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“I need your help.” Once I start to tell Riley what’s going on, I get her full attention. She’s as floored as I am.
“You have to go,” she agrees. “You can’t pass up something like this. Imagine the people you could meet. These kinds of things have real A-list celebrities at them. You never know who you could end up schmoozing with.”
“I want to, but how can I? What on earth could I even wear? Even if I could find something in time, there’s no way I can afford to buy anything at all.” The kind of dress I’d need to get is so far beyond my credit card limit, I can’t even think about it. “What do I do?”
“I know how to pull it off,” Riley says.
I sit up straight. “You do?”
“Violet.”
I blink. “You think there’s an actual chance she might have a couture dress in my size just lying around?”
“Probably not, but we can always ask. Hang on, I’ll get her onto the call.”
I try to squash the flicker of hope that’s rising up in me. It can’t work. Violet’s crazy busy with her internship. I neverthought the fashion industry would keep her almost as busy as Riley is with law school, but it does.
“Elena! I miss you.” Violet’s as happy as ever. “What’s going on?”
I fill her in and hesitate. “So, Riley thought you might have something I could wear?”
She goes silent. Riley and I are waiting and I know she’s holding her breath right along with me.
“You know,” Violet says thoughtfully. “I don’t.”
“Oh,” I say. “Okay. I knew it was a long shot.”
“Hold on,” she says. “I didn’t say that I can’t help you out. I can make you something.”
“I’d love that, but the event’s tomorrow night,” I tell her. “There’s no time.”
Riley laughs. “You’re saying that to Violet? The queen of all-nighters? She can outlast me in the running on no sleep department any time.”
“It’s the perfect project. I’ve decided I’m going to get myself onto one of those designer reality shows,” Violet says. “You know, like Making the Cut, that type of thing. I found out there’s a new one in the works that hasn’t even started recruiting, and I’m going to be on it. I’m dropping everything to work on a brand new collection that’ll be my ticket in. I’ll need to have an full-on evening gown as part of it.”
“Aren’t you crazy busy with your internship?” I hate to think I’m so out of the loop that I don’t know what’s going on with a good friend, but I very well could be. “Last I heard, the guy was non-stop running you ragged.”
“It took over my entire life,” she says. “So now we’ve decided to part ways. I’m going out on my own.”
“Violet, no,” Riley says. “You loved working for him. What happened? When?”
“Yesterday. I did love it for awhile, but not lately. He and I had some significant creative differences and we didn’t see eye to eye on most things. So I’m done. Like I said, I’m going out on my own. I’ll make you something, Elena.”
“Would there really be enough time?” I ask. “It’s got to really be something else.”
“If there’s one thing I’m even better at than designing, it’s working fast as hell. That’s why I know I’ll win any one of these shows. Get your ass over here right now and we’ll go for it. It’ll be a great test for me, getting in some practice for being on the show. Then I can see how much faster I can get by the time I’ll be auditioning.”
“I can’t pay you for the hours it’ll take,” I tell her. “I’m living on less than a shoestring right now. More like a thin thread.”
“If you can cover the fabric, you don’t have to pay me for the time. Just tell everyone whenever someone asks you who designed your hot dress. It’ll help to get my name out there. Now come on, there’s no time to waste. I’ll meet you guys at my favorite fabric store. I’ve already got something in mind.”
I had no idea how much fabric costs. Like, no clue at all. I hold my breath and cross my fingers that my credit card will work. Riley and Violet are doing the same thing.
Approved.
“Yes!” Violet says, delighted. “We’re on. Let’s get to my place so I can measure you. This is going to be a big project and you two are going to be my assistants.”
“I’ll help out as much as I can. I’ve got to study too,” Riley says.
