Chapter Twenty-Four
Paulina sat on a bench in B Spoke’s tailoring area, configuring her camera’s setting. Behind one of the fitting room’s velvet curtains, Javi slipped into part of his tux. To keep my gaze from burning holes through the drapery, I slipped the phone from my utility bag.
I discreetly refreshed my inbox for the hundredth time.
Nothing from Mandy. I slumped against the rolling rack. Had Soraya given her my application already? Was Mandy on the fence about me? How much longer until a response?
I shivered as a horrific possibility crept up my spine: What if Mandy rejected me?
No fairest fairy godmother of them all to take me under her wing. Teach me how to turn Dad from wannabe Jedi to prince. How to keep Hurricane Po sailing toward our previously programmed destinations.
I hugged the planner to my chest like it was a life preserver. Keeping me, and our HEA, afloat. Without it, how else would Mom know everything had turned out okay?
Javi threw the curtains open, slashing through my waking nightmare.
As he stepped onto the fitting platform, Paulina sprung from the bench to start filming. “Looking good, Baymoon.”
Now, that was an understatement. The crisp shirt under a white tux with black lapels fit him perfectly.
Paulina frowned as she moved the camera from his torso to his cargo shorts and flip-flops.
“Caaaaas.” She lowered the camera. “I know I said I wanted ‘deconstructed’ vibes, but please tell me this isn’t the full outfit. If it is…” She crossed her arms over a black faux-leather vest. “The bottom half of this outfit stays on the cutting-room floor.”
Javi and I shared a glance and some giggles. “This is not the full look.” I pushed off the rolling rack. “Since the outfit choices are pretty ‘classic,’ I figured why not ‘unquince’ it up by having Javi try on one piece at a time? That way your viewers can have a reaction for each part of the outfit.”
And not get hit with the full stormtrooper reveal until the very end.
A smile grew across her face. “That’s genius. I love that so much.”
“Perfect.” I tapped my pencil across the top of the planner. The gold ring encasing the eraser twinkled against the soft bulbs strung around B Spoke’s showcase area. Patience, apprentice; you’ll become a magic wand soon.
“Let me film you getting footage of Javi before we layer on the next piece,” I said.
Paulina leapt into action. “Chin up, Baymoon. Higher. No, too much!” She rounded the circular platform where he stood. “Find the light to get the best angles.”
I tried to keep my phone locked on her. But as she barked more orders, I kept drifting it to three wall-length mirrors wrapping around Javi.
He turned the tiniest bit. Staring into one of the mirrors to meet my reflection, he said, “What about here?”
If Paulina hadn’t had her back turned, she would’ve spied my goofy grin.
Concentrate. Enough filming this section. Onto the next. I pushed the rolling rack filled with jackets, pants, and cummerbunds to the fitting room. Red herrings, all of them. The real clothing already waited inside.
I glanced back at Javi. Our eyes met. We beamed. Hopefully not only because of our stormtrooper surprise.
“There. Perfect. Don’t move,” Paulina said. “I’m going in for a single shot.” Paulina looped around the platform. “Yes. You’re serving it. Adjust the bow tie. Run your fingers through that mop of yours. Then at the count of three, look into the camera and brood.”
“What does ‘brood’ even look like?” he asked.
“Like your stomach hurts,” Paulina said. “One, two, three.”
Javi doubled over. Clutched his stomach, moaning.
“Grr. Not that type of stomachache, Baymoon. This is for my unquince, not a Pepto Bismol commercial.”
I held in so many giggles I was surprised my lungs didn’t explode. “Pretend you bit into a lemon,” I said, heading to the bench. “Or better yet, do your Blue Steel pose. Only lower the intensity by fifty percent.”
Javi nodded. Thankfully, I was sitting when he went into model mode. Over here, my knees could wobble as much as they wanted to without making me stumble over dress forms.
“Got it.” Paulina huffed a satisfied breath. “Next shot.”
“Allison,” I called out to our assigned tailor. “We’re ready.”
Paulina stepped aside to let Allison hop onto the platform and take Javi’s measurements. Camera in hand, Paulina lowered onto the bench next to me, pointing the lens around the space.
She captured a column of flawlessly folded shirts. The gentle sway of the lightbulbs riding invisible currents of AC. The way the light sparkled in Javi’s hair. I could fill an entire page in the back of my day planner with a matching palette of brown hues and still not have enough room.
