Chapter 11
Summer
The annual, work-related, Christmas Eve, masquerade ball had quickly approached this year, a lot faster than I had been anticipating it would. Between college and trying to work full time, I hadn’t really noticed just how fast the time was flying by.
Standing in my bathroom, I applied another coat of red lipstick to my puckered lips, wondering if it was still just a tad too light. Maddi walked in and instantly began to fix something in my hair before checking her makeup in the mirror.
“We look hot, don’t you think?” She grinned, her own red lips turning up to mirror mine.
“I can’t believe you’re finally allowed to come to the party,” I admitted. Uncle Ryan had been keeping her on a tight leash. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for two years.” She picked up my highlighter brush off the counter and dusted a little more to her cheekbones.
“Thank God that I turned eighteen last week.”
Wasn’t that the truth.
Our parents had this silly rule that we had to be eighteen to attend any work-related function. So finally, I didn’t have to go alone and pretend to socialize with my coworkers. Tonight, I would be on Dylan’s arm, and I would finally have my best friend with me.
“What did Gavin say when you told him about the party?” I asked, mentioning her new boyfriend.
“He was thrilled – even rented out a tux for the night.” She handed me our matching black face masks. I lifted mine to my eyes and tied the silk ribbon around my head. She did the same, and we looked at each other, small smiles curving our lips. Besides the stark difference in our hair color, you really couldn’t tell us apart.
When we were both in school, people often mistook us for sisters instead of cousins, and truthfully, she really was more of a sister, so we played along most times.
I walked out of my bathroom into my room, leaving Maddi to check her appearance a little more. I stared at my reflection in my floor-length mirror, admiring myself. My silver gown shone under the lights in my room, and it molded perfectly to my curves. The silver in my dress made my blonde hair look even lighter, which I loved.
Tonight, I looked older than twenty. My perfectly-styled hair, dark makeup, crimson lips, and high stiletto heels made me look much older than I actually was. I felt unstoppable tonight.
A small smile curved my wicked-red lips.
I would show Colton exactly what he was missing out on.
I shook the dark thought from my mind. I would be with Dylan tonight – my sweet, caring boyfriend who didn’t deserve to be used.
But that’s what you’re doing, aren’t you? You’re not really interested in him – not like you are Colton.
I shook my inner voice away. Dylan was safe. He was available – not in a committed relationship, and right now, he didn’t have the power to destroy my heart and soul.
If I’d thought I’d been damaged after my relationship with Tommy, I knew Colton would destroy me.
“Well, don’t you two just look smokin’!” Maddi’s mom, Amber, exclaimed as she walked into my bedroom.
My auntie was a vision in her red silk dress, her red hair hanging pin-straight down her back and around her shoulders. Her green eyes were bright against the black rimming her eyes. Looking at her, I could see exactly where my cousin got her good looks and confidence.
“Aw, Mom, you really shouldn’t look better than me. I’m supposed to be the one getting all the attention tonight, but look at you!” Mads pointed at her mother with a frown.
The two looked extremely similar. They were wearing red, floor-length gowns, their long, usually curly, red hair straightened down their backs. The only difference between the two was that Mads was wearing a sexy mask around her eyes and her mother was not.
“Hush!” Auntie Amber playfully snapped at her daughter. “You look gorgeous. All the guys will be drooling!”
“Not all of them.” Maddi elbowed her mother. “Colton better not drool over me when she’s put so much work into looking like a goddess,” Mads teased, looking directly at me. A blush stained my cheeks.
You’re doing this for Dylan.
But was I really?
My aunt turned her attention to me, mischief creeping into her eyes, a look I knew all too well. Maddi got the same look in her eyes when she was starting trouble. “That’s right,” Auntie Amber mused. “We get to meet the famous Colton tonight. He better be as dreamy as the two of you described.”
My cheeks felt like they were on fire. “Mom, I showed you a picture.” Mads rolled her eyes. “No need to act like you haven’t seen the dreamboat.” I giggled, watching the two interact.
Maddi’s mom clapped her hands together. “Alright, ladies! Time to get going. The boys are waiting downstairs.”
My mother walked in and slung her arm around Amber’s waist. “They clean up pretty well, wouldn’t you say?” She gestured to me and Maddi.
“Almost as good as us.” The two walked out the room, their arms linked together, their heels clicking against the wood floor as they descend the stairs, both of them giggling like teenage girls.
“Shall we?” Maddi extended her elbow to me, and we linked our arms just like our silly mothers. She pulled me out of the room before I had a chance to second guess anything about my appearance, and together, we greeted our fathers and dates.
Dylan’s jaw dropped as he took me in. The beer he had been holding to his lips slowly began to lower, and he shakily put it down on the table before standing and taking a few steps in my direction.
“Wow,” he breathed, making me flush. “You really are a vision. You’re too pretty for me.” I giggled. “I should have done more – maybe gelled my hair or something.” He pulled one of his big hands through his shaggy, blonde hair.
“Where are your glasses?” I asked him. “How will you see?” He smiled that same, charming grin that convinced me to go out with him in the first place.
“Contacts, babe. Didn’t want to look all dorky in front of your co-workers.”
“I don’t think they make you look dorky.” I leaned up on my toes, my lips just about brushing his ear so only he could hear my whisper. “I think they make you look extremely sexy.” His hands fell to my hips, and he pulled me flush against his chest.
