Josh
His input, as per, hadn’t been required. That’s what Perry was for.
Brit held one of the two suits she’d selected in front of him.
“So, babe.” Britney met his eyes in the mirror.
“The designer thought you could wear either this one”—she squinted at his reflection, scrunched her nose, switched it out—“or this one. Both match my dress.” She handed him the suits, inspected him again, then pointed at one. “I think you should wear this one.”
They both looked the same to him, but whatever. It made her happy. He hung both on the rack and slipped the jacket she liked off the hanger while Britney checked the evening rundown Amber had sent her.
“Right, okay.” Britney sat on the sofa and read aloud: “As King and Queen, we’re at the head table so…” Her eyes flicked up from her screen, watched him check himself out from different angles. As ever, she’d chosen well. “I’ve put Perry’s table near us. The crew will serve as our royal court.”
He wasn’t sure about that part, but having them within spitball distance would be cool. Sitting on a plinth with everyone staring at them was fun for only so long.
“Make sure they show up early, yeah?” she instructed. “We have photos—all of us—before the event.”
Any later and Noah would have gravy or punch on his shirt, seeing as he was more likely to bring a book than a girl.
Crabby, too. Not the girl part—girls loved adopting him, like he was a pet—he was just clutzy.
Not that he was judging. Especially now that they were really pulling their weight on the team.
But Brit would want the team to look picture perfect. So, by default, he guessed he did care?
“I’m listening,” he assured her when he heard her give an impatient huff. “Photos. Dinner. Dancing. And then?”
“More photos during the dance. And then”—she shimmied her shoulders—“the King leads his Queen onto the floor for their solo slow dance.”
Meaning every pair of Easton eyes would be on the two of them, witnessing, once again, their place as Easton Prep’s Premiere Power Couple. “Sounds like you’ve got the whole day planned out.”
“Well… yeah, babe.” She was looking at him like she didn’t understand how he might’ve thought otherwise. “It’s a big deal.”
It was a school dance with fancy outfits.
His brain took him back to the pizza and karaoke fest at the boathouse.
An epic night that’d taken approximately three minutes to organize.
“C’mere.” He held out his hand. Britney hesitated, consulted her iPad to see if she could spare a handful of seconds for her boyfriend.
She found some. He pulled her to him, slipped his hands around her waist. “Hey. You know what I saw nearby when I drove here?” She shook her head.
“Seven Acres Creamery. How ’bout we go grab some bourbon chocolate gelato? ”
She walked her fingers up his chest, then laid her hands flat against it, grinning up at him. She never could resist bourbon chocolate.
“If we do that, Josh,” she said, “I won’t have time for my hair appointment. You know Alejandro hates being rushed.”
“I know. I just thought we could be a little spontaneous.”
She gave his chest a pat like the matter was already settled and scooped up her iPad. “Maybe we can. Later.”
Someone knocked at the door. Britney jumped up again. “Oooh! That might be the jeweler.”
It was DeeDee, Brit’s mom. Still rocking her Jackie-O-as-a-senator vibes.
“Mom!” Brit didn’t look happy. “I thought we were going to meet up when the dance started.”
DeeDee pulled her daughter into a hug. “Hello there, my Fall Formal Queen.” She gave Josh the same treatment. “And her King.”
“Lovely to see you, Senator Garner. You got in from Beacon Hill okay?”
“Yes. I got out early for once. Thought I’d use the window of opportunity to bring my daughter out for a Night Before The Fall Formal mani-pedi and dinner.”
Britney threw Josh a look like, Does no one understand the pressure I’m under? “Sorry, Mom. I’m on a tight schedule. Maybe you can go with Baloo. See you tomorrow, okay?”
DeeDee did not look pleased as Brit shooed them both out of the suite. No one messed with Britney’s well-laid plans. No one.