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Elle
“God, these are all just… so… much.” I wave my hand around the upscale shop Blanca has dragged me to and grimace as I pick up a particularly gorgeous dress with an outrageously expensive price tag. It’s over-the-top fancy and exactly what I’ll be expected to wear.
But all I really want to do is slide into a pair of jeans and a silky top, and drink margaritas in a dive bar with a grouchy hockey player. I sigh. This Cinderella wants to skip both the ball and Bennet, in favor of Prince Not-So-Charming.
Note to self: Next time, kiss the guy before you ask him out for a second date. I grimace again at the memory.
“Oh, stop complaining.” Blanca flicks my shoulder with the back of her hand, assuming I’m giving another dress a dirty look. “You’re the one that lets your parents drag you to these things every single year. You’re twenty-nine years old, Elle. You could always say no. But you don’t say no.” She pulls out a red satin dress with a heart shaped bodice and holds it up to herself in the mirror. Frowning, she shoves it back.
“You let them talk you into it, you find a date you think they’ll approve of, you spend the whole time leading up to it, bitching about how you don’t want to go. Then you suffer through the night, texting me the whole time about how awful it is, and when it's over, you swear never again.” She blows out a breath. “And yet, somehow, here we are.”
“Oh, shut up,” I huff, hating her because she’s right. “I had to say yes this year. It’s a very important night for my dad. I think he’s going to announce his candidacy for president soon.”
Blanca’s eye roll tells me what she thinks of my excuse, but she doesn’t have parents so she doesn’t get it. She doesn’t say anything else though and floats away to look at dresses. I stand helplessly in the middle of the store, feeling lost. She’s right. I have no balls.
“How about this one?” She’s back a minute later, holding out a shimmery dress with a tight bodice and a full wispy skirt, in the palest ice-blue. It’s gorgeous, but… “I’ll look like Cinderella,” I grumble.
Blanca laughs, and reaches forward to pinch one of my shoulder-length, pale-blonde curls between her fingers. “This hair… that alabaster skin of yours… honey, you already look like Cinderella. Might as well embrace it.”
I open my mouth to argue with her but my phone’s ringtone cuts through the store’s light pop music, disrupting the calm ambiance. A saleslady glares at me and I scramble to grab my phone, intending to send the call to voicemail. The caller ID stops me though.
Prince Not-So-Charming. My breath catches in my throat, and I almost drop my phone trying to answer. I head for the exit, pulling it up to my ear, as I breathlessly answer, “Hello?”
Blanca gives me a weird look, but I turn away and wave so she can’t see my face. “Dan?” I whisper, pushing through the doors into the alcove between the store and the street.
“Elle?” His voice is full of concern. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“What?” I laugh as if the question is absurd. “Oh, no, no, no. It’s fine. I mean, it’s a good time. I mean… I can talk. What’s up?”
“Okay, if you’re sure,” Dan continues, his tone hesitant. It almost sounds as if he’s anxious. Which is weird since he’s the most confident man I know. He clears his throat. “I have nothing on my schedule today, and I thought it might be nice to see a little more of DC than just the few blocks surrounding my hotel. You free?”
“Oh.” There’s disappointment in my voice so I perk up before adding, “You need a tour guide?”
“No, Elle, I’m perfectly capable of exploring on my own. What I want is a proper date with a smart, funny, gorgeous woman. And naturally, I thought of you.”
There’s the confident flirt I know and love… I mean, like.
“Today?” I ask, even though his initial invite made that clear.
“Yes, today. I know it’s last minute and that’s a big dating faux pas, but I promise it’ll be worth dropping any other plans you may have had.”
I smile. “When?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Where should I meet you?”
“I’ll pick you up.”
“Okay, but I’m not home.” I’m already pushing through the outer door before I remember I’m with Blanca.
“Hey!” Blanca calls after me, grabbing my arm. “Who are you talking to and where are you going?” She’s out of breath from rushing through the store.
I lower the phone and mute the speaker. “Just pick out whatever,” I say, grabbing my credit card from my wallet purse. Shoving it into her hand, I give her a quick peck on the cheek. “Be my fairy godmother.”
“Seriously?” Blanca calls after me as I step out onto the street. “What about our lunch date?”
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