“You are too good for me.” He pecked my cheek and then pulled a black mask out of his pocket. He tied it around his face, looking like a bandit straight out of a movie, except he was wearing a tux instead of all black clothes.
We exited the house and all rode together in the party bus my mom had hired for the night.
By the time we arrived at the venue, I was already tipsy. Mads and I had been sharing a bottle of champagne on the ride over. Three glasses later, we were both giggling messes.
“Do you think our dads have noticed?” she giggled loudly in my ear, holding onto my arm as she tried to grab all of my attention.
“If you speak any louder, they just might!” We both laughed, and our parents shot us disapproving looks.
“No more for you two tonight. Water and soda only, you hear?” My mom pointed at the two of us, and we nodded. I tried but failed to fight the giggles that erupted from getting caught.
“You are too cute,” Dylan said softly.
Did he really just call me cute? What am I, a dog?
I cringed, and Maddi noticed, her laughter bouncing off the walls of the van as we slowly exited.
Once we entered the building, I was immediately immersed in a whole different world of dim lights, laughter, music, cocktails, and dresses.
My parents had outdone themselves in planning this event. The joint holiday party between the car shop and the bakery was in full swing, the employees all dressed up holding champagne flutes that they clinked together in salute to my parents.
Most of these people, I had only seen covered in grease, so to see them dressed in their absolute best was a bit shocking.
Dylan didn’t hold me to him as I had thought he would. Instead, he walked off in search of a beer, and Gavin, Maddi’s boyfriend, followed him. It seemed as if the two of them had hit it off.
“I guess it’s just the two of us now.” I entwined my arm with Maddi’s, and together, we made our rounds, greeting our parents’ staff and thanking them for their continued support over the years.
“Holy shit!” Maddi suddenly whisper-shouted. “Is that him?” She pulled my attention away from our mother’s lead chef. I squinted through the dim lighting towards the entrance where she was pointing at none other than Colton Michaels.
He was easily the hottest guy in the room, and on his arm was the prettiest woman I had ever seen in the same exact dress as me.
“She’s wearing your dress!” Maddi bounced up and down, creating an absolute spectacle of herself, making everyone look our way.
“Quit it! Shut up before he sees us!”
We ducked into the bathroom to our right. My chest heaved as I sucked in deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. I clasped the cool counter, hoping it would make the sick feeling creeping up my throat leave.
We were wearing the exact same dress.
I caught Maddi’s concerned eyes in the mirror, and I took in her red dress.
“Switch with me,” I choked on my words, swallowing down the bile threatening to surface. I reached for my zipper, and she rushed over to stop me.
I couldn’t wear the same dress as her.
“Girl, are you crazy?” Maddi demanded, looking at me like I had officially lost my mind.
“Help me, dammit!” I was panicking. “I can’t be wearing the same thing as her!”
“But you look better! Everyone will notice if we switch dresses,” Maddi warned me. “It will be so obvious that you like him!” she shouted. I instantly slapped my hand over her mouth, fearful that someone would hear us.
“Jeez! Do you want everyone to know?!” I quickly squatted down and checked that all the stalls were empty. “Now, please be a good friend and cousin and get your ass out of that dress.” She sighed but helped me unzip my dress.
Thankfully, we were the exact same size – well, sort of. It was a little bit of a squeeze for me to slip into her red number, but with a lot of sucking in, I managed.
“How do I look?” I asked her, doing a slight twirl. I had loved my silver dress, but I would not be caught wearing the same thing Colton’s fiancée was.
“Not as hot as I did, but definitely hotter than her.” I nodded, adjusting the spaghetti straps of her dress.
“Alright,” I drew in a deep breath, “let’s do this.”
“That’s my bitch! Let’s go meet her.”
We exited the bathroom and walked straight into her. My confidence left me upon impact.
She was so pretty.
How was I even meant to compete?
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Her voice had a slight rasp to it, typical of a smoker. Did he like that?
“You’re good! Love your dress,” Maddi said, smiling broadly. “Looks like we have great taste.” Shannon smiled at her and nodded before brushing past us into the restroom. “Go find him before she comes back!” Mads whispered, pushing me forward.
I took a moment to find my footing before scouring the room for him, only to see that he was already watching me.
He lifted his hand and crooked his finger at me in a gesture to come closer. As though he was reeling me in, I took the bait and walked over, taking in just how sexy he looked in a tux.
I had never seen something so mouth-wateringly perfect. His usual messy dark hair was gelled back. His black mask covered his eyes and accentuated his neatly trimmed beard.
“Fancy seeing you here.” He didn’t move from his position against the wall, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He brought it to his lips, and I watched, completely hypnotized, as he sipped the amber liquid, watched how his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed.
“I met her,” I finally said what had been on the tip of my tongue.
“I see you changed your dress.” He noticed!
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shrugged, leaning away from him.
“Seems like you both have great taste in clothes and men.” He winked at me, pushing himself off the wall, brushing past me ever so gently. The brief contact sent sparks throughout my entire body.
Despite knowing it was wrong and telling myself I couldn’t have him, I wanted him even more every time I saw him.
He was my coworker… this wasn’t okay.
But he was so enticing and alluring.
I couldn’t… no… I couldn’t stay away.
I was tired of fighting him.
I was ready to be his.
I wanted the cocky asshole to wrap his arms around me and kiss me senselessly.
Stupidly, I wanted to be in his fiancée’s place. I wanted to be her.