Page 28 of Never To Be Mine

Kari drove like she was auditioning for Fast and Furious. We made it to Nordstrom’s in record time, screeching into the parking garage with minutes to spare.

“What’s the vibe we’re going for?” she asked as we speed-walked toward the entrance.

“Professional but not boring,” I said. “Confident but not trying too hard. Hot but not sexy.”

“Hot but not like you’re trying to seduce him on camera. Got it.” She grabbed my elbow and steered me toward the women’s section. “What colors?”

“I don’t know. Not white. The camera adds ten pounds, and white makes it worse.”

“Navy? Black? Jewel tones?”

My mind was spinning. “Something that makes me look good next to him. He mentioned blue. He’s probably going to show up looking like a damn model, and I can’t look like his frumpy business partner.”

Kari stopped walking and turned to face me. “Juno. Listen to me. You’re gorgeous. You have curves that most women would go to a sketchy clinic to buy. We just need to find something that shows off what you’ve got without making you feel uncomfortable on camera.”

I took a breath. “Okay. Okay, you’re right.”

“Now let’s find you something that’ll make Hollis Blackwell forget his own name.”

I didn’t think that was possible, but I’d try.

We split up, each taking a different section. I rifled through racks of blouses and dresses, rejecting most of them immediately. Too casual. Too formal. Too dumpy. Too revealing.

“Try this!” Kari appeared beside me, holding up a deep blue blouse. It had a V-neck that wasn’t too low, three-quarter sleeves, and a slight wrap style that would emphasize my waist.

I held it up against myself. “It’s pretty.”

“It’s perfect. Try it on.”

I grabbed it and headed for the dressing room. Kari appeared seconds later with a pair of black slacks.

“These,” she said, shoving them over the door. “Trust me.”

I stripped out of my work clothes and pulled on the outfit. The blouse fit perfectly, skimming over my curves without being skintight. The pants were tailored beautifully, sitting high on my waist and making my legs look longer. The whole ensemble was polished and professional. Definitely more stylish than my usual wardrobe.

I stepped out of the dressing room.

Kari’s eyes lit up. “Yes. That’s it. That’s the one.”

“You think?”

“I know. You look amazing. Hot as hell. And if he wears blue, you’ll match.”

I groaned. “I don’t want to match.”

“Okay, fine, you won’t clash.”

I turned to look at myself in the three-way mirror. I looked good. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll take it.”

We rushed to the register, and I tried not to wince at the total. Worth it, I told myself. This was an investment in my professional image.

Kari drove us back to the office. I made it to my desk with three minutes to spare before my next meeting.

I hung the new outfit on the back of my door where I could see it. A reminder that tomorrow I’d be walking into that interview looking my absolute best.

10

HOLLIS