6. June
There’s a minute left on the clock, and the Titans are winning four to three. The Boston Zodiacs are a tough team to beat, especially with their goalie. Leo Wiseman is a brick wall with ninja-like reflexes. If it weren’t for him, the Titans would be winning by a much larger margin.
The Titans are on the offensive, and someone passes the puck to Ryan Bertrand, their hotshot center. He shoots, but Leo, once again, performs a miracle and catches the puck. The guy bends like a pretzel, making me wonder if he has any bones in his body.
“I can’t believe it,” Melissa blurts out. “How did he manage that? Ryan must be pissed.”
My eyes follow the man in question, and he doesn’t seem happy. “Maybe the Zodiacs’ goalie is a member of the Fantastic Four.”
“What?” Melissa looks at me as if I spoke in Klingon.
“Mister Fantastic,” I reply, but noticing her blank stare, I add. “He’s a Marvel superhero who has the power of elasticity.”
Her brows arch. “Oh. I don’t know anything about comics. You’ll get along wonderfully with Lachy. He’s obsessed with them.”
“Lachy?”
“Lachlan Stewart. Our goalie.”
I feel stupid for asking, and I hope my face isn’t showing it. One would think I’d stop getting embarrassed over small things after the Jumbotron incident, but no.
“Ah... sorry. I don’t follow hockey.”
“Don’t feel bad. Many people who come to the games don’t. But I should probably tell you more about the players who invited you to the party.”
“Yeah, that would be a good idea.”
The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the game. I turn my attention to the ice. The Zodiacs make their way to the locker room, but the Titans remain on the ice to say thank you to the crowd.
“Who invited me, by the way?” I can’t believe I didn’t ask sooner.
“Jake Phillips had the idea, but Ryan and Lachy were fully on board with it. That’s the three of them on camera now.”
I look at one of the TV screens in the VIP box just as it closes in on them. They’ve removed their helmets, and holy cannoli, I never knew hockey players could be that attractive. My heart flutters in my chest, but I’m blaming my reaction on the two shots of tequila I had.
Right, June. You’re not blind, and those men are fiiine. The thought pops into my head in Katrina’s voice. Why am I so weird?
“Nayara is here,” Melissa tells me. “Let’s see what she brought.”
Nayara is Melissa’s personal shopper. I spent ten minutes answering her questions about my likes and dislikes, and I’m damn curious to see what she brought for me. “Where are we meeting her?”
“In my office.”
I follow her out of the VIP box and through a maze of corridors. The farther we go, the less busy it becomes, until we enter a restricted area that only people working for the Titans can access. As I look around in bewilderment, I can’t help but think that Bill would give his nut sack for a chance to be here. As heartbroken as I am, the notion does make me feel better.
“Can I take pictures?” I ask.
“Sure. Take pictures, shoot videos. Make sure to tag the team’s social media accounts if you decide to post them.”
“You won’t get in trouble if I do?”
She smirks at me. “I’m the VP of Media Relations. I won’t get in trouble.”
“Wow. I knew you were a big deal, but I didn’t realize you were a VP.”
“Most people don’t because of my age and appearance. I don’t mind. I actually enjoy it when they underestimate me.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”
Melissa stops in front of a dark wood door with her name and title carved on a brass plaque. “Twenty-seven.”
“I’m twenty-five,” I say, even though she didn’t ask.
She’s only two years older than me, and she’s already accomplished so much. I can’t help but feel gloomy about it. My dream career is a long shot, but if becoming a screenwriter doesn’t pan out, I thought I’d be okay as long as I achieved the other items on my bucket list. Marrying Bill was one of them.
No, I won’t think about that jackass anymore tonight. Melissa is right. He’s tomorrow’s problem.
Nayara is already inside Melissa’s office, standing in front of a rack of colorful dresses. She turns to us and smiles brightly. She looks like a fairy, with her petite frame and short, bright blue pixie-cut hair that contrasts nicely with her tanned complexion.
“Hello, you must be June.” She offers me her hand.
“Hi, nice to meet you.”
