My Protector | His Angel

Chapter 36: Venus of Urbino

Three weeks passed and it was the weekend before Christmas, also the weekend of E&J Capital Management Charity Gala.

Emma and I sat at the vanity getting ready for the night. Various eyeshadow palettes sprawled across the open space and glitter fell onto the glass as I patted highlighter onto my cheekbones.

"Are you excited?" I asked as she wrapped my hair in the curling wand.

"Yes! I hear their Gala is the event of the season. Aside from Martha Stewarts holiday party of course." She giggled.

"Do you think Snoop Dogg will be there then?" I laughed as Emma continued to style my hair.

"Mmm probably not his scene."

"Damn" I emphasized an over-dramatic pout. "I was hoping to have something that would make tonight a bit less... what is the word I'm looking for..."

"Uptight? Pretentious?" Emma laughed. "Don't even sweat it Lori, literally. You don't want pit stains when they're all snapping your glam shot."

"Oh great now I'm really getting nervous" I scrunched my face as my stomach flipped over itself.

"Stop it, I'm just kidding. You are gorgeous, our men are gorgeous, and we'll do great." I couldn't help but feel like this had also become a pep talk for her halfway through.

"You're right." I grinned at her through the mirror. "You haven't shown me your dress yet" I changed the topic.

"Neither have you!" She exclaimed.

"Thats because I haven't seen it yet!!" I protested.

"What??" She released my hair from the iron and widened her eyes.

"Val literally dropped it off at my apartment before I came here. I didn't get a chance to look at it or even try it on."

Emma continued to stare at me in the mirror with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing" She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as she finished curling my hair. She didn't need to say anything for me to know what she was thinking.

Killian and I hadn't spoken much since we returned from Seattle. I figured that he was just busy with the business with it being the end of the year and all, but I still couldn't help like the distance was intentional. And I could tell Emma knew that something was up. I hadn't told her about what I inherited from my Uncle. I couldn't dare to. It took her forever to accept Adam. I couldn't accept it myself and neither could Killian. How could I handle my best friend feeling the same?

"And done!" Emma grinned as she brushed through my curls and fluffed my brown hair. "You look like a goddess!! Now I just need to fix my hair, then we'll get our dresses on, and then get picked up by our handsome men.. and then be the faces of People Magazine!"

I giggled at her excitement and grabbed the straightener. "Do you want me to help?"

"Oh god no get that thing away from me" Her face scrunched and I laughed. I was never allowed to have hot tools around Emma's hair after I accidentally burned off a piece before a party in college.

Once Emma was done we pulled our gowns out of their garment bags. Hers resembled merlot with long sleeves and a deep V-neck. The soft velvet fabric fell to the floor, leaving just a peak of her toes from beneath them.

"You like?" She did a twirl. "I think I'm going to slick my hair back into a low pony, that way it doesn't take the attention away from the dramatic cut and cleavage" She looked at herself in the mirror and pulled her hair back.