Page 13 of Worth the Wait

“I’m going to lie down for a bit. Come to my room once you’re ready for me to work my magic.”

She clapped her hands together, and my mind instantly flew back to Sugar Mountain and to Patrick’s adorable niece, Clarabel. She always clapped whenever she was excited, which was a lot and often. It had been so long since I’d seen her. I wondered if she even remembered me anymore. Probably not.

I bet she’s so big now.

My heart pinched at the thought.

“Be agreeable, Addison.”

My mother’s voice snapped me right back into the present.

“What? How am I not being agreeable? I said she could do my hair and makeup and dress me.” I was so confused.

“For the whole night. Not just before the event begins. Go along with whatever she suggests. Your sister knows what she’s doing. And you, my dear, do not.”

With that statement, my mother grabbed her glass of wine and the bottle before disappearing down the long hallway and into her bedroom.

I cleaned up the kitchen, threw my containers in the trash, and headed into my room. Part of me wanted to take a quick nap, too, but I knew it would only leave me feeling more tired instead of refreshed. So, I opted for a hot shower.

I took my time, standing under the hot stream of water as it spilled down my neck and back. It was in calm moments like this when I realized how sore my body truly was. Standing on your feet all day while your adrenaline soared during the busy hours was exhausting. But I rarely took the time to acknowledge it before I was doing it all over again. Being a chef was an endless cycle of chaos.

Once I was done, I wrapped myself in a plush robe and blew my hair dry. I tried not to think about how overwhelming tonight might be and convinced myself that I was going to have the best time. If not for me, then for Sarina. She deserved nothing less. My sister was definitely the bright spot of my moving here.

I was going to miss her the most if I ever left.

MY SISTER, THE CELEBRITY

ADDISON

Sarina and I rode the elevator down eighteen flights to the ground floor. She’d done our hair in matching styles—long mermaid waves with plenty of volume, thanks to the amount of hair spray she’d put in it. And our makeup, while slightly different, was still similar. We actually looked related for once. Our outfits were the only things that didn’t match, although we were coordinated in traditional Christmas colors. We were like a walking, talking Christmas card.

Sarina was wearing a sparkly two-piece emerald-green dress by some designer I’d never heard of. She had matching dazzling green booties that were honestly to die for. She looked like she’d stepped out of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. I’d opted for a long, strapless ruby-red dress that had a slit all the way up to my thigh. My kitten heels also shimmered, but they were black, and they didn’t have quite the same effect as Sarina’s green booties.

When the elevator doors opened, our doorman, Gary, was standing there, waiting to escort us outside. I noticed the black limo idling at the curb as I glanced over his shoulder.

“Your car is outside. You two look lovely,” Gary said.

We both thanked him as he held the front door and handed us off to our driver, who opened the car door for us and helped us inside.

“I knew you’d get a car, but a limo?” I said as soon as we were comfortably seated in the back.

Sarina shrugged. “They sent it.”

“Who’s they?” I asked.

“The event planner, I think. She is so excited I’m coming because they’re trying to reach a younger demographic and they know I have it.”

I laughed. “Your life is wild, Sarina. Truly.”

She reached for the bottle of champagne chilling in a side cubby and popped it open. Holding onto two glasses, she poured us each one before handing me mine.

“I know. I love it. Cheers to a fun night.” She winked at me, and we clanked our glasses together.

I sipped the alcohol, and the bubbles hit my throat. “It’s going to be great,” I said right as a text message lit up my cell phone.

Glancing down, I noticed it was from someone at work, and I didn’t even want to read it.

Sarina groaned. “After you respond to that, please change the wallpaper on your screen.”

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