She cocked her head. “Are you gonna chicken out on me?” She reached in and grabbed my shaft. It was already sticking up.
I took her hand and placed it back on her lap. “I’m just enjoying the pleasure of your company tonight.” I got the car in gear. “Is that bad?” I asked after a moment.
“No, it’s not. I’m enjoying myself, too.”
Chapter 20
Mercedes
I went into the kitchen to get myself a soda and sat down to look at my phone. I had six missed calls. I sighed and put it back down, but it started going off again. “What?” I answered.
“Uh, is this Maria?” Candy asked.
“I am so sorry, Candy.”
“It’s okay. Dori needs you to go downtown. I have an address here.” I waited while she looked for it. “It’s 16 South Duvalle. There’s a man named Leo there. Just ask for him.”
“Leo? Do you mean Leo Marin?”
“Yeah, is that a problem?” Candy asked.
“Jesus, no. I have an all-star cast dressing me and now a celebrity stylist.”
“It sounds like that guy really likes you,” Candy said.
“Guess so. Is the dress ready?”
“It’s always a work in progress. She’ll end up throwing the whole thing out and bringing you in this afternoon for a fitting. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I certainly don’t. Would you thank her for me?”
“I will.”
I rushed into my closet to find something reasonably presentable to wear, but everything was either old or outdated. I ended up with a white blouse and a pair of jeans, but it wasn’t enough. When I walked into the salon and saw the girls running around in designer clothes, I felt out of place.
Leo was a hair god. The man worked my hair like a painter with a brush, twisting and braiding it into the perfect messy bun with strands hanging down behind my ears. I looked like I was ready for the red carpet. Candy called as soon as I was done to send me off to the nail salon.
It became clear at that point that Jake was responsible for all of this. There was a lot of talk about me being the one that Dori mentioned, and how lucky I was to be going to the gala. When I left the nail salon, my phone started ringing again. It was Candy, of course. I answered as I got into my car.
“What’s next on the list?” I asked.
“She wants you to go to Bliss down on Eighth.”
“I’ll call you right back.” I hung up and dialed Jake’s number.
“Hey, how’s it going?” he asked.
“You paid for the best spa in the city.”
“I—”
“No,” I interrupted him. “I have been running around downtown on your credit card all day. I’ve got a designer dress in the works, designer shoes, a celebrity cutting my hair, and now you want to spend $10,000 on a spa trip.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
“No?”
“No, it’s Dori.”