I shake my head at her in mock reprimand. “Someone needs to teach you some manners.”
She grins and picks up another section of my hair to wrap it around the iron. My hair is officially too long for me to curl myself, but I want it to be in pristine condition when I go to my parents’ house later tonight. That way, Mama can’t say anything about how I should really try putting an effort into my appearance before I go out.
“Fine. You don’t have to go into detail. But just tell me this…are you happy?”
I meet my own eyes in the mirror and take a long look. And yep, right there, reflected in my green eyes, is a spark of happiness I haven’t felt in a long time. I feel cherished by Jake, and I’m starting to trust that feeling. “I am happy. I feel like things are finally starting to come together in my life. Plans for the fundraiser are lining up nicely, and I really feel hopeful that we’re going to make enough to achieve our goal for the year. I’m seeing an amazing guy that truly understands me and my lifestyle, and I get to spend time with his adorable daughter who makes me feel…”
“Whole?”
I meet Jo’s eyes in the mirror and nod. “Yeah. How’d you know that?”
She smiles and then turns her attention back on my hair and gently wraps it around the iron. “Because that’s what happened to me three years ago when I met you.” My heart swells, and all of a sudden, tears are pricking my eyes. I sit very, very still because I despise crying in front of people.
Joanna unwraps a curl from the iron and sets it down, resting her hip against the counter and folding her arms in front of her. “Did I ever tell you that Gary and I couldn’t have children?”
My heart tears in half. “No, you didn’t.”
“I don’t like to dwell on it much. We found out back in the day before fertility treatments were as successful as they are now. The fact of the matter is, a family just wasn’t in the cards for us. I always had this distinct feeling, though, that something or someone was missing in my life.” She smiles softly. “All the way up until I met you, darlin’. I feel like you’re the daughter I couldn’t have…and…I probably don’t say it enough, but I love you, missy.”
I feel my smile stretch across my face and reach out to take her hand. “You tell me every single day, Jo.”
Her eyes grow misty. “It’s not enough.”
Now my tears are falling too, and it’s no use to stop them. “I don’t know where I would be without you, Jo. I love you, too. And you’ve been a better mama to me than mine ever has been. So…thank you.”
“You’re welcome, honey. You know, I think the good Lord knew we’d need each other.”
“I think you’re right.”
We stare at each other for a minute, and then, as if we truly are mother and daughter, we both scrunch our noses at the same time and let go of each other’s hand. “Right. Well, no sense making your mascara run right before your evening at the palace. Wouldn’t want to give the queen anything to remark on.”
I laugh and turn my eyes to the mirror to finish up my makeup. I’m pulling out all the stops tonight. Mascara. Eyeliner. Blush. It’s all happening. Sephora will be so proud of me. “Oh, I’m sure Her Highness will find something to her distaste.”
“I wish you’d take me instead of Jake. I’d like to take that woman’s hateful comments and shove them right up her snooty little—”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know where you’d put them.”
Jo gives me a mischievous grin and then leaves my bathroom. “I'll get your dress. Where is it?”
“On my bed,” I call out to her, and then I hear her loud, overly dramatic gasp.
“Please tell me you’re not going to wear this hideous thing.”
I knew she’d hate it. It’s a conservative little number I plucked from the sale rack of Ann Taylor Loft. It’s a plain, navy pencil dress with a high neckline, and it hits me just below the knees. It looks like I should be walking into a courtroom with a briefcase at my side rather than a dinner party.
“But this looks nothing like you. Where’s the color? Where are the flowers?” She sticks her head back into the bathroom, holding up the offending dress. “Oh gosh, don’t tell me you got matching pumps to go with it.”
“They’re by the door.”
“Why are you doing this?”
I sigh and stand up, taking the dress from her and walking out to lay it back down on my bed. “I know it’s nothing like me. But I’m not trying to be me tonight. I’m just trying to get in, grab that check, and get out as fast as possible with as few mean comments stuck to my back as I can manage.” It’s probably a little wussy of me, but I don’t care. I’m tired of fighting my mama at every turn. Might as well play the game and blend into their lifestyle until I can get back home and change into my sneakers and summer dress.
I peel off my clothes and slip into the dress, having Jo zip up the back. I spin around, and she gives me a begrudging smile. “Well…at least it hugs your curves. Jake will like that.”
I laugh and shake my head at her. “I swear I will burn this dress as soon as I’m done with this dinner party. How about that?”
“Okay. As long as you let Jake unzip it for you.” She winks with a devilish smirk, and I swat her arm.
I swear she pulled a Freaky Friday with someone back in the day, because there is no way this woman is actually in her sixties. And I’m also really jealous of her teal ribbon scrunchie wrapped around her top knot. I decide I’ll steal it from her next time I’m at her house.
A knock sounds at the door, and Joanna and I both look at each other. She wags her brows and bolts to the door and, instinctively, I know what that crazy woman is after.
“Joanna, don’t you dare ask him if we had sex last night!!” I say way too loudly just as she’s flinging open the door.
I guess my door is paper-thin, because Jake smiles at Joanna and his dimples pop. “Sadly, we did not,” he says, and my stomach flips over.
To say he looks amazing would be a gross understatement. He’s wearing dark-blue slacks that cling to his muscular thighs and a white button-down tucked in with a brown belt. A light-gray suit jacket hugs his big shoulders, and his jaw is clean shaven. I also think he must have called some kind of hair-and-makeup artist to come style his hair, because it’s molded into a soft, tousled look that only a movie star should be able to achieve.
My mouth is hanging open at the sight of him, which gives Joanna immense pleasure. She chuckles and grabs her purse. “I think I’ll just be on my way, then. Have fun tonight, darlin’!” She squeezes Jake’s arm on her way out and then flashes a wide-eyed look back at me after she realizes he’s all muscle.
Jake steps inside with a chuckle and shuts the door behind him.
His eyes take me in, and they hitch on the curves of my waist before he shakes his head with a smile. He walks up to me and lightly sets his hands on those curves to tug me closer. “I think we might have to have a talk later about the whole casual thing we discussed.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask with a smile and a lifted brow, looking as cool as a cucumber and not at all like my stomach is exploding with butterflies.