The Billionaire's Practice Kiss - Tamie Dearen Page 0,3
come?
“Nothing that’s any of your business.” Her arms pushed the garment bag toward him. “Here you go. I just need you to sign off on this.”
“Sign off?” He took the bag, which seemed too heavy for a single dress. She must’ve brought several along, an odd action if she didn’t want the job.
“Yes, sign off. Look, even if I was a little late, I need credit for coming. I don’t expect a tip, but I have to prove I got it here.”
He was pretty sure steam was coming out his ears. Josiah would get an earful from Logan about this woman’s behavior. She’d come with no intention of taking the weekend job. She’d shown up simply to get a quick five hundred dollars and be on her way. Logan had no intention of paying her under those circumstances.
Since he’d eliminated her as a candidate, he looked up, gasping at the fiery glare aimed his direction. Her indigo blue eyes were striking, and probably would’ve been huge if they hadn’t been narrowed at him. Her brown hair fell in soft waves past the tops of her shoulders. She flipped it behind them. It was then that he noticed a rather large patch of wrinkled purplish skin on the right side of her face.
“You have a scar.”
He regretted his words the instant they left his mouth. It sounded so demeaning, as if a scar would prevent someone from being a model. She probably fit right in at Josiah’s agency. It wasn’t called Remarkable Models for no reason. But he could see she’d have been gorgeous without the prominent mark on her cheek. His pity surged, but she wasn’t intimidated by his blunder.
“Yes, I have a scar.” With her jaw jutted forward, she pulled her right sleeve partway up, the entire forearm scarred, though the appearance was less purple. “I have one here, too. Do you want to make something of it?”
He’d obviously hurt her feelings, and he was embarrassed to have been so insensitive. At least he had the good sense not to ask how it had happened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“And here, too.” She yanked up the leg of her jeans, exposing more scarring on her shapely calf.
He couldn’t help but admire her courageous attitude. He could barely show his face in public, and he had no such disfigurement as an excuse. Just a social discomfort he’d nursed into a full-blown phobia. If only he had this woman’s blatant disregard for the opinions of others, he could saunter into that wedding with confidence.
“Just check the bag, please.” Her foot tapped on the floor.
“I thought you said you had plans for the evening. You still want me to look at the dress?”
“What dress? I don’t think they gave me a dress!” Her eyes squeezed shut. “Cripes! I can’t afford to make another trip over there and back.”
Her words made no sense. She must’ve misunderstood when Josiah explained the possible job.
“Josiah was supposed to tell you to bring a formal dress for the wedding.” Logan strode out of the entry into his living room to lay the weighty garment bag out on his couch. “If you don’t have the dress, what’s in here?”
“Just some shirts, three pairs of pants, and a tuxedo.”
“A tuxedo? Why would you have a…” As he unzipped the bag, he recognized his own clothes inside and slammed his palm against his forehead. His dry-cleaning. He’d forgotten all about it in the frenzy of the interviews. Realization dawned, heating his face. He was such an idiot. “You’re with Bring-It-To-Me, aren’t you? Do you even know Josiah?”
“Who’s Josiah? The guy at the dry cleaners?” She chewed her plump lower lip in an adorable manner that made something feel warm deep inside. “That’s all he gave me. I swear he didn’t say anything about a dress.”
“I’m so sorry…uh…I didn’t even get your name.”
“Ellery.”
“Ellery, I thought you were someone else. Someone who was supposed to be a blind date for a friend’s wedding. I’m so sorry I was rude.”
She tilted her head, a dazzling smile stretching her lips. His heart flip-flopped against his ribs.
“I hate to be critical,” she said, “but you shouldn’t have been rude, even if I had been your blind date. It’s not exactly the best way to start a relationship.”