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"One, two, three. Open your eyes." Evie turned Gia towards the mirror.
"Oh my gosh. You two are amazing!" Gia looked closely at her hair and makeup. Then tuned and looked at the back of her hair with the extra mirror Allison held. Her hair was pulled into a loose braided bun, low at her neckline, and her makeup was just the right combination of natural and elegant to accentuate her features without looking overdone. "Thank you!" She leaned over to pull Allison and Evie into a hug.
Allison chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Be careful though. We don't want to mess up that fab hair that Evie did." She touched Gia's perfect updo.
"Or that flawless makeup that Allison applied." Evie grinned.
Clapping, Allison chirped, "Alright, let's get your gorgeous self dressed!"
When Gia emerged fully arrayed in the aubergine dress and antique onyx pendant necklace and earrings, the girls cooed and praised her.
"I'm so nervous. I feel like Cinderella on her way to the ball. You girls are my fairy godmothers, without you I'd be a wreck." Gia's eyes flitted to the door. "How long do I have?" She started pacing.
"Not long, why don't you sit down and I'll get you some tea while you wait for your carriage. It might take a minute to gather the requisite mice though," Evie offered smiling with the look of a proud parent.
"Nope, not going to ruin my lipstick. I'll sit down though." Once seated, Gia's foot tapped anxiously.
It seemed like hours rather than minutes before there was finally a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," Evie winked.
Gia stood, grabbed her long black satin jacket and began pulling it on, but Allison grabbed it from her. "I'll hold it," she said softly. "He needs the full effect first."
Upon Nick's entrance into the living room, Gia's mouth fell, and he gasped. "Gia..." The way he said her name nearly left her in a puddle. "You look beautiful. I mean, not that you don't normally. It's just... wow! I knew that dress would be perfect on you, but my imagination didn't do you justice. In fact I can hardly think of words to describe it on you."
She chuckled. It wasn't like him to be at a loss for words. "Thank you, Nick. You look amazing yourself." His tux fit him perfectly, and she did like a man in a bow tie. He held her gaze with a look that made her flush, and she felt like she could stare at those eyes forever, until she noticed he had an arm behind his back. Gia gave him a quizzical look.
Nick's eyes followed hers. "Oh. I was so distracted, I forgot." His arm twisted forward to reveal the most beautiful and unique looking calla lily bouquet.
"How did you find flowers to match the dress? They're perfect!" Allison's voice seemed to break the spell between Nick and Gia.
Nick's brow rose at the reminder of the presence of others, and he turned to Allison. "I remembered seeing some several years ago, so when I found the dress, and, well, she chose it, I knew I had to get her some for tonight. They had to be special ordered, since they aren't something florists normally keep on hand."
"Oh, I can imagine! Great job." It sounded funny to hear Allison say that to someone that was above her at work.
Gia again felt as if she was being sent off by fairy god mothers for a night with the prince the way Evie and Allison fawned over them both before ushering them off. The first few minutes of the ride in the town car were quiet, save for the tapping of Nick's foot. Gia had seen him give many presentations in front of large and small groups, and he was accustomed to meeting with very prominent people as well, so she was surprised by his nervousness. Placing a hand on his upper arm, she tried to calm him. "Are you worried about your speech?"
YOU ARE READING
More Than Fine. (Complete)
RomanceSometimes we hold ourselves back. We tell ourselves we're fine, when the reality is we're just barely getting by. We're living in a world of grey, when color is within our reach. We can be our own worst enemy by holding onto our past and letting...