“I didn’t have a prom either,” Zoe said, elbowing him in the ribs, “but I at least can remember how much I wanted to get all dressed up and go.”
“Ah,” Will began to counter, sliding his forefinger against the slope of her nose. Her cheeks flushed with heat at the touch. “You went to Comic-Con, though.”
Zoe hid the sly smile by turning her head to the side. “Dressing up as the ultimate warrior princess was worth missing my prom.”
Will placed both hands on her shoulders. She glanced up into his dark eyes and a flutter rushed in the pit of her stomach. “Wait, you dressed up in a frayed leather skirt and bustier?”
Her response was a grin. She already saw the wheels in his head turning. No, she didn’t still have the outfit, but Zoe did have a pair of black spikey boots and star-spangled panties. Didn’t everyone?
“You two should totally come tonight,” blurted out one of the girls closest to the two of them. “I’m on the prom committee and I could totally get you in. You guys would totally be the coolest chaperones.”
Will paused at the top step for a moment and wiggled his brows. “I’m totally up for the after-prom,” he whispered in Zoe’s ear. Some of the girls giggled. Maybe not at what he said, but at the way Zoe stumbled on the step.
* * *
Later on in the afternoon, after a trip to the ice cream shop for milk shakes and the pizza parlor for pizza and wings, Will returned to the hotel. The cars had disappeared from the parking lot. The lines had thinned down to a few girls getting their hair and nails done in the dining room and living room. He wondered if Zoe was finished. Will thought of the Creative Design Director position. Zoe displayed great leadership when it came to organizing the girls. She didn’t panic, and her generosity in sharing her skills with these girls in their time of need humbled him. He wasn’t sure how many of the interviewees would have taken time out of their day to help.
Because he’d been running back and forth all afternoon, he never got a chance to see the prom girls when Zoe was done with them. Will hated to admit he was frightened at first to see what kind of looks she’d placed on the girls. This would have been a live résumé for her. All the jobs in her portfolio were of heavily made-up people, although there were several artistic pictures. But Ravens Cosmetics didn’t need artwork displayed on its clients’ faces.
What Will wouldn’t mind seeing, however, was a repeat of the view from this morning when she’d opened the door after her shower. The droplets of water against her brown skin haunted his brain, in a pleasant way. Damn, he couldn’t take much more of this torture.
“Oh, hey, there you are.” Kenzie’s voice caught Will’s attention. She rounded the corner from the kitchen with a pile of black garment bags in her arms blocking her face.
Will hurried toward her. “Let me get those. What are you doing with all of this stuff?”
“Evening attire,” said Kenzie. She stretched her arms, then massaged her biceps. “Courtesy of Grits and Glam Gowns.”
Lexi’s shop, Will remembered. He draped the bags over one arm. “Where do you want the rest of these?”
“Come with me,” Kenzie said, waving her arm down the other hallway. “We start down here.”
As they made their way to each female guest’s door, Kenzie went on about how excited she was about tonight. Even Will started to get excited. With each delivery of a dress, the ladies all squealed with youthful excitement, much like the teenagers from this morning.
“Have you enjoyed your time here at Magnolia Palace?” Kenzie asked. They waited for the elevator. She insisted he not climb the stairs with the rest of the garments.
Will nodded. “This place has been wonderful.”
“I’m kind of partial to it, myself.”
“Are you and Ramon partners?”
“No!” Kenzie hissed. Her light brown cheeks reddened and her lips pressed together. Quickly she shook her head and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “I mean, we’re not partners. I just have a deep-rooted attachment to this place.”
“Did your parents get engaged here, like Zoe’s folks?”