by Paige Tyler
“Hmm…” Cash murmurs thoughtfully.
He spends so much time studying my designs that I start to wonder if I messed up and included my rough drafts instead. When he finally gets to the last page, he picks up the jean shorts I made and inspects them carefully. Then he checks out the tee before setting both articles of clothing back down. Still silent, he jots a few notes on his paper pad before turning his attention back to me.
The second his gaze lands on me, I feel my mind turning to goo. The effect this man I’ve never met before has on me is both frustrating and confusing. As if speaking up isn’t hard enough on me, this guy dares to have such a gorgeously distracting face that I struggle even more than normal.
Sweat forms on the back of my neck, sliding bead by ice-cold bead down the notches of my spine. It makes a shiver roll all the way up my body from my toes.
“You’ve certainly brought some interesting samples with you,” he states with an inflection to his husky voice that I can’t figure out for the life of me.
Is he pleased or disappointed with what he sees?
And what in the world does he mean by interesting? That can be taken so many different ways. I mean, it’d been interesting when Kali and I found out that Sutton was faking her relationship with her now-real boyfriend, Boone, but not exactly in a good way. Sure, that’d worked out for Sutton, and now, she and her southern sweetie are head-over-heels in love with each other, but Boone is a rugby player, not a rough-around-the-edges motorcycle-riding bad-boy relegated to doing his daddy’s errands. They’re total opposites.
Oh, man. Is Cash about to tell me to work on my craft and try again when I get some real talent?
My eyelashes flutter and my head starts to spin all over again. I’ve got to get out of here before I make a bigger fool of myself. This meeting was done before it even began. As soon as my besties said they couldn’t make it, I should’ve run away. I know I’m not cut out for this sort of thing. Why did I even try? I need to leave this kind of stuff to the girls who can handle it.
“Um, it’s been really nice talking to you,” I sputter, stumbling over my words. I try not to look him right in those dazzling eyes, because if I do, I’m going to trip right over my own two feet and land face down in the sand. That would only be adding salt to the wound. “I should get going. Do you have everything you need from me?”
“Well, yes, I guess—” he starts, but I’m already gathering my purse and scooting out of the booth before he can say anything more.
The plastic seat once again clings stubbornly to my legs, loudly squelching every time I move. Crimson flames lick at my face as my embarrassment builds.
“Thanks again for your time,” I mutter when I’m finally free. I offer a half-hearted wave, then whirl around and dash out of the restaurant, feeling his gaze follow me the whole way.
Outside, the California sun shines brightly over my head, but my mood is gray and more than a little dour.
Now, I have to face Kali and Sutton and admit that not only did I potentially mess up a great business deal, but that I also made a fool of myself in front of the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen.
CHAPTER THREE
My heart is heavy as I pull my little, yellow hybrid car into the driveway of the beautiful two-story beach front house that I share with my two best friends.
Kali, Sutton, and I moved in here together after graduating from the University of Southern California last year. Thanks to the shocking success of Glossed & Glammed, we’d been able to afford the fabulous home outright. It’s the kind of place I never would’ve imagined living in when I was a kid. My parents and I had a small two-bedroom home growing up, and though it was a little cramped, it was filled with love. It makes me so happy knowing that the spacious home I live in with my besties is filled with that same love, too. I’m an only child, and Kali and Sutton are like sisters to me. I appreciate and adore them more than I can ever say. Hopefully, they feel it when I hug them or design beautiful clothes especially for each of them.
The curtains in the living room are open and I watch as two slender silhouettes dance back and forth across the living room. Between them, Kali’s adorable dog leaps up to join in on the fun. My BFFs have obviously beaten me home, though that’s not too surprising. I’d been dreading coming back from Franco’s with bad news, so I’d wound up stopping by my favorite vegan café for an oat milk latte pick-me-up. While delicious, it hadn’t worked. I grabbed some donuts for Kali and Sutton while I was there to try and soften the blow I’m about to deal them. Those are vegan, too, but I don’t think the girls will mind.
