Chapter 19
Apparently, Stella owns a duplex on the very end of the Main Street. She lives in one half, and the other side is her boudoir studio.
The first thing I notice when I walk in is the onslaught of pink. Even the carpet in the living room is a shade of the color. While I personally wouldn't decorate this way, I think it fits Stella’s bubbly personality, and she clearly loves it.
Stella’s talking a mile a minute about some of the funny pictures she captured today at the festival while she leads us up to her equally pink bedroom. She sits me down at a huge vanity covered in so many products it looks like a beauty store.
“Wow, there are a lot of products here,” I murmur, suddenly a bit panicked over my lack of knowledge. I don’t have the first clue of how to apply any of these.
Stella gives me a placating smile. “I do a lot of my clients’ hair and makeup to give them the full experience. It helps them feel more confident and relaxed when they don’t have to worry about doing it themselves. I’m happy to do your hair and makeup for you!”
“Thank you, because I don’t know how to do anything other than mascara.”
“Stell’s a wizard with a brush. She’ll have you second-guessing if it’s really you in the mirror,” Ruby says, sprawling out on Stella’s bed.
“But that’s not the whole point of makeup.
It can be used to alter your appearance and make you look totally different, yes, but I prefer to use it to enhance what’s already there, especially if someone is a little more unfamiliar with it.
For example, your freckles. If you want to do a look to showcase rather than hide them, I can do that. ”
“Am I supposed to want to hide them?” I haven’t been worried about covering them since I was a kid, but now I’m worried people will find them ugly.
“Oh goodness, not at all, babe. I was just giving an example specific to you. They’re freaking gorgeous,” Stella says gently. “You don’t have to wear makeup at all if you don’t want to. You’re stunning exactly as you are.”
“Do you think Saint would prefer it if I wore makeup and got dressed up? If I were more… girly?”
Ruby snorts. “My brother would prefer if you were naked twenty-four seven.”
“Ruby,” Stella gasps.
“I’m just saying! Saint couldn’t give two shits if you wear makeup.
Besides, we don’t dress up or do our makeup for men.
We do it for us. If you want to get all dolled up and see if you like it, let’s do it.
If you’d rather not, that’s fine, too. What matters is you feel confident and beautiful. Fuck what anyone else thinks.”
Stella nods emphatically.
I think about my lack of experience with this stuff, and a pang of grief hits me. If my mom were alive, she would have taught me how to apply blush and foundation. She would have taught me how to do my hair.
At the same time, I can see myself still preferring to not wear any, to focus on cars rather than learning how to do this stuff.
And knowing my mom, she would have been supportive either way.
Wasn’t I just thinking earlier about trying to lean more into this side of myself?
Discovering if it’s something I like now rather than just sticking to what I know?
I think about what Stella said about makeup being used to enhance rather than change, and I like the concept. I don’t need to change who I am.
“I want to see what it’s like. I want to experience a makeover at least once in my life since it’s not something I’ve ever gotten to do.”
Stella claps her hands. “Yay! I’m so excited.
You sit back and relax, and I’ll do everything.
I’m going to do a very light look on you.
A little highlight, a little blush, a little eyeliner…
Like I said, we want to enhance your natural beauty, and Mikey, you are beautiful already.
I would kill for the shape of your lips and how thick your eyelashes are. Is this how your hair naturally dries?”
I’ve been complimented before by Kelly, Saint, and other people, but for some reason Stella’s words hit differently. Instead of brushing it off, I let her compliments sink in and spread through me, warming me from the inside out.
I think I like having friends.
“Yes, this is my natural hair.”
“Ugh. Jealous. I wish my hair looked like this! Okay, we’ll just touch up a few of the strands and put some oil in it to smooth it down, but honestly, it looks incredible as is.
Now for a dress…” She walks over to her closet and slides hangers across the bar.
I see a lot of ruffles and pink and chiffon, and while I think those look good on her, I don’t know if it’s my vibe.
“Hm… I think the one I’m imagining is in my client closet. I’ll be right back!”
“What are you going to wear?” I ask Ruby. She holds up a hot pink dress with spaghetti straps that cinches at the bust. “Ooo, that’ll look good on you. Are you… wearing it for anyone special?”
Her cheeks flush, and her voice takes on a higher pitch when she says, “No. Nope. No one special. Am I hoping to find someone to take me home and fuck my brains out? Sure. But like I said before, we don’t dress for men.
