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Chapter 2
3monthslater…
Gigiletoutagroan and lether head fall intotheopenbookin frontof her. Howlong had shebeen studying?Itseemed likeforever.She’d begladwhen finals wereoverand shecould graduateand geta real job. Reaching herhand out,shewaited untilher fingerswrapped around thecanofenergy drinkshe’d beennursing for thelasthourand broughtittoherlips. “Argh,”shesaidto herself,placing itbackdown. Itwas warm.
Itwasalreadyeighto’clockand thelibrarywould beclosing in an hour. She’d hang around until then,figuring the moretimeshespentin aplacededicatedtostudyand learning,themorethe informationshewas reading would stick. All around her werestudentswho hadthesameidea.
Shepicked up herphone,noticing shehadanother fivetexts fromherroommate,Jen,along with half a dozenmissed calls. Thescreen litup oncemore. She canceledthecall and putthedevice down.
“TheOxford Companion to Anthropology,”someonesaid besidehertwentyminutes later. Gigiturned her headtofind Jenstanding there,Gigi’stextbookin her hand.“I thinkI’d rather sitthrough theFifty Shadesmovie.”
Taking thebookfromJen’shand,Gigiputitbackontothetable.“Sowhydon’tyou go anddothat and letmegetbacktostudying?”Shetriedtorefocuson her notes,butJen’s hovering was hardto ignore. Tapping a pencil againsther page,Gigi lookedbackather. “Whatareyoudoing down here? Surelyall theignored textsand calls wereenoughof aclue—even for you.”
Jensmiled,ignoring Gigi’s comment. Hereyes began rovingover theother peoplecompletely engrossedin theirown books. “MaybeI should come down heremoreoften. Someofthese guys looktasty.”Shelicked her lips appreciatively.
Gigi huffed. “Did you comedown herefor an actual reason?”
“Yeah. Icameto drag yououttohavesomefun.”
She frowned. “I am havingfun.”
“Withyour noseburied ina book?I don’tthinkso,”Jen replied,perching ontheedge of thetable and putting her feeton theseatofa chair nexttoher. “Besides,finalsaren’tforanothertwoweeks. You’vegotplentyoftimetostudy.”
“I needall thetimeIcan get.If you haven’tnoticed,therearen’tmanyanthropologyjobs up for grabs. I’vegotto beateveryoneelseinmycourseif Iwantto have even a slightchanceof landing a position atthemuseum.”
Standing up,Jen said, “Gigi,you’ve beenworking sohard lately.Comeoutand havesomefun tonightandyoucan getbacktostudying tomorrow. Ipromisetomakeitworthyour while.”
She knewitwas hopeless tofightJenonceshegotanidea into her head. Sheclosedthebookshe wasreading.“Fine. We’ll gooutforonedrink.That’s it.”
Jen grinned. “One drink.”
Afterpacking up her books, Gigifollowed Jenoutofthebuilding and into theslightlychillyNewYorkevening. Shelooked up atthecloudless sky,wondering when shewould gettoseethestars again;thecityjusterasedthemall. “Wherearewegoing?”
Jenlookedather.“Nowhere,withyou looking likethat.”
Looking down at herself,Gigi raised an eyebrow.“What’s wrong with whatI’mwearing?”
“Nothing,if you wanttoattractboringsnoresofmen.”
Shedid anotheronce-overof whatshewaswearing.Whatwas wrong with a long-sleeved plaid shirtovera singletand jean shorts?
“You havenoideawhat kind ofbanging bodyyou havehiding under there,Gigi. I wishyou’d letme giveyou amake-over.”
“I’mfinethewayIam,”Gigi replied quickly.If shewas honest, thethought ofmake-up other than mascara, lip glossand hair productsscared her. Why did shehaveto primp and preen every day?She had nobodytoimpress,and shecertainlydidn’tneedtolookgood whileshestudied. Besides,Jen’s senseof styletendedto border onwhore-chic…ifthatwasathing.Shewasalways wearing tinyskirts,low-cuttopsand dresses with plunging neckand back lines. And don’teven get her startedon theheels.
“Not tonightyou’re not. I’mgoing to giveyou someof myclothes towear.”
“I thinkI’llbeall right,”shemurmured,notwanting tooffend her roommate.
Turning toher,Jensaid,“Look,wherewe’re going isthis fancynewwinebar that’s just opened up. You won’tgetin wearing whatyou are.You need tolook thepart.”
“Wecould justgosomewhereelse,”Gigi suggested.
“I’vewanted togotothisplaceforever.”
“Howcould you?It’s justopened.”
Jen waved awaythequestion. “YouknowwhatImean.”