As much as I want to, I know I can’t sit out here in my car and avoid my two besties forever, but the thought of telling them about what happened at Franco’s today makes my heart hurt. I’d really wanted to make them proud. I’ve never gotten a chance to take the reins during a situation like that, and I was hoping I could show Kali and Sutton that I have more in my wheelhouse than stellar camera work and pretty clothes. Then again, maybe I should just stick with what I’m good at.
Letting out yet another sigh, I drive around to the back of the house to the three-car garage.
Dusk is just falling over Southern California, and the sky is streaked with beautiful shades of purple and magenta that you only get this close to the coast. Almost hidden behind the rainbow-hued haze, stars sleepily start to twinkle into sight one by one. Before pulling into the garage, I take a moment to gaze out at the golden sand and endless sea of blue beyond our house, hoping to find some inner peace after a hectic day.
Located outside of LA, the girls and I live far enough away from the busy city to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life. When we’re not devoting ourselves to arduously churning out more G&G content, we’re often lazing around on the beach under gigantic umbrellas. Unfortunately, free time isn’t exactly something we have a lot of. Kali is constantly up to her ears in collab contracts and sponsorship negotiations, while Sutton is the main editor of our pics and vids and the most avid poster of our content. Meanwhile, I’m coordinating our outfits and regularly designing new ones. We each have our strengths, and that’s something we like to promote to our followers, too. Everyone has their own special talents that make them unique and valuable, and while I understand that, I just wish having a normal conversation was something I could at least handle. Kali and Sutton make living in the limelight look so easy. They have no idea how much I envy their effortlessness.
I grab my purse and the box of donuts, cradling the latter in my arm as I trudge toward the connecting door between the house and garage and push it open.
Inside, cheerful pop music is blaring so loudly that my ears start ringing. I wince as I slowly make my way along the short hallway. The tune is fun and rhythmic and would normally make me want to dance, but I’m feeling too bummed to bust a move.
In the kitchen, my two best friends are singing and dancing around the island counter. George, Kali’s black lab mix she rescued earlier in the year, barks excitedly and hops in circles on his hind legs. Coco, Sutton’s prissy kitty who is just as much a fan of attention as her fur mommy, licks her paws and stares judgmentally down at the playful pup from atop the granite.
One quick look around the kitchen and living room tells me that Chanel must be hiding out in my room. My sweet bunny can be a little shy, just like me.
“You’re home!” Sutton calls when she spots me shuffling into the chef’s kitchen.
My slender, dark-haired friend grins and pulls me into a hug even as Kali abruptly reaches over and mutes the blaring playlist.
“Oh, no,” Kali groans.
When Sutton and I both look at her in confusion, she immediately walks over to the big stainless-steel fridge and pulls out a bottle of chilled rosé. “Spill, Liv. You’ve got your I-need-a-glass-of-wine-pronto face on.”
“No, I don’t!” I protest.
Sutton steps back to regard me with a thoughtful expression, dark brows scrunching worriedly. After a moment, she gives a cli
ck of her tongue and sets her hands on her hips. “Kali’s right. Are you okay? We’re both really sorry that we couldn’t get to Franco’s on time to help you with that meeting. We know you did great though—”
“I didn’t do great,” I interrupt in a quivering voice hardly above a whisper. I sink helplessly down onto one of the stools nestled against the granite island that separates the kitchen from the spacious living room and drop my face into my hands.
The wine bottle glugs as Kali fills me a glass. A second later, I hear her slide it across the island toward me. They wait quietly for me to continue speaking, but I’m not sure I can muster up the willpower to go over my big failure. They both slide into seats on either side of me and Kali leans against me, so her head is on my shoulder. Having my two girls next to me helps lift my spirits, even though I’m sure I’ve let them down.