We dress for ourselves. And who knows if I’ll be able to wear something like this again. ”
“Why wouldn’t you be able to wear something like that again?”
Her phone pings before she can answer, and whatever the message says makes her face as red as her namesake. She quickly clicks the lock button and throws her phone face down on the bed.
I don’t know Ruby well enough to call her out for what is an obvious lie. She clearly has someone she’s dressing up for. I also don’t feel like I can pry into her love life and ask who’s texting her because it’s none of my business, so I keep my mouth shut.
Stella returns with a white garment bag and a pair of strappy black heels in hand.
“I’ve been saving this dress for something special, but this bold shade of red isn’t exactly my color.
I’m clearly more of a pastel girlie. I think this dress will be perfect for you.
” She hangs the bag on the closet door then unzips it to reveal—
“I can’t wear that.”
Stella rolls her eyes. “You can, but I won’t force you.”
The dress is red satin with black trim and strapless. It looks like it would hug every bump and lump on my body.
“How is it supposed to stay up with no straps?” Stella pulls out two flesh-colored silicone cup things. “What the hell are those?”
“Boob cups. They help the girls stay up and stay put when you’re wearing something strapless, but you don’t need to wear them.”
“I… I don’t know. I don’t think I have the confidence to wear something that sexy,” I admit. Stella and Ruby both seem so confident in themselves. So at home in their skin. I want to feel that way, too.
“Like Stell said, you don’t have to, but you’d look hot as hell. My brother would lose his mind and—” Ruby shudders. “Never mind. I don’t want to think about what he’d do to you.”
Stella giggles at Ruby. “I have simpler dress if you’d prefer, but the minute I met you I had a vision of you in this dress. I swear it’s made for you.”
My eyes bounce between the dress and Stella’s encouraging smile. This is so out of my comfort zone, but it seems I’ve been doing a lot of things outside of my comfort zone lately. I want to see how Saint reacts to me when he sees me in it.
A small kernel of anxiety pops up, whispering they’re trying to purposely embarrass me, but I push it away. I don’t think Ruby and Stella would do that. They haven’t said or done anything to make me think they have any malicious intentions.
“Okay, I’ll wear it.”
Stella claps, and Ruby whoops, which brings a smile to my face and helps ease some of the anxiety in my stomach. Stella puts a puffy pink headband in my hair to hold it away from my face before she takes a cotton pad, puts some type of cleanser on it, and starts gently swiping it over my skin.
“Are you planning on finally hooking up with someone, Stell?” Ruby asks.
“I’m working tonight, remember? I can’t be shirking my duties for a hookup.”
“There are plenty of eligible bachelors who would be more than happy to show you a good time if you change your mind. You can’t be celibate forever.”
Stella glares at Ruby. “I’m not celibate.
Just… cautious. It’s not like I’m waiting for marriage.
I don’t want to lose my virginity to some random tourist, though.
I want a connection. I want to be cared for and adored.
I need to trust the person I’m with. Being twenty-six and a virgin isn’t a bad thing, Ruby. ”
Ruby sighs. “I know, babe. I just worry you’re letting your fear get in the way. The last guy you dated was Derek, and you still didn’t take it past kissing.”
“Derek was only dating me to get in my pants. I’m relieved I didn’t go past kissing. Maybe I’ll just ask Saint to work his magic and help me find someone.”
Ruby’s phone dings again, and it takes her attention from the conversation. Her cheeks flush red again, and she blinks a few times before she says, “Stell? Can I use the big mirror in the studio for a sec?”
Stella’s hands pause, hovering over the array of makeup in front of her, and she narrows her eyes at Ruby. “Why?”
“I need to take a few pictures.”
“What kind of pictures?”
“You know what kind.”
“Ruby Valentine, are you sexting on my bed right now?”
Ruby scoffs. “No… Fine. Maybe. Yes.”
Stella gasps. “Who?”
“None of your business!”
Stella turns around and puts her hands on her hips. “If you want to use my studio to take naughty pictures I deserve to know who they’re going to.”
Ruby looks at me with pleading eyes, but I shrug. “I’m curious, too, but it’s not my mirror.”
“Thank you, Mikey.”
Ruby stays silent, her eyes darting between Stella and her phone. She types something, the sound letting us know the message was sent, and then a reply comes immediately. Whatever is written on her phone makes her bite her lip.