Page 78 of Lucky Mother Pucker

We all laugh. They give me hugs, careful not to mess up my hair.

Anna grabs my hand. “Time to put on your dress.”

I follow her to her bedroom closet. She pulls out a floor-length, gold, Grecian-style gown. My eyes go wide.

“Oh wow, that’s beautiful.”

She beams. “I wore it to Hollis U homecoming a couple years ago. I think it would look so pretty on you, especially with your red hair.”

She slips out, closing the door behind her so I can get dressed. I slide it on and look at my reflection in the mirror. “Oh wow.”

The gown has soft pleating detail, and the fabric has a delicate knot in the front.

When Anna comes back in, she gasps. “Oh my god, you look like a movie star!”

I blush. “Really?”

She nods excitedly. When Poppy and Briar walk in, they both rave about the dress and how it looks.

“Leo’s eyes are going to melt out of his head when he sees,” Poppy says.

I let out a flustered laugh, hoping she’s right. I can’t wait to see his reaction. And how he looks all dressed up.

Briar grabs the pair of sky-high gold heels she brought over to Anna’s place. “You should wear these so you don’t trip over the hem of the gown.”

I smile as I slide into the shoes. “I need all the height I can get. I’m not as tall as you, Anna.”

She chuckles. “I’m five-six. That’s not really tall.”

“It’s taller than my five-foot-two,” I joke.

Briar high-fives me. “Five-foot-three. Short girls unite.”

I laugh. Poppy sighs. “I’m almost five-five. Is that short?”

“I’d say that’s more like average,” Briar says.

Poppy does a half-hearted fist pump. “Yay for average.”

We all burst out laughing. Just then, my phone buzzes with a text from Leo.

Hey. Just pulled up to Anna’s apartment. I’ll be up in a sec to come get you.

Butterflies buzz around my tummy.

“Leo’s here,” I say.

“Wait! You need earrings! And a bracelet!” Anna says.

The three of them deck me out in fake diamond earrings and a delicate gold bracelet.

When Leo knocks on the door, my tummy does that dip thing it’s been doing a lot lately when I’m around him.

Anna lets out a small squeal. “He’s going to flip when he sees you.”

I bite back a smile, then remember I’m wearing lipstick and immediately stop.

Poppy chuckles. “Don’t worry, it’s long-wear lipstick. It’s not going anywhere even if you bite your lip or eat or drink.”