Chapter 54 #2
"Because he is going to give you a haircut."
"Oh, okay."
"And guess what?"
"What?"
"He has a best friend by the name of Rosalind DeMarco. And you know who Rosalind DeMarco is?"
"I don't, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me."
"She's the number one makeup artist in all of New York City, and she has a bunch of free samples that she's willing to give you."
"This sounds amazing, but I do not have money to pay for the number one hairstylist or the number one makeup artist. I didn't even have money to pay for..."
"Hey, it's my treat," Lila says. "You don't have to pay for anything."
"I'm not letting you pay for these people. They don't sound like they're going to be cheap and..."
"Juniper, I am not going to argue with you. These people are going to do your hair and makeup, and it's going to be amazing. You were going to let me and Sky do it for free, right?"
"Well, yeah, but that's because you were going to do it and..."
"We have some skills, but we can't cut your hair and know exactly what makeup you're going to need.
We'll help you with the clothes stuff, okay?
And you can buy your own clothes, but please, please, please let them take care of you today.
Please. Don't you want to look good for your date with Marco tomorrow?
Plus, don't you want to walk into the office on Monday and wow everyone? "
"When you say everyone, who do you mean?"
"Mr. Remington Parker, of course. I mean, if you have a crush on him, and you want him to notice you..."
"I think he's already noticed me," I say, trying not to let out how annoyed I am at that moment.
"Well, I think he's noticed you. How could he not? But wait until he sees you on Monday. He's going to be like, 'Oh, hot damn. Who is that gorgeous, beautiful supermodel?'"
I start giggling because how could I not? "I don't know that Remington Parker would ever use those words, but I appreciate the sentiment."
"So, you're going to come?"
"I guess so. Where should I meet you guys?"
"Come to... Hold on, let me look at the paper and get the address." She pauses, and I hear a rustling of paper in the background. "Okay, you're going to come to The Beautiful Adventure. I believe it's on the Lower East Side. You can google the address."
"Okay, what time should I be there? Or is it still the same meeting time?"
"I think he's got you down in for forty-five minutes."
"But I thought we were going to meet and grab breakfast first?"
"Yeah, but this was the only time he could fit you in, so we'll grab lunch. I'll bring a bagel for you to eat in the beauty salon."
"Okay. Will Skye be there, too?”
“You bet you she will." Ah, Lila sounds super excited. I cannot wait for this.
"Are you excited?"
"I guess so."
"You don't sound excited," she says. "What is going on?"
"I just... I'll tell you guys later. I just had a really crazy night."
"Oh, boy. When you say crazy, you mean…?"
"I mean that it was crazy."
"Like crazy crazy?"
"I mean, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy."
She starts laughing. "Okay, now you have got me very, very interested. I will see you in thirty minutes."
"Yeah, I'll be there. Thanks, Lila. I really appreciate everything."
"You're welcome," she says. "I am excited to see how this goes."
"I am, tool. I just hope I don't regret it.
" I hang up the phone and rub my forehead.
I don't know what I'm doing anymore. The whole point of getting the makeover was to get Remington to notice me, but he's already noticed me.
And while it had been a bit of a fairytale, it hadn't been the fairytale I'd had in my subconscious.
He didn't taken one look at me naked and fell on his knees and begged me to marry him.
He didn't tell me that I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
He didn't tell me he loved me and had harbored feelings for me forever.
He didn't say any of that. I mean, not that I actually expected that to happen, but if it was a book I was writing, that's what I would've wanted to have happened.
But life is not the books, Juniper. That's why you're writing a romantasy, because true love is a fantasy.
I walk into the closet and pick out a white dress.
I might as well wear something feminine if I'm going to blossom into a swan.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror and apply some pink blusher and bright red lipstick to my face.
I don't look half bad. I don't look like the ugly duckling I always assumed I was before.
Maybe it's because I'm seeing myself differently now.
Maybe it's because even though Remington Parker didn't tell me he was in love with me, he was definitely attracted to me.
Even if it was just sexually, there was magnetism between us. There was something.
I feel my nerves buzzing, the excitement racing through me. I may not have gotten Remington Parker to commit to me, but I have made him come, and that made me feel powerful. And if I am honest with myself, I loved every moment of it.