“A card-carrying member of the Happy Endings Book Club,” Hailey announced cheerfully, producing a card from her purse. The card had frigging pink hearts on it and read Happy Endings Book Club. And then under that, “Join the club and get your happy ending!” Mad’s card from Hailey was stuffed in the back of her underwear drawer along with the box of condoms she’d bought in hopes of an event that was rapidly becoming an impossibility.
Ty took the card, flipping it around his fingers. “Maybe I’ll join.” He leaned close to Hailey and leered. “I like happy endings.”
“I’d love to help you find your happy ending!” Hailey exclaimed, seeming oblivious to Ty’s overture.
Her brothers laughed, except Josh, who turned and left the room.
Ty snagged Hailey’s elbow. “Oh, yeah?” He led her away, saying, “Tell me more.”
Hailey chattered on happily. She was such a focused wedding planner/matchmaker, so set on building a solid foundation for her business, that she never took the time to find love for herself. She’d explained she would when the time was right. Joke would be on Ty in the end when Hailey tried to set him up.
It was just her and Park. She swallowed, suddenly nervous. Which was just stupid. She shifted back and forth on her feet and was about to bail when he spoke.
“How’d you meet her?”
She shook her head. “Long story.”
“She’s like the anti-Mad.”
She ground her teeth. Like she didn’t know how beautiful Hailey was. “Thanks a lot.”
He cocked a brow. “I just meant she’s, you know, all made up, like…and you’re not.”
She whirled away because she knew exactly what he meant. Hailey was beautiful and Mad was plain.
Park snagged her by the back of the collar. “Hey, it’s not a bad thing.”
She turned back to face him, jaw tight. “Whatever.”
“Why’re you so pissy with me?”
“Why do you think?”
“I don’t know. PMS?”
“That’s exactly right,” she snapped. Men always blamed PMS. God forbid a woman actually have legitimate feelings that needed to be heard. If only she could find the right words.
His hazel eyes narrowed. “I thought you’d be happy to see me, but for some reason all I do is piss you off.” He backed away. “I’ll leave you alone.”
She was about to scream don’t walk away, you idiot, when someone rang a little bell and called them all to the great room to decorate the tree. She strode over to the great room, joining her friends. Hailey was introducing Ty to supersweet, super-accommodating Lauren, who Ty would absolutely steamroll.
“So nice to meet you, Lauren,” Ty said, his smile all cocky confidence. “You into happy endings too?”
Lauren blushed furiously and tucked her long light brown hair behind her ears. “Of course, we all are. Do you enjoy romances?”
Ty leaned close. “Sometimes. Depends on the girl.”
“Oh!” Lauren’s hand fluttered in the air. “I didn’t mean real life. I meant books.” She shot Hailey a pleading look, who was oblivious as she scanned the room, probably looking for another couple to get together.
“Everyone grab a box of ornaments,” Claire announced. “Put them wherever you like on the tree. Then I have tinsel and Jake’s doing the star because he’s my star.”
The women awwed in unison, except Mad, who made a gagging motion, sticking her finger down her throat.
Jake wrapped an arm around Claire’s waist, tugging her close and kissing her temple. “You’re my star.”
“She’s everyone’s star!” Ty quipped and everyone laughed because it was true. She was the Hollywood elite, a star with her choice of projects, always in the spotlight.
Everyone started decorating. Mad had just gotten to the second box of ornaments, some silver and gold balls, when Hailey whispered, “Put yours up high. It’ll make the sweater rise up and show off your skinny waist. He’ll notice.”
Mad didn’t question her friend’s expert advice, merely followed it because she was just that desperate and thoroughly screwing things up. She returned to the tree with two ornaments, making sure she was positioned where Park would get an eyeful, and reached up high, stretching her arms until the sweater pulled up enough to show some skin. She did have a nice waist; her daily core workouts should be good for something. Maybe his eyes would catch there and drift lower. Maybe he’d get ideas.
She did it twice, one big stretch for each ornament, and risked a peek over to where he was, diagonally behind her, but his eyes were fixed on her stupid boots. She glanced down to make sure there wasn’t a scrap of toilet paper there. Nope. So that was where she stood. She showed off her waist and ass, and Park examined her shoes for no reason whatsoever.
