Page 44 of Just Ten Seconds

“There’s always a chance to take on your dreams again.”

“That’s what Jackie says, but I think my time has passed.”

“You never know. Jennifer Lopez is two decades older than you and still kicking ass.”

I have to agree with him there. “Maybe if I had her abs,” I quip, and then I see Jackie waving over to me from the marketplace. “That’s my cue to leave. It was good seeing you again.”

With a smile, I turn to walk away.

“Hey, Mara,” he calls my attention back to him before it’s fully taken away. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I pull my sweater tighter around my body even though I’m incredibly hot. “Yes.”

That’s all I say as I wave at him just as Amanda comes running toward him, out of breath and grinning from ear to ear.

By the time I make it over to Jackie, she’s standing just outside the door, wearing a mischievous grin on her face.

“What?” I ask her defensively.

She waggles her brows. “Told you you’d find something to pick up at the farmers market.”

I push her by the shoulders and usher her inside. Fast.

“Surprise!” we all chant as Jackie walks into Joe’s Pub, wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a look of absolute surprise at her party.

“On a scale of one to a hundred, how pissed do you think she is?” Manny asks. He’s referring to the fact that Jackie has arrived at the party, wearing a Juicy sweat suit and UGGs.

I keep my eyes trained on her. When she catches my gaze, she gives me a what the fuck expression before plastering her smile back on her face.

“A thousand.” I laugh. “She thought it was next weekend.”

“Can I say, I’m kinda pissed that she gets to wear a sweat suit and I’m dressed like Don Johnson in Miami Vice?”

I can’t hide my giggle as I look over at him in his hot-pink T-shirt and white blazer. He even has a pair of aviator sunglasses resting over his slick black hair.

I lift a garment bag up from the chair next to me, which holds Jackie’s dress. “Don’t worry. She won’t be comfy for long.”

Dancing through the crowd, I make my way over to Jackie, who grabs my arm as soon as she sees me.

“He threw me an eighties party!” she sings with excitement.

With a wave of my hand, I show off my own Madonna-inspired ensemble—black bodysuit, pink tutu, and denim jacket. “Come, let’s get you changed before anyone takes pictures.”

With a scrunched face, she replies, “Good call.”

We walk to the ladies’ room where I hand Jackie her dress.

“Nick brought it to my house last night,” I explain her unasked question.

“That slimy trickster! I didn’t even know it was missing. But what the hell? You could have at least warned that it was an afternoon party. I look like shit!”

I hand her a tote bag that I had hooked on the hanger. “Happy Birthday!”

Jackie looks inside to see I bought her all new makeup from Sephora.

“I had to show the salesgirl ten photos of you in order to get a decent foundation match.”

Jackie holds the eye shadow palette up to her chest and gives it a hug. “You sure know the way to a girl’s heart.”