“I would move on, if you bought me a new set,” she growled at me.
“What do you think? I’m made of money or something?” I raised an eyebrow at her and we both laughed. This was one of the reasons I loved being around Sarah. We could always be ourselves in every situation and she was the one woman I knew who would love me and be by my side if I was rich or poor. “Come on, let me order the pizza.” I made my way over to the couch and took a seat. “Also, pass me the remote.” I grinned up at her. “I don’t want to have to get up and grab it.” I pointed over to the shelf in the corner, where I saw the remotes sitting. It was right there, but out of arm’s reach.
“You’re so lazy, Harry Huntington Parker.” Sarah shook her head. “I don’t know how any woman can put up with dating you for longer than a night.”
“A night is all I need.” I winked at her. “Trust me. After one night, they never want to leave.”
“Ugh.” She groaned and I laughed as I settled back into the couch, comfortable and happy, feeling at peace as I always did when I was with her.
Chapter 8
Sarah
“So I gave Harry the presents last night.” I giggled as I walked down the street with Gemma. “He has absolutely no idea that I bought gag gifts.” I chewed on my lower lip as we passed a bridal boutique and I admired the dresses with a small sigh. “Do you think I made a mistake? I’m starting to feel a little bit guilty about what I did. What am I, ten?”
“Okay, it was a little immature, but own it, girl.” Gemma shrugged. “Honestly, Harry is so pompous that I have no problem with you pulling a prank like this on him.”
“I know.” I laughed. “But I also know that he is going to kill me.” I made a face. “But I suppose I can fall on the ground and beg him for mercy.”
“Sarah, you are absolutely crazy. You know that, right?” Gemma asked me with a giggle as we walked down the street.
“What? I’m not crazy. I did it for fun. I think it’s funny. Harry will ultimately think it’s funny.” I wasn’t so sure of that, but I was trying to convince myself he’d have a sense of humor about it.
“Do you really think he’s going to think it’s funny?”
She gave me a look.
“Well, maybe not at first. But in five years, he’ll look back and he’ll realize it was really funny.”
“I sure hope so,” Gemma said with a laugh. “I mean, I wish I could be a fly on the wall when he gives his floozies those presents.”
“I know.” I laughed. “Can you imagine how that will go down? Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be there.”
“So he’s going out with them all tomorrow night?”
“Yeah, the same night as your Christmas party.” I smiled. “Which I’m really looking forward to, by the way. Thank you so much for inviting me. I feel like it’s just going to be like my debutante ball or coming out into the world ball or something like that.” I giggled at Gemma’s incredulous expression.
“Uhm, don’t get your hopes up too high, Sarah. It’s just a work party.”
“Yeah, but I get to meet lots of new hot guys.” I held my hand up as she went to protest. “I know you have hot guys in your office, Gemma, because I’ve seen some of them.”
“If you knew them, you wouldn’t think they were so hot.” She shook her head. “They are the most annoying bunch of men I’ve ever met and I’m dating Tyler, haha.”
“Well, you know, they might be bad to you, but to me, someone who’s looking for some fun and hasn’t had any in ages, they look like the perfect specimens to flirt with.”
“Oh, Sarah. You’re too much.”
“Hey, maybe that’s what they’ll say by the end of the night...” I laughed. “Hopefully after my makeover, I will win them all over. You said you’ve got me set up with a hair appointment and a makeup appointment today, right?”
“Yes, with professionals. I cannot have you going to Sephora to get your makeover.” She shook her head. “The last time you did that, you ended up looking like a clown.”
“Yeah. Some of the Sephora girls are good, but not all of them.”
“We need to take you to someone that really knows makeup. I’m taking you to the best makeup artist I know. She works for all the fashion designers, do you know Valentina Opalhouse?”
“Hello! The Valentina Opalhouse? So this is like a major makeup artist then? I’ve seen Valentina’s stuff on TV and in Vogue. She hires the biggest supermodels in the world to wear her stuff down the runway. This makeup artist must be amazing.”
“Yep.” Gemma grinned. “You’re welcome, Sarah.”
“How did you get the makeup artist for Valentina Opalhouse to meet with me?”
“Well, I told him you’d pay him five hundred dollars.”
“What! Five hundred dollars? Doesn’t that seem like a lot? It was only fifty dollars at Sephora.”
“Sarah, your parents are millionaires. You have a trust fund. I think you can safely spend five hundred dollars to go from an ugly duckling to a swan.” She grinned at me as I hit her on the shoulder lightly.
“Well, thanks Gemma. It’s nice to know that you think I’m an ugly duckling.”
“You know I don’t think you’re an ugly duckling. I think you’re beautiful, but you’re a very understated beauty. In this day and age, understated doesn’t work. Understated doesn’t get the guys. And, you could be stunning.” She looked at me critically. “You know you’re absolutely gorgeous, right?”
“I don’t know whether or not to take that as a compliment, Gemma. I could be stunning.” But I laughed, even as I cringed. I knew she was right. I mean, all I really wore were jeans and loose tops. Never wore skirts. Never wore dresses, never wore anything that was even close to being tight fitting. My hair was always in a ponytail. I never wore makeup. Yeah, it was time for a change. “You’re right, I guess. Okay. So, he’s going to do my makeup. What about my hair?”
“Well, as luck would have it, Max, he’s the makeup artist for Valentina Opalhouse, he’s really good friends with Oraja Listerina.”
“Who?” I made a face. No wonder I didn’t have a career in fashion. My name was Sarah. Plain and simple Sarah. How could that compete with Valentina and Oraja?
“You’ve never heard of Oraja Listerina?”
“No.”
“Oh my gosh. He is just like the number one go-to hairstylist for every single actress in Hollywood and New York City.”
“And he’s willing to do my hair?” I was doubtful. “Why?”
“Because I told him you’ll give him a thousand dollars.”
“A thousand dollars!” I shouted as we were walking down the street, I could see people looking at me, curiously. I lowered my voice. “A thousand dollars. Are you joking, Gemma? That’s just crazy. I can go to any place on the street and pay like fifty bucks for a cut.”
“Exactly. I’m not trying to be rude, Sarah, but your haircuts look like you go to those cheap places. You need a cut from an expert. And didn’t you say you wanted some color?”