“What after-party?”
“Theafter-party. After the Music Awards.”
I drop my container of pins. I’m in shock. My wide eyes meet hers in the floor-length gold-framed mirror she’s staring into. She laughs at my expression.
I thought she wanted the dress for some sort of event. Maybe the charity gala dinner for blue bottlenose dolphins. Or the Lithuanian Critics Circle Awards. I did not think she was going to wear it to somewhere as iconic as the Music Awards after-party. It’s a good thing I’m sitting down. Because I would absolutely have fallen to the floor at the news.
“Is Daisy Lane out of words? I’m shocked,” Avery teases.
I can’t believe she knows me so well after just a few days. But they have been intense ones of planning every minute detail of the looks for her video. Avery makes a general look chill.
“You’reshocked.I’mshocked,” I breathe. “How? Why?”
“My Music Awards gown is Chanel and gorgeous. But it’s uncomfortable as hell. I’m going to be sucking in my stomach for half the night. So for the other half, I want to look beautifulandbe comfortable. That’s where your dress comes in. It’s fluid. I can move in it. I want to dance and have fun at the after-party, and I want to be wearing this dress while I do.”
“Oh my God. My dress is going to be in the same room as… Who?”
“Well, besides me?” Avery says tartly. “Everyone who is anyone.” She looks down at me, amused. “You know this is going to change your life. When I’m photographed in this, everyone is going to ask who made it. And I’m going to tell them your name. Are you ready?”
I know I should jump up and scream “Yes!” Rocky-style. But I tell her the truth. “Kind of yes. Kind of no.”
“That’s fair.” She shrugs, her expression thoughtful. “Life is like that. You’re never truly ready. You just have to hold on when the tsunami hits you. So that brings me to my second question. Do you want to come with me to LA? It would be fun. And you can be ready in case there are any last-minute dress fiascoes. Which has happened to me more than once.”
“Hello, like I’m going to turn that down. Hell yes,” I say. “Are you nervous?” I ask, trying to be chill. “You’re up for how many million awards that night?” I pick up the container to resume pinning and find that my hand is shaking.
“I’m nominated for nine.”
I concentrate on putting the last pins in, then stand up. “I’m done. You can take it off now,” I say.
“You know, I’m presenting an award with Ryder Black.” Avery grins.
“I told you. I was just his pet sitter. And old friend.”
“Hmm. He is one fine-looking man.”
A burst of jealousy shoots through me. And also sadness. Because soon, I’ll probably have to once again watch him date other women. Only now, it will be worse. Because now I know what it’s like to be with him.
Ugh. I don’t want to be in my feelings about this. But I miss him. I’d gotten used to falling asleep in Ryder’s arms. Besides the amazing sex, he was surprisingly good at the cuddling after.
I ache for him. And I miss Archie. At least I can do a little something about the pup. I decide to visit Archie at Poppy’s before I head to London. I know they’ll treat him beautifully. But I just want to see his face.
“Do you know Ryder?” I ask, praying she says no. As much as I like her, I don’t know if I could handle it if she tells me they used to hook up. I’m still holding pins. And I’d lose my shot at being a designer to the stars if I stuck her like a pincushion out of spite.
“Not really. We’ve just spoken to each other briefly at a few events. But that’s it.” Avery cracks up. “You should see your face. You were about to scratch my eyes out if I said I liked him.”
Busted.“I would never scratch. I would exact revenge with something more stylish and devious. Poison, maybe.”
“Very wise.” Avery nods.
“I am,” I say solemnly. “Avery…”
“Yeah?”
“How did you know that you wanted to be a singer? That music would be your life? How did you have the faith that you could make it happen?” I ask.
She looks thoughtful. “I just knew. It felt right. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It was…inevitable, I guess. And once I knew that’s what I wanted, I knew I had to go for it with everything in me. I had to risk rejection. And I had to have blind faith in myself, even when what I wanted seemed impossible.”
I grin. “So you were a dreamer. And maybe a little delusional.”
