“Gorgeous eyes,” Charlotte piped up. “Spectacular rack. Long legs.”
“Seriously,” Lexie insisted. “Some makeup, tighter clothing, a haircut—and you’d be a perfect ten.”
“More like a solid five,” she grumbled.
“Owen does like the busty airheads in the short skirts,” Lexie conceded, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. “But I think, with a little effort, you could totally catch his eye.”
Maddie suddenly felt like a specimen under a microscope, the way the two women were studying her. How had the conversation gotten so far off track? She hadn’t meant to gripe about Owen, but the words had just spilled out, and now she couldn’t take them back. Truth was, his remark about taking one of her brothers to the wedding had really grated. Not to mention punched a couple of holes in her self-esteem. Did he really think she couldn’t find a real date?
Anger bubbled in her stomach. That man was a real ass sometimes. And totally clueless. After his comment, she’d completely shut down, refusing to start an argument over it, mostly because it was too damn embarrassing, how low his opinion of her was. And for the past two days, he’d carried on as if he hadn’t completely humiliated her, oblivious to her inner turmoil. She really was nothing but background scenery for him. An old couch or chair that he turned to whenever he needed something, but never a true blip on his radar.
And even knowing what he thought of her, she still couldn’t get the man off her mind. She loved him, idiot that she was. Had loved him from the moment she’d walked into his office and interviewed for the assistant position. Owen might not see her as feminine, but being around him made her feel that way. He was so big and sexy and masculine, and when they were in the same room, every female part of her reacted. Her nipples hardened, her breasts got achy, her clit throbbed.
“You think a makeover will actually get him to notice me?” she asked slowly.
“Hell yeah,” Lexie said with a grin.
“We can do it tomorrow when we go to the dress fitting,” Charlotte suggested.
“I don’t know…”
“Come on, Maddie, it’ll be so much fun!” Charlotte clapped her hands together. “We’ll go to the salon, do some shopping—and when you go in to work on Wednesday, you’ll knock his fucking socks off!”
As silly as this idea was, she couldn’t deny it held some appeal. She’d been waiting for Owen to notice her—her, and not just his best bud Maddie—for three years, but maybe it was time to stop waiting and take some action. No matter how infuriating he could be, no matter how clueless, she still loved the big jerk, and she wanted to be with him. So why not get his attention? Why not get dolled up and look super hot and make the damn man take notice?
“Okay, I’m in,” she announced with a grin.
Charlotte grinned back. “Does that mean I’ve got myself a bridesmaid?”
She sighed. “Looks like it.”
Lexie Price was chuckling to herself as she strode into the living room of her house and dropped her purse on the white upholstered sofa. She’d actually had a really good time at lunch, which still surprised her. Though she’d never admit it to anyone, she was terrified of meeting new people, especially other women. To everyone in town, she was the confident, successful editor of the Post. But nobody knew how hard she’d had to work, how much pressure her parents had placed on her to be “better” than everyone else, how in high school her father wouldn’t speak to her for days if she’d come home with a grade lower than an A+.
Truth was, she felt like a phony. Women like Charlotte and Maddie were so damn genuine. Genuinely smart, genuinely fun. When she was around people like that, she felt as if she were lacking something, and that was a crushing emotion that made her shut down, hence becoming the ice princess people thought she was.
But meeting Maddie had been nice. She’d truly enjoyed the woman’s sarcasm and easygoing personality. Maybe the two of them could actually be friends, which would bring her friend count up to three. Nate, who was serious and gruff and always there for her. Charlotte, who’d come to town as Lexie’s enemy and was now her closest friend. And maybe now Maddie Wilson.
She was still smiling to herself as she slid out of her blazer, revealing the lacy white camisole underneath. She kicked off her heels and headed for the kitchen, just as the doorbell rang. Wrinkling her brow, she walked across the shiny parquet floor toward the front door. Charlotte had gone to see Nate at the pub and Maddie had returned to work, so she had no idea who else would be at the door. Maybe her father, which wasn’t a fun thought. Last time he’d dropped by, it had been to give her an hour-long lecture about why the editorial she’d written didn’t quite meet the grade.
When she opened the door, however, she realized her father would have been a way better visitor.