She stifled a sigh and went back to the box of ornaments to report to Hailey that it hadn’t worked.
“Oh, it worked,” Hailey said. “He definitely noticed. Do it again.”
“He did not. He was staring at my shoes.”
“Trust me.”
She did trust her, so, feeling like a fool, she repeated the whole thing with two more ornaments, this time reaching up and to the right, making an even bigger curvy gesture. She glanced over her shoulder to see Park approaching. Her heart thumped wildly. It worked! He noticed! He was going to do something about it!
“Looks like you could use some help on the high branches, mini,” he said, holding his hand out for the next one.
She deflated, handing it to him. “Thanks,” she mumbled. She caught Hailey giving her a big thumbs-up. Mad shook her head.
By the end of the night, Mad drooped back to the limo, full of good food, surrounded by close friends, and feeling utterly hopeless.
Hailey sat next to her in the limo and bumped her shoulder. “My offer still stands.”
“What offer?” Charlotte asked, stretching out her long legs. “You going to set her up?”
Hailey wiggled in excitement. “We’re going to do a Mad makeover for the wedding tomorrow and Park won’t know what hit him.”
Ally and Carrie squealed. Lauren looked at her curiously.
Mad slumped lower in her seat. “I really don’t see the point.” Before she’d thought it would work, but now, after Park paid her no mind in a towel, skimpy workout clothes, and a sweater reveal, she had serious doubts.
Charlotte leaned forward and nudged Mad’s leg. “Hey.” Her brown eyes were warm, her tone reassuring. “Remember Claire’s premiere? You were super glammed up then and even Blake Grenier hit on you at the after party.” That was the star of Claire’s movie Fierce Longing.
Mad brightened and sat up. “He did, didn’t he?” Not that she wanted to be with gorgeous Blake after he’d been such a jerk to Claire, but he had ignored his supermodel date to flirt with her. Hell, if she could catch the sexiest man alive’s eye, maybe she stood a chance.
“But you have to wear a slutty dress,” Hailey said, “no pants suit.”
Mad frowned. “I’d show up naked if I thought it would work, but the man didn’t blink when he saw me with just a towel on.”
“Say what?” Charlotte asked.
Mad quickly filled her in.
Charlotte chuckled and gave Mad a high five. “Slick.”
“That sounded like a yes to glamming you up,” Hailey said with a grin.
Mad laughed. “Okay, yes, have your girly way with me. And if this doesn’t work, I’m done with PMS. It’s making me damn irritable.”
“You have PMS?” Charlotte asked. “Stay away from salty foods.” She was a health nut thanks to her job as a personal trainer.
“I meant Parker Michael Shaw,” Mad said.
The women burst out laughing. She did too. She’d nearly forgotten how fun his initials were.
“I just know this is going to work!” Hailey exclaimed. “We just have to open his eyes and make him see you in a different way.” She gave Mad a serious look. “And you have got to stop snarling at him. I don’t care h
ow frustrated you are. All that snarling just reminds him you used to be a mouthy twerp. We want elegant, sophisticated, cultured.”
“I think you want a different girl,” Mad muttered.
“Channel Elizabeth Bennet,” Hailey counseled. “Park already has the dark and broody Mr. Darcy down pat.” That was their most recent read for book club, a classic for the holidays, Pride and Prejudice. Mad had to admit that Mr. Darcy was doing more for her than she thought a guy from a hundred years ago could. So broody and romantic.
Mad squirmed a little, part excited, part nervous. But at least that little spark of hope was back.
Chapter Seven
“Get that thing the hell away from me!” Mad barked as Hailey’s metal contraption nearly blinded her. “You said make my eyes pop, not make my eyes pop out!” She knocked the evil thing from Hailey’s hand.
Hailey let out a huge sigh. “I told you not to move. You have beautiful eyes. The lash curler will just accentuate them.” She retrieved the evil thing.
Mad leaned back. “Sure, he’ll notice I’m missing an eye.”
Hailey tsked. “Don’t be such a baby. Geez. We have a lot more to do and it would help if you cooperated.” They were in a large two-bedroom suite at the resort, getting ready for the wedding.
