Page 71 of Frosting and Flames

“I’ll see you soon.”

She nods in response, and I love the slightly hazy look in her eyes, as if that kiss affected her as much as it did me.

I don’t think two days are ever going to seem so long.

CHAPTER TWENTY

RACHEL

“What are you wearing?”

I bite my lip, staring at the clothes in my closet. Why isn’t there anything good in here?

“I don’t know,” I tell Jae, who’s on speakerphone. Flipping through the hangers, I throw my arms up dramatically, not that she can see me. “I have nothing.”

“You should’ve got the minidress from the boutique.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s not helping.”

“What about the dress you wore to my wedding?”

“That’s way too fancy. It’s dinner at the bistro.”

“What about the navy one? With the yellow flowers?”

“I already wore that to make chili at his house.”

“Do you own any other dresses?”

I scrub my hands down my face. “No.” I’ve never been much into dressing up, which has come back to bite me in the ass now.

“I’d offer to let you borrow from my closet, but…”

She doesn’t need to finish that sentence. It would be like borrowing from a doll’s closet.

“What about Sydney or Hailey?” she asks. “Maybe they have something?”

I doubt Sydney owns anything nice—no offense to her, but dresses aren’t her style either—but Hailey might.

I check the time. “Nick’s picking me up in half an hour. There’s no time.” I still have to do my makeup and attempt something nice with my hair. My usual ponytail won’t cut it tonight.

“Okay, I’ll call Hailey. You keep getting ready.”

Fifteen minutes later, when I’ve resigned myself to wearing one of the Aurora Bakery shirts and jeans I wear every day, there’s a knock at my front door, my stomach rising and falling. Is Nick early?

“Oh, thank God,” I say when I answer the door. “It’s only you.”

Hailey’s eyes narrow. “I’m not sure if that’s an insult or compliment.”

I drag her inside, taking the armful of clothes from her. “You know what I mean.” I sift through the dresses, settling on a deep purple one with fluttery sleeves. “Thank you for this.”

“Of course.” She eyes me warily. “Do you need help?”

She reaches out to touch my hair, and I squeeze my eyes shut, knowing it looks awful. “Yes. I was trying this thing I saw on TikTok where the girl teased it.” Mine turned out more like a rat’s nest.

“Go get changed and I’ll do your hair while you finish your makeup.”

She curls my hair into soft waves that I’d never be able to manage on my own, and I actually look halfway decent when she slips out of the house a few minutes before Nick is set to come over.

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