Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Yep, I was totally reading too much into it.
At the end of the day, I carried the pants into the office to change. Of course, they fit like a glove and felt lush against my skin. I turned side to side, the silk tuxedo stripe down each leg glowing in the overhead lights.
“Perfect,” Rowan said as he stepped inside, carrying more hangers. “Here’s a shirt, belt, and bow tie to finish your look.”
I fingered the bow tie. “I don’t know—”
Rowan arched a brow. “I thought wikiHow was your friend.”
“Touché.”
“Meet you at seven sharp tomorrow night,” Rowan said as he turned for the door. “I’ll send a car for you.”
“Cool.” At least he wouldn’t make me take the subway.
I was still in disbelief when I got home. Casey was in the kitchen, fixing himself a sandwich.
“You’re not going to believe this,” I said, lifting the wardrobe bag. “This is a Ralph Lauren tux for tomorrow night.”
“No freaking way.” He followed me to my bedroom, where I promptly hung it up so as not to leave any wrinkles.
Once I unzipped the bag, we stood back and marveled at the expensive suit I’d never in a million years imagined myself wearing.
I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo to send my mom. She was going to flip and show all her friends. Dad would probably not be impressed, but the twins might be. Even if they made fun of me behind my back.
Who was I kidding? Even I would make fun of me.
Soon enough, the excitement wore off, only to be replaced by nerves. “Ugh, I might not survive this. At least the food and drinks will be good. But I’ll be afraid to make a mess on this tux.”
Casey smirked. “You do have that problem.”
“Maybe I should’ve begged for an extra ticket for you,” I whined. “You should have this job, not me. You’d be way better at this stuff.”
“I’d totally just stand there and gawk at the celebrities.”
“Celebrities are not all they’re cracked up to be,” I said for the hundredth time to whoever would listen. Even though I was still sometimes mystified by them.
“So you keep saying.” He nudged me. “Tell me again why you continue to torture yourself with this job?”
“Because it’ll help get my foot in the door somewhere else? As soon as I figure out what to do with my life.”
He sighed. “Want me to make you a sandwich? It might help your nervous stomach.”
“Yeah, I’m starving.” I followed him to the kitchen, but not before glancing back once more to make sure the tux that was worth so much money—thousands?—was properly stored.
The following evening, I took a little too long in the shower, probably something about wearing a tux borrowed from a famous designer and the fact that it was personally loaned to me. Unless Rowan had been bullshitting me about that part, but he wasn’t one to mince words. Of course, it would’ve been a favor to Rowan, and the mention of the charity event likely helped.
Casey assured me he’d help me look my best, so once I was in my button-down shirt and trousers, he eased me into the jacket. Rowan even had the foresight to include dress socks and shoes. Otherwise, I’d have had to settle for cheap knockoffs or my trusty sneakers. That might’ve been a cool look, but maybe only in the pages of a magazine or on the runway, where they were allowed artistic license. If I pulled that stunt now, I could only imagine Rowan’s face. He’d ditch me by the front door to fend for myself rather than be caught dead with me.
Maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Now for the bow tie,” I said, standing in front of the mirror. “I have the instructions pulled up.”
But after a couple of fumbling tries because my fingers felt numb, I became frustrated.
“Here, let me do it.” Casey grabbed both ends of the fabric, read the instructions, and made it work.
“You’re a godsend.” I blinked at my reflection. I almost didn’t recognize myself.
“And don’t you forget it. You look so handsome, and I like how you styled your hair.”
“Thanks. I needed to tame it. Otherwise, Rowan might regret inviting me.”
My stomach rolled. Maybe if I puked right then, I’d have an excuse to stay in.
But somehow, being in the tux bolstered my confidence. Just a little.
“There’s no way Rowan Abernathy doesn’t find you gorgeous, and not only in the looks department. He’s just too pretentious to realize it.”
“What do I care what Rowan Abernathy thinks of me?”
I was obviously a damned liar.
“Don’t pretend you’re not attracted to that man. At least from a purely aesthetic point of view.” The first time I’d shown Casey a photo of my boss online, he’d gasped, much like I had. “The man could cut diamonds with those cheekbones.”