“Yes, this is my natural hair.”
“Ugh. Jealous. I wish my hair looked like this! Okay, we’ll just touch up a few of the strands and put some oil in it to smooth it down, but honestly, it looks incredible as is. Now for a dress…” She walks over to her closet and slides hangers across the bar. I see a lot of ruffles and pink and chiffon, and while I think those look good onher,I don’t know if it’s my vibe. “Hm… I think the one I’m imagining is in my client closet. I’ll be right back!”
“What are you going to wear?” I ask Ruby. She holds up a hot pink dress with spaghetti straps that cinches at the bust.“Ooo, that’ll look good on you. Are you… wearing it for anyone special?”
Her cheeks flush, and her voice takes on a higher pitch when she says, “No. Nope. No one special. Am I hoping to find someone to take me home and fuck my brains out? Sure. But like I said before, we don’t dress for men. We dress for ourselves. And who knows if I’ll be able to wear something like this again.”
“Why wouldn’t you be able to wear something like that again?”
Her phone pings before she can answer, and whatever the message says makes her face as red as her namesake. She quickly clicks the lock button and throws her phone face down on the bed.
I don’t know Ruby well enough to call her out for what is an obvious lie. She clearly hassomeoneshe’s dressing up for. I also don’t feel like I can pry into her love life and ask who’s texting her because it’s none of my business, so I keep my mouth shut.
Stella returns with a white garment bag and a pair of strappy black heels in hand. “I’ve been saving this dress for something special, but this bold shade of red isn’t exactly my color. I’m clearly more of a pastel girlie. I think this dress will be perfect for you.” She hangs the bag on the closet door then unzips it to reveal?—
“I can’t wear that.”
Stella rolls her eyes. “Youcan,but I won’t force you.”
The dress is red satin with black trim andstrapless.It looks like it would hug every bump and lump on my body.
“How is it supposed to stay up with no straps?” Stella pulls out two flesh-colored silicone cup things. “What the hell are those?”
“Boob cups. They help the girls stay up and stay put when you’re wearing something strapless, but you don’t need to wear them.”
“I… I don’t know. I don’t think I have the confidence to wear something that sexy,” I admit. Stella and Ruby both seem so confident in themselves. So at home in their skin. I want to feel that way, too.
“Like Stell said, you don’t have to, but you’d look hot as hell. My brother would lose his mind and—” Ruby shudders. “Never mind. I don’t want to think about what he’d do to you.”
Stella giggles at Ruby. “I have simpler dress if you’d prefer, but the minute I met you I had a vision of you in this dress. I swear it’s made for you.”
My eyes bounce between the dress and Stella’s encouraging smile. This is so out of my comfort zone, but it seems I’ve been doing a lot of things outside of my comfort zone lately. I want to see how Saint reacts to me when he sees me in it.
A small kernel of anxiety pops up, whispering they’re trying to purposely embarrass me, but I push it away. I don’t think Ruby and Stella would do that. They haven’t said or done anything to make me think they have any malicious intentions.
“Okay, I’ll wear it.”
Stella claps, and Ruby whoops, which brings a smile to my face and helps ease some of the anxiety in my stomach. Stella puts a puffy pink headband in my hair to hold it away from my face before she takes a cotton pad, puts some type of cleanser on it, and starts gently swiping it over my skin.
“Are you planning on finally hooking up with someone, Stell?” Ruby asks.
“I’m working tonight, remember? I can’t be shirking my duties for a hookup.”
“There are plenty of eligible bachelors who would be more than happy to show you a good time if you change your mind. You can’t be celibate forever.”
Stella glares at Ruby. “I’m not celibate. Just… cautious. It’s not like I’m waiting for marriage. I don’t want to lose myvirginity to some random tourist, though. I want a connection. I want to be cared for and adored. I need to trust the person I’m with. Being twenty-six and a virgin isn’t a bad thing, Ruby.”
Ruby sighs. “I know, babe. I just worry you’re letting your fear get in the way. The last guy you dated was Derek, and you still didn’t take it past kissing.”
“Derek was only dating me to get in my pants. I’m relieved I didn’t go past kissing. Maybe I’ll just ask Saint to work his magic and help me find someone.”
Ruby’s phone dings again, and it takes her attention from the conversation. Her cheeks flush red again, and she blinks a few times before she says, “Stell? Can I use the big mirror in the studio for a sec?”
Stella’s hands pause, hovering over the array of makeup in front of her, and she narrows her eyes at Ruby. “Why?”
“I need to take a few pictures.”
“What kind of pictures?”