Melissa has already wandered to the selection on display, and she’s browsing the options. She pulls out a purple dress with a flowy skirt and announces, “You need to try this one. It’s gorgeous.”
I take the dress from her and gasp at the price tag. “It costs fifteen hundred dollars! I can’t afford this.”
“Don’t worry about it. Whatever you pick will be written off as a marketing expense,” she replies.
My eyes widen. “Oh, wow. I don’t know what to say.”
“Try it on, honey. That color with your hair and skin tone will look amazing,” Nayara pipes up.
Melissa gives me a pair of silver strappy sandals. “Try it on with these.”
I glance at the five-inch stiletto heels and swallow hard. “I’ll probably break my neck if I wear those.”
“Nonsense. My private bathroom is through that door.”
In a daze, I disappear inside the large and luxurious bathroom. I can’t believe how this evening is turning out. Maybe I’m passed out in that bathroom stall, and this is just a dream.
I pinch my forearm to test it out. “Ouch!”
“Are you okay in there?” Melissa asks.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t mind me.” June, get a grip.
I take my clothes off and, with care, try on the purple dress. The fabric is delicate—chiffon, I guess—and if I’m not careful, I might tear it. I usually wear sturdy materials that can withstand my clumsiness.
“How is it?” Nayara asks. “Do you need help with the zipper?”
I squish my boobs together and suck in my stomach, then try to zip up the dress. Side zippers and I rarely get along. “Yeah. You can come in.”
She sticks in her head and says, “Oh, the color looks amazing on you.”
“Yeah, but I’m afraid I’m a size too big for it.”
“Let me see.”
Nayara moves closer and effortlessly slides the zipper up. The top of the dress has boning like a corset, and it makes my waist look tiny and pushes my boobs up.
“Stunning,” she says.
I press a hand over my enhanced cleavage, trying to hide it. “I don’t know.”
“You look gorgeous, June,” Melissa chimes in from the door. “You can try another dress, but I think that’s the one.”
Staring at my reflection, I smooth the front of the dress. I’ve never worn anything so luxurious and pretty. It’s a tempting indulgence, and any other day, I would resist. But tonight has become all about stepping out of my comfort zone. If I tear a seam or end up showing my ass to a bunch of strangers, it still won’t be as bad as finding out Bill was cheating on me with Danika.
“Okay. I’ll take it.”
“Try the shoes, Cinderella.” Melissa smirks.
The bathroom is so large that there’s a chair opposite the sink, and the toilet is behind another door.
“If I’m Cinderella, does that mean my clothes turn back to rags at the stroke of midnight?”
“Only if you want them to.”
Nayara drops into a crouch in front of me. “Let me help. It’s tricky getting these on while you’re wearing such a constricting outfit.”
“Thanks.” I’m glad I got a pedicure last weekend and don’t have troll feet. The sandals are surprisingly comfortable, but when I stand up, I’m wobbly. “Shit. How can anyone walk in these?”
“Easy. I do it every day.” Melissa points at her stiletto pumps.
I glance at my ballerina flats with longing. I wish I could wear them, but it would be a disservice to this gorgeous dress.
“Do you want to do something with your hair?” Nayara asks. “I’m not a professional hair stylist, but I brought tools.”
“What kind of tools?”
“Hair straightener and curler. I can do your makeup too.”
I glance at Melissa. I don’t want to abuse her generosity. As if sensing my train of thought, she says, “Go ahead, June. Nayara will do my makeup as well. It’s all good.”
“Okay, sure.”
“Melissa is your very own fairy godmother.” Nayara laughs.
“The hell I am.” She tosses her long hair over her shoulder and stares at her reflection. “I’m too young to be that frumpy old lady.”
Nayara and I trade a look, and I don’t know why, but we both start to laugh.
“What?” Melissa frowns at us.
“I’m laughing because it feels like I’m stuck in a wonderful dream.”
“Wait until you meet the boys.” Melissa winks at me.
Butterflies wake in my stomach. I’m getting giddy, and I’ve only seen them sweaty and with helmet hair.
“I’ll probably never want to wake up.”