“You’re going to give yourself premature wrinkles,” he said as he slipped the dress on a hanger.
“Who the hell are you?”
He smiled, not at all alarmed by my tone. “Justin. I’m Diane’s assistant.”
“And who’s Diane?”
“Your stylist. You met her yesterday. You know…big glasses, crazy hair, about yay tall.” He held his hand out to the side to show her height.
I just stared at him. “How did you even get in?”
“The door was unlocked.”
“No it wasn’t.”
“Um…yes it was.” He slid another dress on a hanger. “Would you prefer if I organize by color or are you more of a hang-all-the-pants-together kind of girl?”
“I’ve never even hung up a pair of pants.”
“Interesting. It’s best if we just do it my way then.” He turned back to the closet.
For a few seconds I just stared at the back of his head. The morning had just started and I already felt completely out of my element. I climbed out of bed and opened one of my moving boxes. Before I could pull on some of my old clothes, Justin stopped me.
“Absolutely not. Try this.” He tossed me a pair of dark washed jeans and a sweater that would definitely show off my midriff.
“I don’t think this is very…me.”
“Nonsense. Diane wouldn’t have picked it out for you if it wouldn’t look good on your figure. Trust me. Some of the celebs she dresses would die for that outfit, but if they can’t pull it off, Diane won’t send it to them.”
“She dresses celebrities?”
“She’s Diane Cartwright. The head stylist for Odegaard. What kind of depressing hole have you been living in?”
The kind in Delaware, I guess. I didn’t want to fight with this weird man. So I took the clothes to the bathroom and quickly changed. I stared at my reflection in the floor length mirror. The cut of the waistline of the jeans and the length of the sweater only left about an inch of skin showing. I smiled at my reflection. It actually looked really good. And unlike the itchy sweaters I was used to, this one was crazy soft. When I walked back into the room, Justin whistled.
“Get it girl. Spin for me.”
I wasn’t sure why, but I twirled in a circle for him. It should have made me feel ridiculous, but it actually had the opposite effect.
“It’s even better with your smile. Perfection. Before you get me too distracted, some delicious man just stopped by and said breakfast was ready. Aren’t you a lucky little thing to ogle that eye candy all day?”
Every word out of his mouth was confusing. But I was pretty sure he meant Miller had stopped by and announced breakfast. “Is it okay if I leave you here?” I asked. “Or did you need my help?”
“It’s my job to get everything organized. Until I can realize my true potential, that is.”
“What’s your true potential?”
He looked up from his work. He seemed surprised by my question. “I was born to be an event planner.”
“All events or something in particular?”
He was staring at me like I was an alien. “Weddings specifically.”
“That sounds like a fun job.”
He smiled. “Fun. Flirty. And fabulous. The trifecta of “F’s. It’s the best job in the world. The only one for me.”
I smiled back. I really didn’t know what he was talking about, but he seemed excited. “So is being Diane’s assistant a stepping stone toward wedding planning?”
“Absolutely. Diane has all the connections.” He gestured around the room. “Remember me when you’re planning the wedding of your dreams.”
I laughed. “Not any time soon I’m afraid. But I’ll certainly remember you.”
He stared at me for a moment. “I guess I can fold your pants and put them in a drawer for you. But only because I like you.”
I laughed. “Thank you. That will actually be a lot easier for me.” Especially since I had no intention of ever hanging them up again.
“You’re so welcome. What a breath of fresh air you are.” He started humming and turned back to his work.
I left him to it and wandered out of my room. For just a second I let myself think of Matt. He’d made a joke a few nights ago, about how he’d be my first husband, like he’d take all my firsts. It didn’t feel like a joke at the time. But now it did. How could he ever marry someone he refused to be seen with in public? Matt and I were done. We were. So why did I miss him so much?