Sutton pats my back and then takes my chin in her hand to tilt my head up.
“Tell us what’s going on,” she presses gently.
I might be reticent and overly reserved in public, but when it comes to my two BFFs, I sometimes have trouble holding my tongue. They’re the only ones I can really open up to and I love them for that.
“First of all, it wasn’t even Franco that I ended up meeting with,” I explain hurriedly. I pick up my wine glass and take a greedy sip before setting it back down. “It was his son.”
Kali’s nose crinkles curiously. “Franco has a son?”
I nod. I’ve only had one sip of wine and I can already feel it buzzing through my veins. This is why I don’t drink often. Alcohol goes straight to my head.
“You girls should’ve seen him. It was ridiculous. Ri-dic-u-lous!” I repeat, accentuating the word with a roll of my eyes. “You two know I can hardly speak to anyone, let alone a guy like that.”
Sutton wets her lips and glances at Kali. The two share a look before Kali clears her throat and tilts her head inquisitively to the side. She curls a lock of her long, blond hair around her finger thoughtfully.
“A guy like what, Liv?” she asks.
I pick up my glass and take another sip of the pretty pink wine. “If you were to look up tall, dark, and handsome, then Cash would be the poster boy. Green eyes. Brown hair. And tattoos! Tattoos for days, ladies. Seriously.”
“It sounds to me like you had a pretty good time at this meeting,” Sutton giggles.
Her words abruptly remind me how the meeting was the exact opposite of a good time.
I shrink like a violet on my stool, leaning against the back of it as I glumly shake my head. “No, I didn’t.”
Kali and Sutton exchange confused looks now.
“What do you mean?” Kali asks.
I run my hand through my hair, frustrated. “You guys don’t get it. I’m not like you. I can’t simply make conversation or go with the flow. I got all up in my head and started tripping over my words from the moment I opened my mouth. I think I even forgot my name at some point! I didn’t represent G&G well at all. There’s no way we got this business deal with Franco.” I let out a groan. “He and his son probably think I’m a total ditz. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a good laugh after I left.”
“No one thinks that,” Kali says fiercely. She grabs my hand and squeezes it with gentle firmness. “You aren’t a ditz, Liv. Who cares if you’re a little shy? I’m proud of you for trying to spearhead that business meeting. It’s not easy, even for me. I still get nervous and I still make mistakes.”
“I’m proud of you too, babe,” Sutton says, giving me a smile. “If I had to guess, you’re being a whole lot harder on yourself than you need to be. If there’s one thing that Kali and I have learned over the past year, it’s that everything has a way of working out. Besides, maybe Cash thought you being shy was cute.”
I choke on my drink, then shake my head. “You two know I’m not looking to date anyone right now. Besides, I am definitely not his type. He probably wants a girl with tattoos just like his—or at least a girl who can get through a sentence without blanking.”
Kali and Sutton insist that I’m wrong, then happily munch on the donuts I brought home. While they look yummy, I don’t have an appetite right now. I’m too busy thinking about Cash.
If I was a braver woman, I’d call him and demand a second chance at impressing him with my fashion line. But the thought of doing such a bold thing makes my blood turn to ice in my veins. I’d never have enough nerve for that, not in a million years. Besides, Cash has probably already forgotten all about me.
Sutton and Kali might have found their dream men, but they’re also radiant women who have an almost gravitational force around them. They draw people in with their bright smiles and funny wit and feisty attitudes. I’m not anything like that. Cash wouldn’t be able to pick me out in a lineup.
How could a motorcycle riding bad-boy like him ever look at me twice?
And why does that seem to matter to me so much?
CHAPTER FOUR
“And that, Glammers, is how you totally rock winged eyeliner,” Sutton gushes to the camera. My beautiful, dark-haired friend beams brightly, her glossy lips sparkling in the ring light I’d attached to the recording station. “I’ve been reading your comments and I know that a lot of you have been struggling with this tricky technique, but I’m here to tell you to keep practicing and you’ll be as good as Kali in no time.”
