“You can’t be a girl wrong,” Summer says, then thinks. “Actually, maybe you canonlydo it wrong. But you can’t do it right. I’ve been called shallow and superficial my whole life for liking pink and dressing up. We can’t win, so we may as well do whatever the hell we want.” She sits back, eyeing Isla with satisfaction. “There. You’re done. You have the best bone structure of anyone in the world, by the way. Congratulations, must be nice.” She rummages in her bag, pulling out a mirror. “Here.”
Isla goes quiet as she examines her reflection. “Wow,” she says eventually. “I look…”
Summer vibrates. “Do you like it?”
“I…didn’t know I could look like this.”
Summer throws her arms around her. “Oh please, it’s all you. You’re so gorgeous I want to die. Okay, let me know if you want any adjustments, and then I’ll record a video of how to do it all. Oh, and you can keep any products you like…” She sifts through the massive pile of cosmetics piled on the counter. “Er, if you are brave enough to find them. Actually, I’ll send you some more.” Isla opens her mouth to protest, and Summer puts her finger on the other woman’s lips. “Shh. Don’t fight me. This is what I was born to do.”
“Can you do my makeup next?” Mrs Carter, the elderly librarian, calls out. “I want to give my Harry a surprise.”
Summer beams. “We will make poor Harry’s eyes fall out of his head! Just a second though, I need to pee.” She hops up off the stool.
I notice a man at the bar slide his wallet into his pocket and push out his chair. Without thinking, I’m on my feet.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Fraser calls after me. “That gives you quite a lot of leeway! It’s basically anything but algebra and fisting! Actually, I would probably give that a go to be fair?—”
I follow Summer through the busy pub towards the bathrooms, deliberately shoulder-checking the guy following her. He looks irritated for a moment, then backs down when I get in his space.
“All good, man,” he murmurs. I don’t respond, following Summer through a swinging door. The back hallway is dark, the walls plastered with clippings from the local newspaper. Summer’s humming to herself as she heads towards the ladies’ room.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I say.
Summer spins around, eyes wide. “Alec! You scared me. Hi.” She glows at me.
“Having a good time?” I ask, letting my eyes stroke the hemline of her dress. It ismillimetresfrom showing everything.
“The best. I thought everyone might hate me, because I’m English and a stranger and I don’t really fit in here at all. But they’re all so nice!”
I step closer, crowding her against the wall. “Is that so.” I slide my hand up her back, crumpling the soft lace in my fist.
Summer melts against me, smiling. “Do you like the dress?”
“What dress. I don’t see one. It barely exists.”
She pouts. “Hey, that’s not my fault, I ran out of fabric.”
I trail my hand lower, skimming the hem. “Clearly. What did you even make it out of? A crop top? Belt? Bikini bottoms, perhaps?”
“Oh no, it was this old wedding dress I found.”
My mouth goes dry. All of the blood in my body sinks to my crotch. I stare at her. “You’re kidding.”
“No?”
“This is…” I can’t stop myself from gripping her soft hip. “It’s a goddamnwedding dress?”
She looks nonplussed. “Yes? I’m very into upcycling. Why, don’t you like it?”
I genuinely can’t speak for almost a full minute. “I hate it,” I grit out. “It’s been driving me insane all night.”
“Oh.” She frowns. “Well, I can take it off if you like.” I choke, and she presses closer to me. “Only if you beg though. And you don’t do that, do you?” Her eyes sparkle with mirth.
“You did this on purpose,” I realise. The tiny dress, the constant bending over…She’s been teasing us all intentionally.
I should have known. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before. Summer might be all smiles and sparkles, but you don’t get almost five million peoplefollowing your every move by accident. Summer is an expert at making people want her.
She looks at me like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “Did what?”