“There’s more?” Mad asked, incredulous. She’d already spent an ungodly amount of time getting her hair styled and blown dry. Okay, she had to admit the hairdresser Claire hired worked miracles. There wasn’t much you could do with her hair that wasn’t quite short and wasn’t quite long. But she now sported some cute waves that fell in soft layers. Even her dyed red hair went from shocker to subdued. Maybe she should go natural, back to brunette. Nah. She’d do that once she had to for a job interview or something. She liked bright colors. Maybe next she’d try blue. Or gray.
“Which slutty dress do you like better?” Ally asked, looking way too excited about the two dresses she held up. They were Hailey’s dresses, who’d brought at least a dozen with her. One was pink with a plunging neckline and a slit up one leg. It was cool with the slit and all, but pink made her gag. The other dress was black, sleeveless, and short. No-brainer.
She stood and held the black dress up to her, making sure it went high enough to cover her tattoo. She wasn’t embarrassed about having a tattoo, she just wasn’t ready for Park to see it. Not until things were different between them. After her heart was no longer swinging in the wind, all exposed and vulnerable.
“Perfect!” Hailey exclaimed. “It fits me like a glove. Can’t wait to see you in it.” She turned to Ally. “Can you get the black lace shawl?”
Mad’s brows scrunched together. “What’s the point in covering up a slutty dress?”
“Guys need to imagine it coming off,” Hailey explained. “It’s much sexier to cover up. It’ll keep slipping off your shoulder and he’ll be dying to peel it off.”
That sounded backward. Guys didn’t look at covered-up centerfolds. Whatever. Wearing a towel hadn’t worked. A frosted glass shower wall hadn’t worked. Maybe Hailey was right. The centerfolds were hidden in several pages of bogus articles.
Hailey pushed Mad into the chair in front of the vanity table. “Stay still and look up. I’m going in with mascara. We’re skipping the lash curler.”
“Fine,” Mad said, secretly happy that Hailey took over.
When she’d finished, Mad looked in the mirror. Her eyes did look bigger and a deeper shade of brown.
She met Hailey’s blue eyes in the mirror. “What do I do once he sees me all made-over?” she asked in a soft voice. She didn’t want all the women to chime in. She was embarrassed enough that she even had to ask.
Hailey leaned down, her head right next to Mad’s, and smiled at her in the mirror. “Easy. You dance with him.”
Mad bit back a groan. “I don’t know how to dance. And we don’t have time for lessons. Augh. This is never going to work.”
Hailey straightened. “Anyone can slow dance. Just put your arms around his neck. He’ll do the rest.”
Mad stared at the table. “What if he doesn’t want to dance?”
“Put your arms around his neck anyway. See what happens.”
Mad turned to face Hailey, eager to move the topic away from her own awkwardness. “Did you find anyone else to join your dance with Josh?” Hailey was supposed to dance with Josh for the bridal party dance, though they were the only two in the bridal party, and she’d already informed Josh that it was fine with her if they invited others to join them. She was probably hoping to bail as soon as another couple got on the dance floor. Josh had replied quite seriously, “I could never disappoint the bride’s wishes,” which Hailey had thought was no kind of answer.
Hailey stiffened. “No.”
Mad chuckled.
Hailey glared. “I know you think it’s funny that your brother drives me nuts. But for me, well, he’s a beast! I can barely stand to be in the same room with him. Do you know he’s been missing at least one ingredient for my favorite drink for the past six months? I can never get a decent mojito anymore.”
Mad lifted one shoulder up and down. “So go to a different bar.”
Hailey tossed her long strawberry blonde hair over one shoulder. “Why should I have to leave my hometown bar just because he’s too incompetent a manager to get the proper ingredients?” Her voice got a little enthusiastic on the word manager, like maybe she was secretly happy for his promotion. These two were fucked up.
“You know he’s doing it on purpose, right?” Mad asked.
“Of course I know! Because he’s a cad. Ever since he’s been missing an ingredient, I’ve been explaining his unfortunate condition.” She raised two fingers and then made them droop.
“We know!” Charlotte exclaimed with a laugh. Everyone knew.
