Page 72 of Gin and Lava

Naomi:No. But there’s a dinner tonight he’ll be at.

Esme:Good. Go to your apartment before the dinner. There’s a surprise for you.

Naomi:Is it you, bailing me out of this nightmare?

Esme:It’s a care package of Hollywood glamour.

Naomi:Hollywood glam? Girl are you spoiling me?

Esme:In the best way I know how … and it’s an apology. I’m not going to be on the island till the wedding.

Naomi:What? You’re abandoning me?

Esme:That’s what the care package is for. I’m sorry. I can’t get away right now, but I’ll be at the wedding. I promise.

I stare at my phone, the knot in my gut twisting tighter. I’m all alone for the week?

Naomi:There better be solid gold in that care package.

Esme:Better! It’s designer shoes and dresses.

Naomi:You didn’t!

Esme:I did.Hence, go home before the dinner so you can look amazing when you see Sam.

My stomach warms. There’s nothing better than looking like a million bucks when you see your ex for the first time in six months.

Still, I’d rather Esme be here.

Naomi:I’m only forgiving you because you know designer digs are my weakness.

Esme:I promised you’d look Hollywood amazing! Again, I’m sorry.

Naomi:I’m not accepting your apology until I see what’s in the care package.

Esme:You won’t be disappointed.

Naomi:I better not be. You’re hard to replace.

Esme:*heart emjos*

I hop in my truck and steer toward my apartment. Honestly, I’d prefer to have Esme this week over designer shoes. But if I can’t have my best friend, then at least she knows how to soften the blow and feed my ego. When your best friend can’t be by your side, the next best thing is to dress you up like Hollywood royalty.

* * *

I walk up to the luxury restaurant Shauri’s picked for dinner in downtown Honolulu. No, I don’t walk; I strut.

Why?

Because I’m wearing a one-of-a-kind Andromeda dress, and it makes me feel like a million bucks! That’s also probably how much this dress costs—because Andromeda is the “it” designer of the year. Esme’s care package did not disappoint!

How did Esme get a sell-your-kidney expensive dress?

Desmond.

Esme gets sent promo dresses from designers all the time. The expectation is she will wear them to high-ticket Hollywood events with her boyfriend. It turns out her closet is full of sell-my-first-born-child-on-the-black-market designer gorgeousness. Technically, this is auseddress. Esme wore it once. It’s been gathering dust ever since, because obviously you can’t wear anything twice when you’re dating a celebrity!

This rose gold Andromeda original (with a luxe tie in the front) was in a box of designer amazingness—hello glittery shoes, dresses, and jewelry! But the second I pulled out the Andromeda dress, I couldn’t put it down. I knew it would be perfect for my first time seeing Sam again.

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