“Now sit.” She motioned toward a chair.
“Why?”
“Have I killed you yet?”
“No, but there was the time you convinced me we could rappel off the side of that mountain.”
Ria frowned. “It wasn’t a mountain, only a little hill. And I really thought I had the rope anchored pretty good.”
“You didn’t.”
“Duh. I realized that when you made it to the bottom in about two seconds.”
“I sprained both my ankles.”
“Bruised, not sprained. Big difference. I said I was sorry, and I waited on you for a month. And I know your ankles were a lot better after the first week.”
“It was nice having a servant, though.”
“Sit,” Ria ordered.
“Okay, okay.” Carly walked over and sat in the chair. “No hot wax.”
“Not even a little bit. I promise. You’ll like what I’m going to do. Now, drink your wine and relax.”
She went to the bathroom and gathered everything she would need, then piled it all on the dresser. Carly took another drink of wine, then Ria took the glass from her and set it down, but within reach.
“Close your eyes.”
Carly hesitated, then closed them.
Ria began rubbing moisturizer on Carly’s face.
“That feels good. It smells nice, too.”
“You need to moisturize your face every morning and night.”
“I don’t have wrinkles.”
“You don’t want to get any either, do you?”
“This will stop wrinkles?”
“It will help.” She handed her the glass of wine. “Drink.”
Carly took a drink, then handed her back the glass.
Foundation, drink, blush, drink, then powder. Ria studied her handiwork. Not bad. Carly’s complexion was evened out now.
Ria still couldn’t believe she was letting her do all this. Never once had Carly wanted to do girly things like makeup. Maybe she was mellowing. Must be from all the times they watched
“Can I look?”
“Not yet.”
Smoky eye shadow, dark brown eyeliner, and then mascara. And the final stroke from the artist’s brush, deep red lipstick. Ria stepped back. “Open your eyes.”
Carly did as she asked.
Ria’s eyes widened. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected but holy cat shit, it wasn’t quite this.
“What?” Carly asked. She turned in her chair until she faced the mirror again. She stared at her reflection in the mirror above the dresser. “Is that me? Really me?”
“Oh, yeah.” Ria nibbled her bottom lip. “Do you like it?”
“Like it? Do you need to even ask? Crap, why didn’t I let you do this years ago?”
“Because you grew up surrounded by brothers who tried to make you think being a girl was silly, and that women who look like you do now couldn’t possibly have a brain.”
“You’re absolutely right. I just never realized how wrong they were.”
Ria handed her the glass of wine.
“Isn’t this yours?”
“Drink it. I’m going to the bathroom to change and then we’ll be ready. I can’t drink and drive.”
“Oh, yeah. I feel like I’m doing all the taking. What are you getting out of all this?”
Ria chuckled. “Don’t you know? Friends enjoy giving. Besides, you’re always doing things for me. I’m not keeping score.”
“Then get changed. I’m ready to party.”
Ria grabbed the bag with her new clothes and hurried to the bathroom to change. She only hoped Carly was ready for what Ria had planned.
Chapter 20
“I feel very mellow,” Carly said. “I shouldn’t have drunk so much wine.” She snorted, then quickly covered her mouth. “Get it? I might get drunk if I drunk too much wine.” She frowned. “No, that isn’t right. Odd, it was funnier when it was still in my head.”
Oh, great, she’d gotten Carly loopy. Deep breath. All was not lost. The first drink or so always made Carly tipsy, but it never lasted for some strange reason. She said it was because her grandfather had been a bootlegger, and a little alcohol ran through her veins.
Ria took the glass of wine away from her. “Just remember, you look hot.” Carly didn’t say anything. Was she losing her confidence? “Say it.”
“What?”
“That you look hot.”
Carly eyed her. “You look hot.”
Ria shook her head. “Not me. You. Say, ‘I look hot.’”
“I look hot.”
“With more conviction.”
Carly stood tall, squared her shoulders, and raised her chin. “I look hot!”
“That’s better.”
A car door slammed.
“Our ride’s here,” Ria said.
“Ride?”
“Don’t hate me.”
“Ria! What did you do?” Carly looked around the room as if she would turn and run, but Ria grabbed her arm.
“Neil is your date. You can do this. You look hot. We’re just going out to dinner. No biggie. I’ll be there with you.” She squeezed her hand for reassurance.
“Ria,” she whimpered.
“Repeat it: I am hot,” Ria frantically whispered.
“I am hot, I am hot, I am hot.”
“Okay, now paste a smile on your face and I’ll open the door and let them in.”
“I can’t do this,” she whispered.
“Look me in the eyes.” When she did, Ria took Carly by the shoulders. “You can do this.”
She nodded, took a deep breath, and repeated, “I can do this.”
Ria breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to open the door. “Kristor, Neil, please, come in.”
Ria held her breath, looking from Carly, then back to Neil.
“Carly?” Neil asked.
Carly’s shoulders slumped. “You got roped into the blind date, too, I see. Hey, it’s okay if you want to bail.”
He shook his head. “Nope, I knew exactly who I was going out with tonight. You just look different. I’ve always thought you were beautiful, but now you’re like—wow.”
Ria grinned. She had a feeling that was the most Neil had ever said to Carly, or any girl for that matter, but it was exactly what Carly needed to hear.
