“Will, I’ve been lugging that thing around for years now.” Zoe tried yanking it from his hands but he held on tight.
“Well, I haven’t been around for years. I am carrying it.”
“My hero,” Zoe mumbled with a sly grin.
Fortunately for Zoe, she’d brought her emergency bag with her in the van when she left this morning with Kenzie and the rest of the guests. The pink case rarely left Zoe’s side. It contained everything she needed to handle emergency situations, from waterproof mascara remover and a Ravens Cosmetics product perfect for cracked lips, to other products from other favorite companies. Although, she had to admit, the majority of the items in her bag bore the lavender and cream colors.
“What kind of emergency is this?” he asked, handing Zoe the bag.
“The worst kind any teenager could face,” Lexi said gravely, as she pushed the front door open more. Cool air from inside brushed their faces.
“A pimple,” Zoe explained to Will. His brows came together. “Trust me. For a girl about to take photographs that are going to last a lifetime, the last thing she wants is to have a blemish.”
“It’s not a blemish,” Kimber cried from behind the locked bathroom door in the hallway. “It is a new life form.”
Zoe tried not to smile as everyone’s heels clicked on the hardwood floors. Lexi rapped the back of her hand against the closed door of the bathroom. As Kimber began to tick off her list of demands, which included none of her uncles being present, no cameras and no boys, Zoe tried not to laugh. She remembered these days.
“How bad can it be?” Will tugged on the back of Zoe’s shirt and whispered in her ear.
“It’s so bad it can hear you,” Kimber said from between gritted teeth through the door. “Don’t let him in here.”
Lexi stepped between Zoe and Will. She took Will by the arm and led him off through the arched doorway. “He’s going to sit with Uncle Stephen, sweetie.”
“Don’t let Uncle Stephen give him a shotgun.”
“Gun?” Will repeated, casting a glance back at Zoe. Zoe grinned and shook her head.
“You’ll be fine,” Lexi told him. “As a matter of fact, I am leaving you in charge.”
Zoe didn’t see who was seated in the living room but she heard the boom of welcoming male voices and knew Will was in good hands. Lexi walked back down the hallway with a smirk on her face.
“Something more going on between you and the CEO?” Lexi asked. She narrowed her dark eyes at Zoe and folded her arms across her chest. “Did you forget the end game?”
“Of course not,” Zoe said. Heat crept up her neck.
“The end game is you as Creative Design Director.”
Before having to face Lexi’s motherly attitude, Zoe turned to face the door and knocked. “Hey, Kimber, we’re alone.”
“Are you going to at least answer Aunt Lexi’s question first?” Kimber’s meek voice asked from the other side.
“Really, Kimber?” Zoe laughed.
“Inquiring minds want to know,” Lexi said. She leaned against the wall.
“It would at least make this horrible day better,” added Kimber.
Realizing she wasn’t going to get anything done, Zoe sighed. “We’re getting to know each other.”
Is that what she would call it? Had they not been interrupted earlier, Zoe might have let things go a lot further. This afternoon it had been like his hands knew exactly where to go and when. His mouth was magical.
Lexi reached out with her cool hand and pinched Zoe’s cheek. “You’re turning beet red.”
“Ohhh,” Kimber sang. “Did you two kiss? He’s totally hot.”
“Girl, you were wailing three minutes ago about a pimple.” Lexi rapped on the door. “Which is more important?”
The doorknob twisted open and the hinges squeaked. “Okay, fine.”
“You started that,” Zoe whispered before heading inside.
Twenty minutes later, Zoe, Lexi and Kimber emerged from the bathroom with the proper amount of foundation covering her blemish for her pre-prom photo shoot. Zoe promised to come over Saturday afternoon before prom and do Kimber’s makeup before attending Lexi’s dinner finale for the pageant workers. As a huge favor to Kimber, Zoe did a drastic wingtip over her lid, simply because it would show up better on film. Kimber’s prom dress was a Lexi original, made up of bright yellows, oranges and peach. The colors complemented the girl’s hazel eyes and golden tan. The prom might be tomorrow night, and there was no telling if Kimber had the votes to become Miss Southwood High’s prom queen, but Lexi had plenty of tiaras to choose from.