Page 155 of How to Win the Girl

See?

That’s thinking ahead and using the brains my mama gave me.

“Sounds good.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Maybe one of our dates should be dinner, eh? Somewhere nice?”

Dinner?

Now he has my attention.Not that he lost it.

But like food. “I’m listening.”

Say more.

forty-three

daisy

Date Four

“I can’t believehow nervous I am.”

“Well, you look amazing. There’s nothing to be nervous about. His jaw is going to hit the ground when he sees you.”

Stella is perched at the end of my bed, watching me fidget and fuss and fluff my boobs so my cleavage is more modest.

They’re too big for this tight dress.

I glance down at them, smoothing a hand over my stomach self-consciously. “Are you saying that because this is your dress?”

“No! I’m saying it because it’s true. What are you so nervous about, anyway? You’ve been out with him like…what? This is your fourth date?”

Fifth, if we’re being technical.

But I nod, because I’m in no mood to remind her about what a tool he was when he and I met. Or maybe I’m in no mood to remind myself.

I stand in front of the mirror looking at the makeup Stella applied to my face, my eyes popping with the copper liner and tan shadow. Lips? Glossy.

My brows pop.

She’s braided my hair but pulled at it so the braid ends are a masterful, purposeful mess. The braid falls over one of my shoulders, flirting with my exposed cleavage.

The dress is white and floral but deceptively demure. Bubble sleeve. Square neckline that dips low on my chest. Tapered waist. Narrow skirt.

I’m borrowing her shoes, too, a white cork wedge, standing four inches taller than I do flat footed.

“Damn, you look good.” Stella admires her work. “I forgot how amazing that dress is.”

I tried on so many after digging through my closet, discouraged that nothing I have is dinner date worthy.

I sigh.

Fine. That’s not necessarily true.

But there wasn’t anything I felt good in, so Stella stepped in, whisking me away to her closet—it’s busting at the seams and filled with clothes that still have tags. We’re not exactly the same size, but this one worked.

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