stand in front of the full-length mirror. "Still fits," she said. But not for long. She put a hand over her flat stomach. If everything went according to plan, she wouldn't be the same dress size in the fall.
Now there was a wild, thrilling idea. It was almost exciting enough to get her through the next few hours.
Almost.
"You have to wear that one," Ari said, appearing behind her in the mirror. "It's gorgeous. Either Beak got very lucky with the fit, or he's missed his calling as a fashion consultant."
Lauren snickered. "I think we'd have to go with luck on that one. He wears the same sweatshirt six days a week. Or he used to," she amended quickly. She skimmed her hands over her silk-clad hips. "I can't wear this dress. What if he remembers it? That would be weird."
"Men don't remember that stuff," Georgia said.
"And what if he did?" Becca asked. "That dress says: You had your chance, buddy. This is what you could have had."
"No kidding," Lauren agreed. "But maybe it's obnoxious. Like waving a red flag in front of a bull. You should only do that if you want the bull to charge."
"I don't think the bull usually comes out ahead in those scenarios," Georgia pointed out. "The worst thing that could happen is that you shoot him down."
"Here's a plan-you could pick up another guy tonight!" Becca suggested. "Find yourself a nice basketball player. In that dress you'll be fighting them off." She grinned. "That's my plan for the evening. But I'll look ridiculous with a basketball player. Maybe I should reconsider this barefoot idea. I need a couple of inches tonight. Hmm."
"Put your dress on," Lauren ordered, happy to have the topic of conversation shift away from her own troubles. "Let's see it with and without the shoes."
They zipped Becca into the vintage dress. The effect was completely different than Lauren's. They stood side-by-side in the mirror, a study in contrasts. Where Lauren was sleek and long, Becca was short and curvy. The sweetheart neckline was a good choice for her, as was the perky color.