Paulina moved the camera to a dress form but left out the tiny scraps of cloth strewn across its base.
I narrowed my eyes at her viewfinder. Did she employ the same strategy I did when creating Pinterest boards?
Showcase the best. Crop out the rest.
As if reading my mind, she zoomed in when Allison measured Javi’s biceps. “I don’t know much about film techniques,” I said, “but I presume that’s the money shot?”
Javi must’ve heard because he flexed his muscles. I clamped my jaw to keep from cackling. The laughter had nowhere to go but out my nose via a loud snort.
Paulina chuckled. “Po was right—you can be funny when you loosen up.” The softness in her voice when she said my sister’s name kept me from scoffing.
Po would get an earful later. She couldn’t get away with throwing me under the party bus in front of my most important client. Then again, I wouldn’t have scored this gig without her, so…
“I’m sorry she couldn’t make it today to help out,” I said. “Our school’s volleyball team is the real deal, so they pretty much practice year-round.” I put up a hand in Scout’s honor. “I promise I can handle this fitting solo.” The second the words left my mouth, my eyes drifted to Javi.
Nope. Ojos back on the prize. I cleared my throat and said, “Paulina, are you ready for Javi to try on the next piece?”
No response.
“Paulina?” Nada. Her face stayed glued to her phone screen. No need to squint at the name above the texts. Only one person would be sending her Ewok-cooking GIFs.
Paulina didn’t even notice when Allison left. Or when I got up. Much less when I peeked inside the fitting room to double-check that the rest of the outfit was stashed inside.
I stepped onto the platform with Javi. Stealth was probably not required with the way Paulina’s thumbs were tapping across the screen. I whispered anyway. “You, fitting room, stat. I’ll whistle when I’m ready for the big reveal.”
“Gotcha.” He grabbed my hand. “Hey, are you coming to the next Movies at the Beach with me?” Electricity shot up my arm. I peeled it away before my hair frizzed more.
“Let’s work now. We can discuss play later.” Before he could protest, I nudged him off the platform and headed to Paulina. Hormones and heartstrings would not wreck today’s agenda.
“While Javi’s changing, we still have the venue, menus, and photo shoot to plan,” I said, lowering next to her.
I flipped open my planner. “Have you checked out the spreadsheet I sent? The one with all the banquets halls and hotels I’ve used for SBA—er, Mandy Whitmore—events?”
The air froze. She looked up, her expression serious.
Blood rushed to my ears. Goodbye, internship. Adiós, HEA—
“Sorry, Cas, did you say something?”
Thank you, Hurricane Po, for coming in with another massive save.
I let out a slow breath. “Um, yeah. Have you looked at the potential locations yet? Or menus?”
She slapped the side of her black jeans. “I stayed up so late watching Rogue One with Po I completely forgot.” Her phone buzzed.
She giggled and disappeared into the screen. She looked up a second later. “Sorry, sorry. We were just coordinating times for me to come watch her practice.”
Po only made plans—and stuck to them—when I forced her to. Yet here she was, scheduling future events with Paulina? Things were getting more serious between them than she’d let on. Which was good for them, I guess, but why hadn’t Po told me anything?
Paulina’s ringtone blared, pulling me from my thoughts. The two ominous notes from Jaws sped up. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end like it had the other night on the beach.
Paulina’s serious mask quickly replaced her swoony face. “Sorry, I got to take this. It’s La Mera Mera.”
Who had this ringtone for their mom?
“I told you I had fittings today,” Paulina said in perfect Spanish. I couldn’t catch her mom’s exact words. Only her hard and barbed tones. The shark comparison started to click.“Yes, I’ll ask her.” Paulina exhaled. “Yes, I’ll tell her that, too.” An eye-roll. “Okay, I’m busy. Got to go.”
She stuffed her phone into her pocket, wiping her hands down the sides of her vest as if to wash them of the conversation. “Sorry about that.”
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
Paulina shrugged. “Yeah. Since I had Po over for dinner last night, she wants you to come over soon. I already planned on asking, but now the invite seems like it is her idea. You in?”
I rubbed at the pearl button in the middle of my blouse where there was a sudden ache. Heartburn from too much Cuban coffee, not my heart burning to hang out with another Latina mom, obviously.
