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Chapter Two
Kimberley
Breathe.Just breathe. You got this. You totally got his.
My ankle falters sideways, making me trip in the ridiculous heels I was forced to wear. I don’t know how Gillian walks in these death traps every day. She loves her damn heels. Has so many pairs that they spill out of her closet. I catch myself before I really make a fool of myself and force a smile on my face. I see a uniformed man who was seconds ago standing by the door taking a step toward me, concern on his face. I wave him away, feeling my cheeks stain a crimson red with embarrassment. I’m not even in the damn door yet and already I’m messing this up.
Pausing for a moment before I enter the event space, I take another deep, long breath. Calm, I need to be calm. Squaring my shoulders, pushing out my chest, I prepare. Both hands go to my hair, fluffing out the long locks. My blowout turned out spectacular. My hair has never, ever looked this good. The amount of confidence my hair is giving me alone is enough to power the Empire State Building. I just need to channel that energy and project all this confidence outward. IknowI look good. No, wait. Not just good.
I look fucking incredible.
And because my hair looks outstanding, the night would follow suit. It had to. Feeling my big-hair-energy flow through my body, I give myself one last nod then enter the room.
The buzzing of voices hits me first. Squeezing my clutch, I slowly make my way into the grand ballroom. Gillian told me that I’d need to go to the stage area first to check in with a Jenna before I did a round of the room and then faded into the background.
Beelining for that area, I jump when I hear my sister’s name being called out in greeting. It takes me a second to clue in that I need to respond.
I am Gillian tonight. I am Gillian.
Oh man, I was already exhausted with this game of pretend. I wave back, not stopping to chat. I need to make my way to the stage, check in with Jenna—whoever that was—leave a drink at my place setting to show that I was there and then get the heck out of here.
“Oh my God! Gillian! Thank goodness you’re here.” A beautiful woman with strawberry-blond hair and a midnight-blue dress that clings to all her curves jumps out at me as soon as I hit the stage area. “Shit. Your hair looks amazing tonight! Damn, girl.”
For a second, I expect the woman to give me another once-over and know instantly I’m not Gillian. But she doesn’t. She’s beaming at me like we’re longtime friends. Maybe we are. Gillian and I didn’t go over who she hung out with at work and who she didn’t.
My free hand goes up to my hair, giving it another small fluff and gathering it to one side. “Thank you. Your dress though…” I give her a chef’s kiss in the air.
“You’re too sweet.” She waves her hands around, shutting her eyes for a moment. “But you have perfect timing. We have a problem.”
No, we didn’t. No, we couldn’t have a problem. I was assured everything would run like clockwork.What happened to easy peasy!
“Jenna! I need you here,” someone calls from the curtained area and the woman I’m speaking to gestures for a moment more with her hand to the caller. Oh, so this is Jenna. Okay.
“No, Jenna. We can’t have a problem. Everything was double-checked, triple-checked today.” Gillian had promised. She told me everything was set. My voice is growing louder with each word I say. Panic is starting to bubble and build in my stomach, making me queasy.
“I know.” She brings her intertwined hands up to her mouth. “But one of the girls didn’t show due to a stomach bug.”
Girls? Girls! What kind of auction was this? I can feel all the color drain from my face. Wasn’t this a charity event? I was led to believe this was a silent auction. Oh crap. Oh hell.
“What do we do?” I ask her, my voice shaking. Jenna looks at me with complete befuddlement. Crap balls,Iwas supposed to have the answers. I’m going to kill my sister when I get home.
My brain is working overtime, trying to think up something, even though I have no idea what the real situation is, when Jenna walks over to a small podium and grabs a clipboard.
“How about you go up? That was always the absolute worst-case scenario plan, right?”
“It was!” I cry out, startling Jenna. “I mean, yes. It is the absolute worst-case scenario. So…” I draw out the word. “I guess I am subbing in…”
Jenna does a dance of celebration while I try not to throw up. I stiffly raise my hands and do a little shake, trying to mimic her excitement. I need to find a corner to have a panic attack in. This is madness.
“Okay, so you’ll be going out third. You know the drill once you’re on stage.” She giggles at this, making me feel even sicker. “Why don’t you go put your stuff down in the back room and then we’ll go over the cues one more time.”
I nod, not sure what I’m agreeing to, but if it gets me a moment alone to panic and hyperventilate, I’m all for it.
Forcing a smile—which has apparently become my new thing tonight—I walk on shaky legs toward the curtain, batting it away to pass through. Pressing my lips together to keep the scream of frustration in my throat, I move farther down the dim backstage.
“Oh thank goodness,” I whisper to myself when I see a food table at the other end. I definitely need a donut to calm my nerves—this dress be damned. Carbs are my savior tonight.
I’m midbite, my free hand reaching for another donut, when a deep voice calls my sister’s name and has me freezing in place. My gaze darts all around, trying to find an escape route. If I’m not allowed to eat these donuts, there should be a sign or something. Since I’ve already taken a bite out of two, they’re mine now. No turning back at this point. My mouth is full of frosted goodness as I slowly turn around.
