The romantic comedy/drama where two sisters go after the same guy—Ashley remembered Jennifer mentioning the script when it came in and she was hiding her pregnancy.
Since her cousin now knew herfeelings, Ashley lifted her chin. “I don’t actually care about your movie. I want to be on set and get my chance.”
Jennifer pointed to the door. “At Matthew?”
Her face felt hot. Had someone turned up the heat? Maybe this was all some stupid fantasy of hers that had no bearing on reality. She nodded. “Yeah.”
Jennifer jumped out of the chair and circled her, gently running herhands through Ashley’s dark hair. “He’ll never notice you as you are.”
Not until she learned to speak, that was true. She crossed her arms. “If I build up the nerve to speak to him, maybe he will. I want to try.”
Jennifer gave her a huge smile. “Okay. Since we’re family, I’ll help.”
Oh no. Jennifer’s help usually ended up in disaster. Ashley shook her head. “I don’t want yourhelp, just the job.”
Jennifer bubbled like they were friends and nothing bad had happened between them as she hugged her. “You get both. We’ll get you a makeover. I’ll supervise. I’ve seen the women he dates.”
A makeover might be okay. Maybe. And if that was the extent of the “help” Ashley could be nice and accept it.
She’d seen the movies where women went to Rodeo Drive andmagically turned beautiful.
It might be nice to have that confidence of a pretty woman.
Maybe then she could forget scrubbing floors he’d walked over without seeing her.
Ashley straightened her t-shirt, crumpled from her cross-country flight from Miami to Los Angeles. “You think he’ll notice me if I change how I dress?”
“He likes blondes,” Jennifer said like it wasa fact of life and she’d need to dye her hair. Ashley lifted her chin to agree, why not, but then Jennifer tapped her cheek and studied her harder. “I think your bigger issue will be that you’re related to me, but I can at least help get you that date.”
Admitting to being family wasn’t on the agenda for them. Their mothers were sisters and no one ever expected Ashley to be anything morethan a maid, while they pinned their super star hopes on Jennifer.
She held out her hand to shake. “So I got the job?”
Jennifer walked over to her dressing table and held out various lipsticks like she was comparing them to Ashley’s skin-tone. “Yeah, I put you through enough and I’m sorry for the whole surrogacy thing.”
A makeover was clearly in her near future. Ashely wasokay with this as hair and makeup had never defined her, and maybe she needed some pampering for herself.
Now that she’d recovered from post-partum and looked almost like herself again, she was rich and could afford a few fine things. “I made a lot of money so I can’t hate you for it.”
Jennifer held up a color palette like Ashley’s face was a house she was going to paint as she said,“I’m glad, but I still want to make this up for you. I can help you land Matthew in your bed.”
Bed? This wasn’t about sex. Ashley almost bit her lip but she stopped herself in time. “No… I want the chance to tell him I love him. I know that’s stupid and he doesn’t know I’m alive, but… I do, and I’d trade every dime I have for that chance.”
She couldn’t forget his haunted blue eyeswhen he’d sat on Elizabeth’s back porch with nothing to do. He’d seemed so… sad, when honestly he had everything anyone could ever want.
Jennifer put the palette down and headed back to her chair to pick up her script. “And you’ll get it. Now, I have to read my new lines. Go get me coffee and tell hair and makeup in the green room that I’m ready for them.”
Right. Job. This was howshe intended to see Matthew without being a maid, on her hands and knees, cowering in a corner. On set she’d get him and Jennifer coffee. It was a perfect plan and hopefully one day she’d figure out how to say hello to him.
Or maybe she was just chasing windmills and living in denial still, not following practical dreams like interior design which was also now actually possible.
Once she spoke to Matthew, one-on-one, maybe she’d figure out he wasn’t perfect, or that he wasn’t the man she thought he was, and she could move on.
Ashley saluted her cousin. “Yes, ma’am.”
She marched toward the door. Jennifer coughed, so she turned around as her cousin said, “Oh, and let’s keep our family connection a secret.”
If on the off chance this wasn’t just all somefantasy and she and Matthew had more than just her dream, Jennifer was… well, she was what she was. Ashley nodded. “Agreed. I don’t think the Morgans like you much.”
