Page 76 of The Perfect Melody

Laughing at her barrage of questions, I do my best to answer them all. “Yes, with Austin, and it’s tonight.”

“This is so exciting. I’m happy you two are already getting together—Liam thought you were going to avoid your feelings for at least another month.”

“Hey!” we both cry out, equally offended.

“Rude,” I say, knowing he can hear me.

“Says the woman who’s living a secret life to avoid dealing with her problems.”

OK, Ouch.

“Liam,” Bailey hisses, shooting a reprimanding glare at him.

“No, it’s fine,” I sigh. “He’s not wrong. Still, you could have kissed the brick before throwing it at me or whatever it is the kids are saying.”

Liam snorts. “The kids? You’re only twenty-four.”

“And yet eighteen feels like a lifetime ago.”

“Um, I don’t think that means what you think it does,” Bailey interjects between my and Liam’s bickering.

“Probably not—there’s a reason I usually have people manage my social media for me.”

“OK, let’s get back to your date. It’s tonight?”

“Yeah,” I reply, butterflies of anticipation fluttering in my chest. “I didn’t bring anything cute with me, and it’s obviously too late to order something. I was thinking about asking one of the girls to go shopping with me after we all meet for coffee, but then I realised I don’t even know what to pick to wear on a date.”

“What do you mean?” Bailey asks.

“She means she doesn’t know what to wear when she’s not being dressed up like country music Barbie,” Liam explains.

“Yes, that,” I agree.

“OK. What are you doing on the date? Is it an activity, dinner?—”

“Dinner. Not super fancy, but I believe there will be tablecloths.”

Bailey nods. “Got it. So, like a smart-casual vibe?”

“What does that even mean?”

Her eyes widen at the stress in my voice. “Don’t panic. Everything’s fine. We’re going to break this down into manageable chunks, OK?”

“OK,” I reply, unsure how she’s going to make figuring out my preferences after a lifetime of being shoved in a glittery box manageable.

“Let’s start with colours. What do you like?”

My chest feels tight and my palms are sweaty.Why is this so difficult? “Um… black? Is that too boring? Darker colours, I guess, like burgundy or maybe a royal blue?”

“OK, good. That’s good. We can totally work with that. Now let’s talk fabric.”

“No chiffon,” I reply immediately. “I’m not really a fan of lace either.”

“What about shape and style? Is there a neckline you like or a skirt shape you prefer?”

“I like v-necks for dresses and stuff. Round necklines are fine for t-shirts. Um, nothing super short? Whenever my team puts me in mini dresses, I always feel like I’m going to end up with paparazzi photos of me accidentally flashing my underwear all over the internet. Some embellishment is fine, but nothing super frilly. And no bows—no offence,” I add, knowing Bailey almost always wears an oversized bow in her hair. “They look super cute on you, but they’re just not me.”

“None taken,” she assures me. “Alright, here’s what you’re going to tell your friend you’re looking for so they can help you shop. Ready?”