“That would be so great, thank you. Didyou want to change?” I look her over. She has emerald green velour sweat pantson with a black stretchy t-shirt with large sequins across the front that says‘princess’.
Olivia’s cheeks flush pink, but shestands straighter. “Yes, give me a few.”
“Take your time.” I call as shepractically runs back into the bedroom. When I hear the door shut, I jump upand down. “Yes, yes, yes.” I turn around and almost run into Luke. “Oh Luke,hey. I forgot you were there.” I pat him on the shoulder and walk past him.
“Kate.” Oh dammit, Luke’s going to rainon my parade. I turn back around, and Luke has his hand down and the palm open.“High five.” I walk past him and slap his hand.
“We still have all afternoon left,” Iwhisper, screwing up my face. I discard a fashion magazine from the sofa andwipe off the couch before I sit on it. “Luke, I’m sorry you’re stuck on Kateduty. I’m sure you have more important things to do.”
“It’s my pleasure, really. I know you’veprobably heard this from others, but Cole has changed since he met you. You’vemade him a better person.”
“I—uh, thanks.”
“But don’t get me wrong, he’s still acocky son of a bitch.”
I laugh. “Yes, he is.”
I glance around at the penthouse. It’s adisaster. Several room service carts with half eaten food are still sittingaround. The television is on mute, and a daytime soap opera is playing. Whoneeds to watch a soap opera when I basically live one?
Amazingly, it only takes Olivia aboutfifteen minutes to get ready and look like a million bucks. When she comes out,she’s wearing a cream and black colored twill sleeveless dress. Her hair is allsmooth and shiny and her make-up is flawless. Damn, she’s good.
“All right, Kitty Kat, let’s go find ussome formal wear for this evening, shall we?”
“Lead the way.”
“Of course dear, I always lead.” Oh geez,I walked into that one. I hope this won’t be the death of me. I think I may bemore scared of Olivia than I am of Melvin Martins. Heaven help me.
We go back to the shops at the Crystalsand head straight into a designer shop. “Mrs. Holt.” A sales woman opens herarms welcoming us. “How nice to see you again.”
“Hello Juliet, it’s nice to be seen.”
I choke on my laugh. Instead of Oliviaturning from a lion into a kitten, she was only sleeping, and I poked her. Ihave a feeling this little ‘mission slash nice thing’ I’ve embarked on is goingto bite me in the ass.
The sales woman looks me over. She doesn’tcringe or gawk, so maybe I’m doing okay. “And who is this lovely lady shoppingwith you today?”
I hold out my hand. “Kate Holt.”
She turns my hand over, giving my fingersa little shake. Ewe, yuck. Why don’t people realize a handshake speaks volumesabout a person. Shaking this lady’s hand makes me want to wipe it off on mypants.
“Oh, so you two are sisters-in-law.”Juliet smiles wide, holding her hands out again.
“Something like that.” Olivia purses herlips. “We need dresses for the mayor’s gala this evening, so chop, chop,Juliet.”
Yikes. But yes, chop, chop, the soonerthis adventure is over, the better. They wheel two racks lined with at least adozen dresses out. I try to look through them, but Olivia stops me. “Wait,Kate, I need to make sure these are all up to our standard. I watch Olivia asshe carelessly throws gowns over her shoulder, the poor saleswoman trailingbehind her to catch the discarded clothes. “No, no, oh please heavens, no. Forgoodness sake, Juliet, I thought you knew me. Perhaps I’m mistaken, and I needto shop somewhere else.”
Juliet’s face drains of color and shescampers into the back room. A few minutes later, she comes out hauling anotherrack of dresses. Olivia moves to the new rack. The scrape of the hangersagainst the metal pole is almost as bad as fingernails to a chalkboard for thesalespeople. They cringe each time Olivia moves on to another dress. “These aremuch better.”
I look through the racks that are nowOlivia approved, picking a couple to try on. We take turns. I try on ablush-colored dress with long sleeves. “That makes you look like a ghost,darling. No.” Olivia dismisses me with a wave of her hand. This is how it goesfor almost two hours, and over a dozen dresses. Olivia is on a rampage ofsorts. Juliet pulls another rack out while Olivia is trying on a dress. I hearOlivia yelling something at the shop assistant who’s helping her and then seethe shop assistant come running out of the dressing room in tears. She looks atme wide eyed as she passes.
“Sorry,” I mouth to her, but she burstsinto tears again and runs into the back. I pull a sapphire sequin blue dressoff the rack. It’s gorgeous, it’s a mermaid style and the sequins taper offtowards the top and the bottom into a nude material. It’s sleeveless but has ahigh neck. I sigh. This is my dress, whether Olivia likes it or not. I turn toJuliet, who smiles and nods.
“Excellent choice. I know I have yoursize.”
“Perfect. If it fits, I’m taking it.”
“Taking what, darling?” Olivia comes up,standing next to me in a white robe.
“This dress.” I hold it out so she cansee. Her eyes get wide, and then she narrows them.
