"Who cares?" Rosie handed over another dress. "You don't know her."
"This is exactly what happened when I went to that fundraiser at the Spensor Museum." Amanda's cheeks flushed at the memory. "Everyone thought I was his paid escort."
"That blue dress did make you look hot," Rosie said, giggling.
"I don't want to be hot!" Well, that was a little white lie, but whatever. She didn't want to be viewed as a hooker.
"Amanda." Rosie tapped her foot on the carpet. "Every woman wants to be hot for the right man."
"Logan is not the right man. I'm going out with Josh this Friday." Damn, she hadn't meant to say that. On the other hand, the sooner the office gossip mill got hold of the fact, the better.
"Excellent," Rosie said cheerfully. "You can wear the gold dress for that date, also. See how economical we're being?"
Amanda had to laugh. "You do know how to look on the bright side of everything."
"Exactly." Rosie leaned down to straighten the hem on a black cocktail dress. "You stick with me, and you'll go places."
"Into the unemployment line, when Logan sees how much you're spending."
Rosie frowned. "I think black is too severe for you." She waved a hand. "Take it off." She plucked another dress off its hanger. "As for Logan, he has so much money that no clothing wardrobe could make a dent in it."
"You don't know that."
Rosie tilted her head to view the new dress at an angle. "I may not have the facts and figures, but he owns all of Winter Enterprises. He ain't poor."
"He has some partners. We don't know what stakes they each have."
"The man has a private jet, for God's sake. He has an oceanfront estate on Cape Cod."
"He does?" That was one of the first facts Amanda had ever heard about his private life. She couldn't resist prying for more information. "How do you know that?"
"Well, the caretaker has been buggin' me about some upkeep for the house. I had to send a contractor over there." Rosie grinned. "So, once I had the address, I looked it up on Zillow."
"I wonder who lives there. Does he have family?"
Rosie moved in a little closer and lowered her voice. "My aunt warned me never, on pain of death, to ask about family."
"Strange."
"So of course, that's exactly what I want to know." Rosie flashed her leprechaun smile, a pointy triangle offset by red hair and sparkling eyes. "I've tried to ask around the company, but if anyone knows anything, they're keepin' it to themselves."
"It's really not our business." Amanda glanced in the mirror. Wow, this was another knockout dress. Rosie did have a knack for choosing clothes.
"But nothing's more fun than finding out what we're not supposed to know, right?" Rosie narrowed her eyes. "Perfect dress. Try on the matching coat."
Amanda was glad to change the subject. She really shouldn't be gossiping about her boss. As much fun as it might be, gossip could only lead to trouble.
She added the blue dress and coat to her order. It would be perfect for the lung association gala she was attending with Josh. Her twinge of guilt was banished with a reminder that Logan had authorized these purchases to help Rosie. Plus, he would never know she was using his money to dress for another man.
***
Josh's eyes lit up when she opened the door on Friday night. "You look beautiful," he said. "You've been hiding your light."
"Thanks." Amanda smiled. "I think."
He laughed. "I guess you do need to look professional at work. Sorry if my comment was tactless."
Amanda lifted the matching coat out of her tiny closet. "No need to apologize. You're right. But I do like to dress up when I have the opportunity." Even though she felt like she was lying by omission, she could hardly tell Josh that Logan was buying her a wardrobe to help Rosie get a design business off the ground.
He helped her on with the coat and then crooked his elbow for her hand. "Ready?"
Downstairs, he hailed a taxi and, when they reached their destination, they had a brief tussle over who would pay for the cab.
"You got the tickets," Josh said. "So I should pay for everything else."
"But this isn't a date," Amanda argued. "Remember? Even if it was, I asked you so I should pay." It was hard to be so noble when she was budgeting every penny, but right was right.
"If I asked you out, would you expect me to pay for everything?"