She was out of time. Apparently, a new place to live that fit her budget didn’t exist. So, unless she was going to embrace the prospect of sleeping in her car, Cara knew she was going to have to ask her brother Luke if she could stay with him for a while.
I won’t have to give up on my plan entirely, she consoled herself. Cara would save money staying with her brother. There was no doubt he would say yes, and she could even use her trust fund until something came up. However, it would also mean lecture after lecture from her brothers.
She blinked back angry tears, her conversation with James ringing in her ears.
None of them thought she could do it.
Turned out, they were right.
She sniffed, fully prepared to wallow in self-pity. Almost to make a mockery of her bad luck, the lights flickered on, and the room erupted in automatic cheers.
“What’s wrong with you?” The model in her chair asked, looking up from her phone.
Cara plastered a fake smile on her face. “Nothing.” She scanned the woman’s face and reached for the eyeshadow brush she had been using before the lights went out.
“We lost a lot of time, people!” the events coordinator called out. “Do what you can and wrap it up! We have less than ten minutes.”
“Great,” Cara muttered, going to work.
“We’ve met before. You did me two weeks ago. At the Georgian Terrace show?”
Cara leaned back and looked at her again. “Melody?”
“You looked all pinchy that day, too. Something about roommates, right?”
Cara’s surprise must have shown in her expression because Melody continued. “It’s important to remember people’s names. You never know when one might be able to hook you up.”
Cara was cynical enough that she knew the model was right. Melody’s eyes closed as Cara blended the trio of colors on her lids.
“I use clues. Something about the person when I first meet them, to remember their name. In your case, it was the hair.”
Cara lifted her brush. “My hair?”
Melody’s dark eyes flashed open. “Don’t be offended. It’s nothing bad. Your hair is fine and blond—like air. Air. Care. Cara.”
“Um, okay.” It seemed like a reach, but Melodyhadremembered her name so it must work for her. Cara reached for the blush, hurrying now as several models around her got up from their chairs.
“Did you find a place to live?”
She remembered that?
Melody shrugged at Cara’s skeptical expression. “Originally, I used ‘concerned Cara,’ but I actually already have one of those, and she has red hair. So, I needed something different for you.”
Cara dusted powder on the woman’s nose, choosing to ignore Melody’s convoluted thought process.
“So, did you? Find a new place?”
“No,” Cara said, taking a final look. “You’re done.”
Melody lifted herself from the seat in no apparent hurry to join the scramble of women and girls being put into gowns.
“I’ve got a room in a little house. My roommate totally flaked on me, and even though my landlord would let a couple months’ rent slide, I don’t want to have to deal with him.” She rolled her eyes.
Cara’s brows scrunched together.
“It’s tiny, but it’s nice enough. I pay next to nothing cause he has a little crush on me.” She winked. “Come by tomorrow, and we can talk about it. Are you free?”
“Melody!” The coordinator bellowed. Melody gave him the finger.
