Page 57 of Hiding Hollywood

She turned at the knock on the door. “Come in.” She walked to the mirror, applying lip gloss in a bright, pink berry that always made her happy.

Mrs. Dempsey crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. She smiled. “You are beautiful, Addie.”

The way she said it made Addie pause. Instead of replying with a polite, “thank you,” she waited a minute for her to continue.

“The benefit tonight is not very formal, I’m afraid.”

“It’s not?” She glanced down at her two-hundred-dollar shoes. She always loved a reason to wear them.

“No, honey. I’m sorry.”

“For…”

“I think you may need to change.” She hesitated and looked at her with pity. “Do you mind if I help? I’ve never had a girl to pick out clothes with, but everyone that goes dresses a certain way.”

“I don’t want to look out of place.”

She beamed a smile at Addie, as usual, making her appear barely forty. She pushed away from the door frame and walked to the pile of clothes laid out on the bed. “Do you have anything less fancy?”

“Less fancy?” She took one last look at her shoes. “I suppose.”

“I don’t want the sawdust to ruin your shoes.”

Addie took a quick step back. “Why is there going to be sawdust?”

“On the floor.”

“Why?”

Mrs. Dempsey paused and laughed. “You know, I have absolutely no idea. I know Rhonda does it each time she constructs the floor for these things. Here,” she said, motioning to the bed, “do you have any blue jeans among this pile?”

“Yes.” She moved to her bag in the corner and pulled out a faded pair of jeans. “I have these.”

“Good. Now, let’s see.” She set out each article of clothing.

Although it wasn’t like her, a small part of Addie’s heart missed her mom. She needed to give her a call tomorrow. After she figured out what time zone they were in.

Mrs. Dempsey snapped her fingers. “You know, I bought a tank top during an end of the summer sale. It has a lace overlay along the back I thought was so pretty.” She rushed out of the room, only to return a few moments later with a white tank top dangling from a hanger, the tags intact on the side.

“Jeans. Tank top. Boots.” She raised her eyebrow. “Do you have other boots?”

“Just those tall, black ones.”

She chewed on her lip. “No. That would ruin the look.”

Addie took a deep breath. “What ‘look’ are we going for? What type of benefit is this?”

Mrs. Dempsey straightened. “It’s a honky-tonk to benefit a local wounded Veterans program. A local band will play. I expect Cameron to dance with you. Don’t let him wiggle out of it.”

Cameron danced? The grumpy, dancing, sexy Sheriff. He should use that in his Sheriff campaign.

“What size shoe do you wear?”

“Eight.”

She clapped her hands and gave a small scream for joy before bounding out of the room. Wow. Who knew going to a honky-tonk benefit took so much effort? Addie slipped off her shoes and placed them back into the pouch she carried them in. A little obsessive, but she didn’t care. She’d bought them with her first check fromWhite Rabbit.

“Here we go.” Mrs. Dempsey held out a pair of socks in one hand and boots in the other, giving Addie no other choice but to take them. “I’ll let you get changed.” She left, almost as quick as she’d appeared.

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