Page 53 of Billion Dollar Mistake

“Yeah.” I bite the corner of my lip.

She smirks. “Then you better wear something hot.”

We finish eating, clean up, and head into her room.

I’m suddenly feeling lighter having told someone about Jeremy.

After a shower, I walk out and find her opening her wardrobe and pulling out a couple of dresses. As she is about to grab more, I wave my hands out in front. “Stop. stop. stop. This is plenty,” I say.

“We can never have too many options.”

“Can we just start with what we have here? I just don't want to get overwhelmed and I'm on a time crunch. I've got to be on the yacht by six.”

“Of course. Let's just start with this one. I feel like your red lip, dark hair, hazel eyes and the green and white summery dress will look beautiful together.”

My mind immediately drifts to Jeremy. He's going to be there, and I’m hit with a sudden adrenaline rush. I smooth down my top, ready to find the perfect outfit. A mix of sophistication yet sexy. I picture the way his eyes will linger on my lips and then drop over my body. I already know if he kissed me tonight, I would kiss him back. I’m so attracted to him and I’m ready to live a little.

It dawns on me that he's not going to be wearing a suit. And then I wonder what he is going to be wearing.

Getting to see him in casual clothes excites me.

He excites me.

“Yep, let me try this on,” I say, heading to my room to quickly change.

Once the dress is on, I look at myself in the mirror and smile. I run my hands over my hips, loving how soft the fabric is.

Summer comes beside me. “It looks amazing on you,” she says with a pause. “Even better than it looks on me. Which is so not fair,” she adds with humor.

I giggle, which then turns into a sigh. “Nothing looks better on me.”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, shut up. You really don't know how gorgeous you are. Jeremy won’t know what to do with himself when he sees you,” she says with excitement.

“I feel like I want to vomit.” I start, before she spins me around to fix my hair on our way to the bathroom.

“I get it, I do Nova, but it doesn't mean you can't live. After everything you've been through this year, you deserve to have a good time, give yourself permission, just this once.”

I douse myself in my rose-scented perfume and carefully add my red lip.

“You are going to a party on a big yacht, with a guy you happen to be attracted to. Please, don’t fuck this up. I'm so excited.”

“Glad you are. I’m shitting myself,” I say, taking a seat on my bed. “He’s rich and can have anyone he wants. I don't get why a man like him would want me. I have nothing to offer,” I say.

She sits down beside me, running her hands up my arms. “Nova, I will not let you talk about yourself this way. Just because a guy has money doesn’t mean he’s better than you.”

“I know but—”

She shakes her head. “No buts. You’re one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever met. I can see exactly why he would fall for someone like you.”

“No one said anything about falling.”

“Yes, but a crush can turn,” she adds.

“I know but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

We hug and she whispers in my ear, “Well, you’re all ready to go. So there’s only one way to find out. Nova, please go have some fun. Go celebrate and maybe get to know your colleagues a bit better.”

“One of them hates me. I'm sure of it.”

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