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“I’m here to make a love connection, not to have the world laugh at me.” She sniffles before adding, “I called and left Missy a message. My only hope is that she’ll go to my house and bring me another outfit in time.”
“I’m sure she will.” I try to sound comforting, but I can’t keep the amusement out of my voice.
“Don’t make fun of me, Tim. I know I look ridiculous.”
She looks adorable. “You’ll look great in whatever you wear.”
She glares at me with such intensity I take a step backwards. Then she turns around and strides back through the door she came out of.
I like Paige more and more every time I see her. I’m half-tempted to ask her what she thinks about me, but I’m afraid my ego can’t take another bruising.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
PAIGE
I’m sitting on a small loveseat in the women’s bathroom when Trina finds me. “Hey,” she says while flipping through her clipboard. “The mixer starts in thirty, so I need you to go through hair and makeup.”
“I can’t go out like this.” I stand up and point to my outfit before unnecessarily saying, “I’m still wearing a Winnie the Pooh onesie.”
She shrugs. “What’s your option?”
“You could have let me go home to get something else.”
“I could have, but we’re on a tight schedule and we need you here with everyone else. We couldn’t have risked you being late.”
“I had plenty of time when I first told you about the mix-up.” I’m starting to get worked up again.
“It snowed this afternoon so you might have gotten stuck or gotten into an accident.” I silently accept that either of those things could have happened. She adds, “Paige, it’s my job to make sure things run smoothly.”
“And you think my wearing a onesie on national television isthe definition of running smoothly?” Quick, someone get this woman a dictionary.
She smiles at me kindly. “It shows that you’re playful and have a sense of humor. Trust me, people will remember you with smiles on their faces.”
I try to imagine what I’d think if someone else arrived as Pooh Bear. I reluctantly acknowledge that I’d probably appreciate their spirit. Inhaling deeply, I concede, “Fine, I’ll go to hair and makeup.” I follow Trina out the door with a tiny bit more confidence.
The only people still in the makeup room are Brittany and Cami. Everyone else must already be in the ballroom. Brittany calls out, “Pooh Bear!”
Cami sees me and laughs. “Look at you!”
As soon as they reach my side, I tell them, “I put the wrong thing into my bag.”
“This is an accident?” Brittany sounds surprised.
I nod my head.
Cami says, “They said dress comfortably and you look like you took the memo to heart. You look great!” She points to her own outfit of skinny jeans and a T-shirt, while confiding, “My jeans are so tight I’m afraid when I take them off, I’m going to have permanent grooves etched into my body from the seams.”
“Which is why I go with stretch pants every time,” Brittany says. She’s wearing yoga pants and an oversize flannel shirt belted at the waist. It has an odd, pirate-like effect.
Deciding to get in on the fun, I tell them, “I’ve clearly gone for the ultimate comfort. Plus, this way I can hide some dinner rolls for late night snacking.” That’s when I remember Jake made bread without any white flour, and I shudder with revulsion.
“How was this afternoon with dreamy Jake?” Brittany wants to know.
“He’s a vegan,” I tell her like this explains the whole interaction.
“That’s cool,” Cami says. “I was a vegan for a month about five years ago.”
“Why did you give it up?”Like I can’t guess the answer to that question.Life without breakfast sausage is no life at all.
