“Absolutely!”
FIFTY-NINE
Jada
“You’re beautifuldah-ling,”Pierre swoons, tapping my lips with a gloss. “You make this so easy.”
“Oh, stop it.” I giggle.
I’ve been sitting in Pierre’s chair for the last two hours. When I agreed to this, I had no idea they meant two actualhours. I have no idea what this is going to cost, not that Cane will care, but it seems so silly, really.
My hair has been washed, conditioned, and curled. It’s been pulled into an updo that Pierre spent a half hour perfecting. I need to remember to get a picture of this so I can have it replicated when we get back to the Valley. I can’t see myself wearing my hair any other way for the wedding now.
My makeup has been done with colors I never would’ve thought of using. As the layers were being applied, I thought I’d look like a call girl. It waswaymore makeup than I ever use. I wouldn’t know how to use most of the products Pierre applied. But when he whirls me around in the large, plush, black chair so I can see myself, I’m astonished.
I look like me, just a glamorous version of me. If I didn’t see him apply a million layers of makeup, I’d swear he used none. Everything looks so natural.
Pierre stands behind me, his eyes sparkling. “Gorgeous, right?”
“Pierre ...” I start to touch my hair but stop. “I just ... Can you come to Phoenix and do this for my wedding?”
He laughs and places a comb back in its container.
“I wasn’t kidding. This is incredible. You did an amazing job.”
“Jada!” Kari exclaims, her hand flying to her mouth as she walks into the room. “Oh, my God!”
“He did an amazing job, didn’t he? But look at you.Sogorgeous.”
Kari’s hair has been curled into large waves and hangs down.
“You like?”
“No, I love. Have you looked in the mirror, Kari?”
“I have. They really did an amazing job. Can we kidnap them and take them home with us?”
Pierre laughs. “If I wasn’t gay, I’d just go home with you two. Just saying.”
I smile and start to speak when Shera comes back in, carrying a large bouquet in her hand. They are in a multitude of different shades of pink. She hands them to me. “These are for you, Jada.”
Kari grins, a knowing look on her face. I don’t bother to ask her any questions because I know she won’t answer them. Instead, I dig through the foliage and pull out a pink envelope. Just like the others, there’s a card inside.
“To Marry You” is printed on this one.
I feel the sting of tears hit my eyes. I knew from the first card that this was Cane’s doing, but the longer this goes on—the longer he had to plan this—it just gets sweeter. And so un-Cane-like. Cane’s sweet, but he’s not overly romantic.And this?This is romantic.
I wipe the tears away from my eyes, and Pierre rushes over to fix the smudges.
“I’mdyingover here,” Pierre says, dabbing my cheeks with a tissue. “So jealous. Why doesn’t a man ever send me flowers like that?”
“Mine normally doesn’t do things like this.” I laugh. “Max must be giving him pointers.”
Kari grins. “Maxdoesget a gold star in romance. You ready to get out of here?”
“Yes. Let’s go find our guys.”
Cane
