“Take your hand away from your face.”
Abby complied.
“Now smile.”
Abby took a deep breath. She had veto power, so she shouldn’t feel so uncomfortable. Not wanting to be a downer, she faked a smile.
“Perfect. I’m gonna record in three, two, one.” Blythe tapped her phone. “Hey, friends. Look at this beautiful woman. Wave at our followers,” Blythe said.
Abby wiggled her fingers toward the camera and broadened her smile.
“I have a question for my followers,” Blythe said. “Do you think this beautiful woman should wear her hair down for dinner tonight?”
Abby’s back stiffened, but she kept the smile on her face. Was Blythe really going to ask her followers how she should wear her hair? What next? Would she ask them what she should wear, too?
Abby knew creators did things like that all the time, but it still felt strange.Lighten up.Hadn’t she told Madeline she’d let her hair down this weekend? While she meant it figuratively, maybe it wouldn’t be the end of the world if she did it literally.
To play along, Abby grabbed her bun and pretended she was going to pull it out, but then she let go. “The decision is in your hands.” She gave the camera a playful smile.
Blythe turned the camera toward herself. “Abby scores the dyke drop,” Blythe said, changing her signature line while pretending to drop a mic. “And as you can see, Abby keeps it unfiltered.” Once Blythe lowered the phone, she sported a huge smile. “Oh, my god, that was perfect.”
Abby’s cheeks warmed. “It was okay?”
“Okay? It was brilliant. And you finally spoke on camera.” Blythe’s eyes twinkled. “Our followers are going to love it—and your sexy voice.”
“Stop!” When she averted her gaze from Blythe, she made eye contact with Ricki in the rearview mirror.
“Blythe’s going to turn you into a content creator yet,” Ricki said and then shifted her gaze back to the road.
Was there disappointment in her voice? Abby continued looking into the mirror, but Ricki kept her eyes on the road.
“At leastsomeonein the car is reasonable and listens to me.” Blythe held her phone out to Abby. “Can I post it?”
Abby nodded, not bothering to ask to see it. What did it matter? If it made Blythe happy and helped her reach her goals, why should Abby stand in the way?
“Seriously?” Blythe’s eyes widened. “I can post it?”
“Why not?”
“All right!” Blythe typed on her phone and then dropped it to the seat. “Done.” She wriggled her eyebrows at Abby. “Now are you going to listen to what they say?”
Abby knew the vote would likely be overwhelmingly in favor of putting her hair down. Although she was more comfortable with it up, she responded, “Sure.”
Blythe’s enormous smile told her she’d made the right decision.
CHAPTER 17
Ricki was lying onthe couch reading a book when Blythe walked into the living room.
“You’d better go get dressed. Abby will be out soon.” Blythe adjusted her tie. “Do I have this the right length?”
Ricki didn’t look up from her book. “I’m not going.”
Blythe stopped fiddling with her tie and stared at Ricki. “What do you mean you’re not going? I got reservations for three.”
“I’m not going,” Ricki repeated but still stared at her book.
“Why not?” Blythe intentionally sat with one butt cheek on Ricki’s foot.
