For his sake, she swore to keep a lid on her scrooginess and pretend that this was the most fun she’d had since she was five.
She yanked open her door, a smile plastered on her face, to find a beautiful young woman standing there holding an armful of garment bags. Her long white hair hung over one shoulder, and her purple eyes–double check–yep, purple–sparkled with mischief. “This is going to be So. Much. Fun!” She pushed into Lauren’s room and shut the door behind her.
Then she stopped and opened it again. “Layla!”
“Coming.” She spoke to Collin. “I’ll tell Santa–I promise.” She jogged down the hall and bustled in, carrying a designer handbag. She wore a thick sweater and a pair of bell-bottom jeans. “So. I’m Layla, and this is Frost. We’re here to prep you for the big surprise.”
Lauren stared at the two of them. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course, you don’t.” Frost scanned the room and then opened the closet, and began hanging up the bags. Lauren considered her outfit and decided she dressed like a Barbie doll. “That’s what surprises are all about.”
Layla dumped her purse on the dresser, and makeup spilled out. A lot of makeup. More than the bag could have held.
Lauren rubbed her eyes as a flatiron and then three curling irons, in three sizes, tumbled one after another onto the desk. “What is that?” she pointed at the purse even as her feet took her closer. She hadn’t told them to walk over, but she was soon waving her hand over the bottom of the bag to see if there was an invisible hose attached. Nothing but air.
“Listen, the thing with Christmas Magic is you can try to explain it–and get a massive headache–or you can roll with it.” Layla chuckled.
Lauren stumbled back and sat on the bed. “Christmas Magic? Do you guys know Nick?” No way these women were from the North Pole. Okay, Frost, with her Santa white hair, might pass, but there was no way this woman ate cookies every night.
“He’s my nephew,” Frost chirped.
Lauren’s forehead wrinkled. Frost didn’t look that much older than Nick. She blurted out the next question that came to mind. “Does my mom know you’re back here? Does she know what the surprise is? Does she approve?”
Frost nodded. “Rose let us in the front door. We thought about coming down the chimney, but then everyone gets all Santa-crazy, and we spend the next hour and a half eating cookies.” She wrinkled her nose. “And to be quite honest with you, we don’t have that kind of time.” She pulled open the desk drawer and gasped. “You organize your washi tape?”
Lauren’s cheeks heated. “It’s obsessive–I know.”
“It’s amazing,” Frost breathed as she ran her finger over the rolls. “I liked you before, but I love you now.”
Lauren burst out a laugh. The sound was a glorious relief from the stress building up inside of her.
Layla hip-bumped her. “Will you two focus? We need a dress.”
Frost clapped her hands. “My other obsession.” She sized up Lauren with a look and then flipped through the hangers. “Letters, office supplies, paper–all of it’s my weakness, but fashion is my passion, girlfriend. I mean, if a box can be wrapped beautifully–why can’t I? Why can’t you?” She unzipped a bag, and hot-rod red ruffles spilled onto the carpet.
Lauren shuddered.
“I think it’s too much.” Frost zipped it back up–surprisingly without catching the delicate material in the zipper.
“We need a statement dress that’s not overdone. But one with a Christmas vibe.” She hummed as she considered the options. Finally, she grabbed one and pulled it off the rod. Spinning around, she held it close. “I’ve been saving this for a special occasion.” Her squeal had Lauren anxious. Frost’s pencil skirt and matching top weren’t exactly her style.
Frost unzipped slowly, and Layla coughed. “Don’t rush this moment,” Frost admonished her. “A woman only gets to do this once.”
Lauren exchanged a look with Layla. This made her question her own sanity because Layla looked just as eager to get her hands on Lauren and smatter her with liners and toners as Frost did to dress her up like a doll.
When the dress was finally out of the bag, Lauren gaped in wonder. “It’s amazing.”
“I know!” Frost bounced on her toes. “The knot at the side paired with the lantern sleeves is beautiful enough, but the contrasting sequined skirt with the spit up the back is,” she gasped, “to die for. Not to mention the shade of off-white is an absolute dream with your hair and skin tone.” She grabbed for the edge of the dresser. “I might pass out. I’m so happy right now.”
Lauren had to admit; she would feel like a princess in that gown, and a part of her itched to put it on. She looked back and forth between the two women.
Lauren only hesitated a moment. “You know what–you two dropping into my room for a Christmas makeover is not the strangest thing that’s happened to me lately. I think I’ll roll with it.”
“Eep!” Layla pulled a salon chair out of her purse.
Lauren pointed at it. “That is the weirdest thing that’s happened. And I don’t even care.” She settled into the chair and closed her eyes. “Work your magic.”
Layla giggled.