Hailey beamed. “The important thing is, he doesn’t know.”
But just wait until he found out, Mad thought. She mentally rubbed her hands together, already imagining what Josh’s devious revenge would be.
The women finished getting ready, all made up, hair styled and sprayed, formal dresses in place. Hailey wore a deep red off-the-shoulder satin sheath that clung to her curves, Charlotte looked stunning in a bright yellow asymmetrical dress that exposed one shoulder and was short enough to show off her long legs, and Ally, Carrie, and Lauren all had versions of the little black dress. She supposed she wouldn’t stick out as much as she feared in her little black dress.
Mad dressed last, postponing the uncomfortable feeling of wearing a dress until the last possible minute. She turned her back on the women, pulled off her cargo shorts and long-sleeve shirt, and slipped on the dress. It fit her perfectly. Not skin-tight as it would have been on the bustier, curvier Hailey, but it looked good. She hiked up the top, making sure her boobs could hold it in place and her tattoo was covered. There.
She crossed to the full-length mirror set up just for them. Bra had to go. She slipped that off and tossed it on her clothes pile on the floor. She turned to her friends, who were all staring at her. “What?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Charlotte started.
“Because boy shorts are super cute,” Lauren said.
“If you like that style of panty,” Ally said, “which some people do.” She nodded enthusiastically, making her blond bangs bounce in time.
Mad narrowed her eyes.
“They have to go,” Hailey said.
Mad ran a hand over her hip. “What’s wrong with them?”
“Lines,” Hailey said. “It’s ruining the shape of the dress. Bunchy boy shorts.”
“They’re girl panties,” Mad protested.
“I’ve seen some cute bra-panty sets in that style,” Ally said.
The women all rushed to agree.
Hailey shook her head. “But not in that dress.”
“But that’s the only kind I have!” Mad exclaimed. And she was not going to wear Hailey’s preferred thong. It was weird to share underwear.
H
ailey looked at her expectantly.
“And I don’t have time to shop,” Mad added lamely as it dawned on her what the only solution was. “But the dress is so short,” she whispered, tugging at the hem as if that would make it longer. It was maybe three inches past her ass.
“Just keep your legs crossed when you sit down,” Hailey said.
Charlotte grinned. “And if anyone plays ‘New York, New York’ at the reception, don’t join us in the kick line.” They cracked up.
Hailey smiled. “It’ll be a nice surprise for Park later.”
Hailey’s confidence in her ability to hook Park gave Mad a much-needed boost. She wiggled her boy shorts panties off and stepped into the Jimmy Choos, a wedge heel that wasn’t too high for her to manage. They were a gift from Claire, who’d given all of them free rein to pick whatever they wanted from her closet of fancy dresses and shoes the night she had to say goodbye after her movie wrapped in Connecticut last year.
The women broke into applause, beaming at her.
Mad’s cheeks burned furiously. “Bitches, please!” She snagged the black lace shawl. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
No one moved.
“Popsicle stand?” Hailey asked.
Mad waved that away. “My dad’s rubbing off on me since I moved back home. Let’s go.”
They left the suite, rode down the elevator all polished and smelling like the floral high-end perfume Claire had left for them, and headed out to the waiting limo. The wedding would be in the great room of Claire’s cabin in front of the fireplace, the reception back here at the resort, where a huge ballroom had been decorated in Christmas greenery for the occasion. It would be an easy trip upstairs to Park’s room or hers for what she hoped would happen next.
Her friends chatted excitedly on the ride over, seeming perfectly comfortable and happy to have a chance to dress up for a formal occasion, but for Mad it was simply a means to an end. She wanted to wow Park. This is the Mad you never knew existed. You want some of this? Come and get me!
~ ~ ~
Mad followed her friends to a row of cushioned chairs second to the front. Hailey took her place in the back with the bride. Jake and Josh were already standing up front by the hearth, looking dashing in black tuxedoes. She knew the moment Park arrived because he was with Ty, who was loud and boisterous as ever. He and Park were close, but Park was the quiet reserved one. He ran deep, whereas Ty let everything hang out.
Inviting Trouble (Happy Endings Book Club, Book 2) Page 7