Page 57 of How to Prevent a Fumble

Maybe just so I could spend more time with Elara. Which, well, that one’s true. A different job would take me away from her, pay less, and it would cost far more to find childcare.

I’d be spending as much as I was making, and that’s not including rent and all of those other necessities.

If all goes well, Owen won’t ever have to know. The second he finds out he’s going to go into fixer mode, and I’ve never done well with that.

I can take care of myself.

Leaving Heidi and Elara to gossip in the family room, I head to my room to finish getting ready.

It’s weird to saymy room,despite it being exactly that. Elara and I haven’t been back to my place, and although Leodid inform me that he had someone not only repair the door, but also install security, but I still don’t feel safe there.

I still don’t want Elara there. At all.

Rummaging through my closet, I realize that I have nothing. Not a thing to wear.

Wear your best,Leo had told me before grabbing his coffee and leaving this morning.

What if my best is a twenty-dollar sundress from Target?

Groaning, I pull my phone out, tapping Leo’s name. He answers in a few seconds.

“You got lucky you caught me while I’m in the locker room, Sunny. What’s up?”

“I don’t have anything to wear,” I tell him, my palm on my forehead as I look around.

“You have a ton of clothes. I carried them up the stairs the other day.” Their elevator was broken, and he did in fact carry a large box of clothes up hundreds of stairs.

“But nothing fancy, Leo. I don’t know if I can do this.”

It dawns on me that I’m going to have to do this all the time. Leo is rich. Richer than rich. The man is loaded. There’s galas and diners and probably balls and most likely a million other things that I’m going to have to look fancy for, and yet I have nothing.

Leo pays me well, but I’m not really looking to spend all of the money I get paid on clothes.

“I’m getting out of here in a little bit. I’m just going to shower quickly and throw on a suit. How about I just take you shopping before we go out?”

Part of me likes the sound of that. I pause, pretending to think about it.

He sighs. “I’ll pay…” he trails off.

“You were going to pay no matter what but I sincerely appreciate the offer, Warner,” I tell him with a smile.

He grunts. “Okay. Well, I have to get back to it. I’ll be home in about two hours.”

Okay. I can do this. Two hours? Super easy. I just have to do my makeup and my hair. Won’t take that long, right?

Wrong.

Nothing is working. My makeup looks too dry and crusty, my hair looks too frizzy. I’m sitting on the floor in front of the window for the lighting, and that’s still not even helping.

A knock on my door snaps me out of my pity party. “Come in,” I call, slouching.

“Is there anything I can help with?” Heidi pops her head in. “We heard some yelling.”

Did I yell? Yeah. Not surprised.

“Actually, do you know anything about hair and makeup?” I ask hesitantly. I assume she does, considering her hair is always beautiful.

Heidi’s face lights up as she nods with a large smile, opening the door further and stepping in.

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