“Yes.” I cleared my throat. Sure, accepting the invitation could potentially lead to more muddying of our business/buddy waters. Keep it professional. Interact with La Mera Mera strictly for the purposes of writing Paulina the best thank-you-Mom speech ever. “Gracias. It’s really kind of you both.”
“Yeah, well, wait until you hear this before you label her ‘kind.’” Fidgeting with her necklace, she said, “When I mentioned the NDA Mandy wants me to sign”—ugh, I was hoping she’d forgotten about that—“she had her attorney draw up one for you to sign, too.” Great. “An exclusivity agreement as well.”
My shoulders tensed. “Exclusivity agreement?”
“She doesn’t want you to take on any other quinces or similar parties for classmates. Last night Po said there’s a girl that’s been DMing you about doing her sweet sixteen.”
I flicked my gaze to my loafers. “Melina.”
“Yeah. La Mera Mera wants the dinner party to be your sole focus considering you’re ‘only an intern,’” she said, using air quotes. “Po thought it best, too. That way, ‘Little Cuchara doesn’t burn herself out.’”
Breathe in. Now, out.
Exactly how much of our personal life had Po shared?
Although I wasn’t the one getting undressed behind the fitting-room curtains, I felt exposed. Vulnerable. A tightness wrapped around my chest, as if I wore a corset three sizes too small.
This was Disneyland all over again… when Po showed Paulina my sketches without permission. Except now it wasn’t my messy pencil lines that were on display—it was me.
I balled my hands into fists.
“I’ll send you both documents this weekend, and don’t forget to send me Mandy’s,” Paulina said. “If it’s okay with you, can you turn down the other offer to tide La Mera Mera over until she gets the signed docs back?”
I shifted on the bench. “Like, right now?”
“If it’s not a problem,” Paulina said, studying me.
I gave a brittle laugh. “No problems here ever.” I finally messaged Melina back, politely declining her sweet sixteen.
Well, there goes my backup plan. The fairy godmother’s apprenticeship now completely hinged on nailing Paulina’s unquince. I painted a tight smile on my face. “All done.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry my mom’s so damn extra.” The serious mask began to fall away. “But I’m also not sorry because I’m having so much fun doing this. Aren’t you?” She gestured to the curtains.
Maybe they had some type of BFF mind meld, because Javi’s voice boomed from the other side of the velvet, cutting through the jumble of emotions coursing through me. “Ready or not, here I come.”
Argh. As if things weren’t already chaotic enough, this wasn’t the cue.
The phone nearly slipped from my hands. I somehow righted it, managing to press the Record button right as he stepped through the curtains.
No! I twisted back toward Paulina. Capture the birthday girl’s reaction, not her chambelán!
Thankfully, I caught every glorious second. From her leaping off the bench to her shrieking with joy as her camera captured Javi’s outfit. “Cut,” she yelled.
She flung her arms around him. Before I knew it, her arms looped around me, too. “You’ve turned my bestie into a stormtrooper,” she whispered. Her voice was softer than any silk inside this store. When she pulled away, her eyes sparked brighter than the glitter lining them.
Was this another glimpse of the real her? A Star Wars villain in the streets but a Disney princess in fitting room suites?
“You’ve listened to me blab about my life. Never once have you judged the more questionable choices I’ve made with this party.” A shaky breath. “You’ve also been so gracious with sharing Po, especially when things have been tough at home.”
Paulina drew me in for another hug. She didn’t embrace me like her planner.
She held me like her friend.
While her body radiated warmth, mine prickled with cold. Not the good ice-sculpture kind, either, but frostbite.
Would she keep clinging to me like this if she knew I’d lied about Mandy’s internship? What about me hitching my cart to her horse in order to get it?
If she found out the truth, she’d never hug me again…
Or by proxy, Po.
“This is going to be the best unquince ever,” she said with a Po-like shimmy. The swinging lightsaber earrings scraped my cheeks.
She who lives by the machete dies by the machete.
With the Poverb resounding in my head, I really didn’t think the moment could get any worse. Then Javi bounded over, tapped Paulina on the shoulder, and said, “May I cut in?”
Paulina winked, stepping aside. He swept me into his own bear hug. His arms wrapping around me did nothing to warm me up this time. “Seconding what Paulina said.”
“Yup,” I croaked. “Best unquince ever.”