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“I would really appreciate the help.” I grabbed her hand in mine and brought it up to my lips for a kiss. “If I had to do my own hair and makeup, I’d surely be on the cover of every news outlet due to my lack of skill.”
The two of us got up as the bus pulled to a stop in front of our hotel in Los Angeles. Olivia wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we waited to exit. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
“I know you do.”
Three hours later I was standing in front of the floor-length mirror in my hotel room, staring at a stranger. Part of me wondered if this was how Julia Roberts’s character felt in Pretty Woman.
Olivia must have used some sort of magic on me because she had managed to tame the normal frizz that accompanied my curls. Each curl was defined and shiny, no frizz in sight. She had pulled most of it back away from my face in a simple updo at the nape of my neck, leaving a few strands for framing. My green eyes looked like gems with the gold eyeshadow she used. Olivia had wrangled a pair of fake eyelashes on me after nearly gluing my eyelids shut due to my lack of experience with the process. She finished the look with a simple clear lip gloss, understanding my comfort level with makeup. The finished product made me look like I could actually walk a red carpet and not feel like I was way out of my realm.
As I stared at myself in the mirror, I was beginning to understand what girls meant when they said that they wore their makeup as armor. I felt like a completely new person, someone who had confidence and wasn’t terrified of being the center of attention.
The dress that Monica had picked out hugged every curve perfectly. Normally I would have felt extremely uncomfortable with the amount of skin that was showing, but for the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. The tomboy version of myself was gone, replaced by someone that was sexier and more feminine.
“Tommy is going to lose his mind when he sees you,” Olivia announced as she looked at me, satisfied with her work.
“I’m sure he won’t.” I ducked my head at Olivia’s comment as I ran my hands down my dress. “He’s been with models.”
“Maggie Redford.” Olivia’s voice had turned serious as she pulled on my hand to turn me around. “Tommy will lose his mind. Why? Because you have something those models don’t: a fucking ass and a goddamn amazing personality. Now, you’re going to march your amazing ass down to the lobby and have a great time on this date.”
Olivia’s words sang through me, lighting up every inch of my body. That was exactly why I loved her. I grabbed my clutch off the bed and gave myself one more look in the mirror. While I may not have fully believed every word Olivia said about being able to compete with a model, I did know I looked damn good for my usual self.
“I expect a full report in the morning.” Olivia pointed a finger at me as she opened my hotel room door. “Full report, you hear me?”
I laughed as I followed her out into the hallway and toward the elevators. Olivia’s room was on the opposite end of the hallway, and she walked me to the elevator bay like a chaperone.
“Have fun tonight, Maggie. You deserve that much.” I gave Olivia a small smile before I stepped into the elevator and watched her disappear as the doors closed.
The ride down to the lobby was agony. All of the confidence I had been feeling in my hotel room left my body with each passing floor. I tried to remind myself that I didn’t care what Tommy thought of me because none of this was real, but the bundle of nerves inside me didn’t seem to listen. The doors parted, and I walked out toward the main entrance, thankful Tommy hadn’t been waiting for me right by the elevators. I needed the short walk to breathe and clear my head.
As I rounded the corner, I saw Tommy standing near the entrance to the hotel, looking out the glass walls at the city beyond. He looked sharp in a black suit that would match my dress perfectly. I took a moment to admire him before he realized I was there. His suit showed off his broad shoulders and was tailored to his fit waist. His legs looked powerful in his dress pants, which accentuated his muscles. He looked like any girl’s wet dream. After realizing that if I stood there any longer, I’d probably start getting weird looks, my heels clicked across the marble floors of the lobby. Tommy turned around at the sound. His eyes started at my feet and slowly traced their way up my body before landing on my face. He shook his head slowly from side to side as he took a few steps closer to me.
“Wow,” he whispered softly. “You look stunning.”
The way he looked at me made me feel like I was the only person in the lobby. It was like I filled up his entire vision with my radiance. A blush crept across my cheeks, and I ducked my head to try to recover. Tommy offered me his arm, and I gladly slipped mine through his. This simple routine of ours was beginning to feel comforting, the feel of his arm under my hand.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked me. “There’s no running from the cameras this time.”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I mumbled as Tommy led us out to an SUV that was waiting for us in front of the hotel.
Even though I was a photographer myself, nothing could ever prepare me for the way paparazzi converged on you like a pack of rabid dogs. But I knew that this was a part of the job now. There was no escaping it.
The event was being held at the civic center in downtown Los Angeles, which was only a few blocks from where we were staying. However, LA traffic was bound to make what should be a short drive longer than it needed to be. The car was quiet as the driver weaved in and around other cars while Tommy and I stared out our own windows. Tommy began to rap his fingers against his thigh as we drew closer to the venue. I wasn’t sure what had his nerves on edge. He’d been in front of cameras countless times before. But whatever it was that was bothering him was clearly weighing heavily on his mind, and part of me was relieved that I wasn’t the only one who was nervous.
A red carpet ascended the stairs toward the front doors out of view from my vantage point inside the vehicle as we pulled up in front of the venue. Even from inside the car, I could feel the shouts of the photographers trying to grab the attention of the guests walking the red carpet. The flashes from the cameras made my chest tighten. I remembered the paparazzi that had been waiting for us at the pizza parlor. There had only been a few then, and I had felt like I was going to pass out before we had even made it inside the restaurant. Tonight, there were hundreds of them lined down the red carpet, greedily calling out people’s names like vultures. How was I supposed to make it up all of those stairs without fainting? At least that picture would surely make the front page of all the news outlets. But I wasn’t sure that was what Monica had in mind for front-page coverage.
Tommy pulled open my door, taking up my entire field of view and blocking my ability to see any of the paparazzi waiting for us. He bowed slightly at the waist and extended his hand toward me. “My lady.”
Just like that, my fear for what lay ahead evaporated. His strong presence provided me with all the reassurance I needed to step out of the car. My newfound confidence lasted for a whole minute before the shouting started. With the first jarring shout, the world began to slip further away from me. With the first flash, I stumbled forward. Tommy’s arm wrapped around my waist to keep me upright.
Flash.
My hand shot up to cover my eyes.
Flash.
Someone stepped in front of me, and I thought I could hear them calling my name, but I wasn’t sure.
Flash.