Beside Sutton, Kali winks and nods. I’ve been recording my two besties for the past couple of hours. When we first started these tutorials way back in college, it blew my mind exactly how much time we’d spend shooting videos that actually ended up being only a few minutes long. There are always so many retakes and bloopers and mistakes that a shoot can sometimes take all day.
But that’s what it takes to stay on top of the social media world. We have a strict schedule that we follow to a T to make sure our followers are never left wondering when they might hear from us, and that doesn’t even include Sutton’s frequent live sessions on Insta.
Both of my best friends look flawless and confident as they sit before the camera now in the two director’s chairs we have set up. Kali’s been giving yet another round of her awesome makeup tips with Sutton as her model. These videos always make me glad that my blond bestie is here to help me get all glammed up whenever I go out. I might know how to put an outfit together and style it just right, but I’m helpless when it comes to lipstick or mascara. The last time I tried to do my own eyeliner, I poked myself in the eye. Of course, Kali and Sutton joked that I’d done it to avoid a few photoshoots we had coming up.
“That’s right,” Kali agrees with a big smile. Like Sutton, she absolutely glows with cheerful energy the second someone points a camera in her direction. It isn’t only the fancy setup of lights or the sun shining in through the open windows that makes both of them look radiant. They have an inner glow that’s so amazing to see. “I hope this video helps all you beautiful people out there. Next time, we’re going to be breaking down some smoky eye looks that’ll be fabulous for that hot date.”
“See you next time, babes. Mwah!” Sutton says as I lean forward to turn off the camera.
Kali and Sutton share a grin and a high five.
“That went great!” Kali says excitedly. “And you finally sat still long enough for me to finish a look. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
Sutton playfully sticks out her tongue and dramatically rolls her eyes.
As much as Sutton adores being front and center on our videos, sometimes she’s got the same attention span as Kali’s sweet lab mix. She’s always bursting at the seams to chase something else more exciting. Which I suppose is why we can’t trust her in the kitchen at all. Even when she tries to brew coffee, she manages to get distracted and either add way too many coffee grounds or let it brew too long. Just thinking about her infamous cup of black and bitter joe makes my whole mouth screw up to the side. And that’s just her coffee. Her cooking is a whole other story.
“I’ll edit that file
and have it up by tomorrow,” Sutton says as she slides off her chair and runs her hands through her long, dark hair, giving it a shake as she does so. “Boone and I are going on a date afterward so I’ll need to get it done early.”
She smiles, her pretty green eyes going somewhat wistful as they always do when she brings up her rugby-playing Texas sweetheart.
Our G&G fans go wild every time Sutton or Kali post about their boyfriends, Boone and Grayson, so lately the girls have been uploading more content with the guys included. It never fails to increase our comments or likes. I don’t really mind it, either, because I’m so happy that they’ve found two fantastic men who treat them so well. Watching Kali and Sutton go all googly-eyed over their hunky men gives me the same warm feeling I get while watching my favorite rom-com movie. I’ve always loved love. Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday, despite being perpetually single. Even when I was a kid, I was sneaking romance novels that were way too mature for me. You know the ones. They have half-naked men on the cover with long hair flowing in the breeze. Back then, I couldn’t get enough. Actually, I still can’t!
Maybe that’s why I’m refusing to date.
Maybe I know the real thing won’t add up to all those books I salivated over as a girl.
I know my two best friends have hit the boyfriend jackpot, but they’re so different than me that it’s not surprising that such gorgeous and sweet men have crossed their paths.
“I’m surprised Chanel wasn’t in here helping you direct the video, Liv,” Kali muses as Sutton leans forward to inspect her makeup in the mirror on the tall highboy table again. She bats her eyelashes at her reflection and blows a kiss into her reflection. “She usually follows you around like a hoppy little duckling,”