“Oh! I just assumed you didn’t because you never talk about it.”
“I’m private about my love life. That’s all.” I set the brush down, swing my hair to the front, and ask, “Will you unzip me? I can’t braid my hair with this collar.”
She comes up behind me as I kick off my heels. “So, who is he?”
I bend over slightly so she can reach the zipper. Cathy is short at five foot two inches. “I’m not telling you.” I tease her.
“You must be involved in a long-distance relationship then because you never go out.” She states as she reaches up and begins pulling the hidden zipper down.
I stand and wiggle out of the dress, letting it fall to the ground, then look around for the robe. “Don’t leave me exposed here. Where’s the robe?”
“We weren’t given a robe.”
“What?” My face scrunches as I look around the room and see all the other models wearing plush, thick white robes. Pissed, I bend down to retrieve my pink dress to hold it over my private parts.
“Yep. It seems our station is missing the gifts from the sponsor. We didn’t get the full-length mirror, a bottle of champagne on ice, and the all-important coverup.”
I glare at her, “The Wicked Queen strikes again?”
“It would appear so,” she smirks.
“That bitch!” I say as I look over at the size nothing dress hanging next to the garment bag where the mannequin size one I will wear is hanging, “Have you examined the gown? Did she sabotage it? I wouldn’t put it past her.”
“I did, and it’s good. But I am curious about our model’s illness.”
“Really, why?”
“She’s standing over there on her third glass of champagne.”
“Ugh! The Wicked Queenistrying to sabotage us. What do you want to bet, she paid her to be sick?”
“Probably.”
d’Artagnan
“What the hell?” My fingers frame my mouth, stroking my mustache, then pulling on my goatee as I study the station where Cathy’s Corner Boutique is. I’m stunned by what I see. It is in the rear like I suspected. It’s smaller and appears to be missing a critical item. Like a white robe for the model. Because a more than half-naked Rapunzel is standing there in all her glory, listening to my animated little sister.
“Well, I’ll be damned!” Clearly, Rapunzel is Zella. I laugh at my good fortune. “This is fucking perfect!”
Watching the two friends together, focusing on their dynamic, my mind processes everything I have learned about Zella over the past year from Cathy. Like flashcards, the details race by.
Cathy called her a marketing genius. She’s single. Funny. Dedicated. Determined. Loving. Caring. Devoted. Solid. Wise. In short, her rock.
As I make my way to them, I toss around the idea that Rapunzel, Zella, is the key. When I step into their station unnoticed, I’m uncertain how it will go down but confident my mission will be successful.
The end game is happily ever after.
Chapter 8
Zella
Cathy says, “Now, hear me out, Zella.”
I spin around, eyeing her. “What does that mean?”
“While you were gone, and I was waiting for you to return with the dress, I studied our competition. And, while our bridal gown is exquisite, alone, it doesn’t quite have enough wow power to ensure we secure the highest bid for the evening. So, I have a plan.”
“Why is my tummy churning up butterflies now?”
