Pointing at herself, Sophie scowls at her. “Excuse me. Writer here, and I make a decent living.”
“Yes, but you report on needed information, both visually and in writing. Most authors have to keep a day job to pay the bills. Trust me, I’ve looked into it.”
“Same.” Harper nods her head, a knowing expression on her face. At our probing stares, she shrugs. “What? I wanted to write romance novels.”
Mia snorts. “That explains the pirates.”
Ignoring her, Sophie nudges me forward and pulls the curtain closed. “Try on that flowery one next. It’s very feminine and flow-y.”
Flow-y? I can do that.
After shedding the ‘sex-me-now’ dress, I do as she says, slipping the silky garment over my head, and loving the feel of it on my skin. The fabric hugs the curve of my waist and hips, then flares out mid-thigh. I turn back and forth, studying the way the tea-length skirt flows around my calves and how the ruched bodice does my girls justice without giving away the goods. The dress is still as sensual as the other one, but in a more subtle and sophisticated way. And it makes me feel sexy without putting me into the sex-worker category.
I can’t suppress my grin as I shove open the curtain, its metal rings screeching over the bar as I step out.
Harper’s eyes widen. “Oh, that’s gorgeous on you.”
Sophie nods. “Yep, we have a winner.”
Frowning in her indecision, Mia tilts her head. “I still think the other dress would do a better job.”
My nerves spike into the red again. “When am I even going to wear this? It’s too dressy for work. And people wear shorts even to the nicest restaurants here.”
Sophie waves me off. “We’ll figure that out later. The goal today is to change some things that will help Wade decide he’s tired of being in the friend zone and make a move.”
“Right, like when I kissed him, and thenheapologized for kissing me back. Yeah, a dress will work way better than that.” Thick sarcasm drips from my voice.
Mia rolls her lips between her teeth, trying not to laugh.
Harper glances between them. “She has a point.”
I splay my hand out toward her. “Thank you.”
Sophie blows out a frustrated breath. “I have a plan…” She groans as she wags her hands. “But I didn’t want to say anything until I figured out the details. I told my friend, Char, at the paper about the dating auction and about you and Wade. She’s agreed to bid on him, but when he arrives to pick her up for their date, you’ll be waiting for him inthatdress.”
“Huh.” Lily crosses her arms. “As Payton would say, that’s bloody brilliant.”
Sophie makes a show of mock-bowing. “Why, thank you.”
I’m still not convinced this will work. “What if your friend doesn’t win the auction?”
She releases a long and noisy breath. “But what if she does? It’s worth trying, don’t you think? Like I said, I haven’t worked out all the details, but I will. One way or another, you and Wade will wind up on that date together.”
Harper nods in agreement.
My doubting self looks to Mia, hoping she’ll have something to counter this plan that sounds straight out of a Hallmark movie.
She simply shrugs. “At this point, you have nothing to lose, babe. I think it’s worth a shot.”
Traitor.
Wade
“This is the most ridiculous plan I’ve ever heard of.”
I thought we were going to play cards on the way to Atlanta when the fellas told me to sit at the table booth in the back of the team bus. Not make up some ridiculous plan to trick Bree into a date.
Mason holds his hands out. “Which part? My sister bidding on you at the auction, or you going on a date with your girl?”
