I see him standing there, watching me. I hustle around the other actors, getting their clothes together. Compliment them on how they look. Help them pick out the right pair of shoes. And still, he stands there. I don’t know what just happened. Was I really that rude? Did I say something that inappropriate? The conversation that Finn and I just had runs over and over in my head. I didn’t mean to insult him. I don’t know if I did. He just got mad for no reason. I want to apologize to make things right, but I can’t. Not now. Still, an apology is in order so that we can work together without issues in the future.

“Excuse me,” I say to Lindsey. “I’ll be right back.” She smiles and continues to try on shoes. I’ve never met someone so in love with shoes before. I doubt that she will even notice if I don’t ever come back.

I walk over to Finn, determined to put this whole thing behind us. The expression on his face changes when he sees me getting closer. It looks as if, for a second, he gets scared. Timid. But then catches himself.

“Finn, I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot back there. I didn’t mean to insult you about anything.”

“No, you didn’t. Not at all. I was being a dick. I have a lot on my mind right now, and I shouldn’t have said that. Any of that.”

“Okay,” I sigh deeply. “That’s a weight off my mind.”

I feel tension and relief leaving my shoulders. I turn around to walk away.

“It is?” he asks.

“What?”

“That’s a weight off your mind?” he asks. Why is he pushing this? What is going on?

“Well, yes. I don’t want to have any unresolved conflict with anyone I work with. And I just wanted to come over and apologize, in case I said something to offend you.”

“Oh, I see,” he nods. “That’s what I thought. Well, as I’ve said before, I’m sorry too.”

“No worries. Let’s just toss this up to a misunderstanding.”

“Got it,” he says. Finn flashes me a smile and my heart melts a little. I take a deep breath and force myself to go back to work.

Is this really happening, Chloe? I say to myself. Are you developing a crush on him? Finn Dalton? How pathetic! How cliché! Every girl in the world has a crush on him. Dolly has set up a date for you for Saturday night. You’re going to look stunning and meet an actual eligible bachelor. Someone without baggage. Someone whose longest relationship isn’t a week.

I talk to myself in second-person whenever I need to convince myself of something. It gives me a sense of authority. But it doesn’t always work. I’m not one to acquiesce to authority easily. So, as I say these things to myself, I keep glancing over at Finn, who continues to stare at me from a distance. Why won’t he look away? Why does his gaze have to be so entrancing?

---

After work that evening, I brave through LA traffic and arrive on Rodeo Drive just in time. I’ve lived in LA for years, but have never actually been here. Of course, I never told Lila that. She would have a fit and insist that we go there right away. Even though every single store here sells pants that cost as much as we pay for rent. Luckily, there’s street parking in front of Charlotte’s – a boutique where Dolly told me to meet her. Dolly is standing outside the boutique with a cup of Starbucks coffee, watching me parallel park. My parallel parking is not the most embarrassing thing about this moment, though. It’s really the fact that I can’t open the driver’s door and have to get out through the front passenger door. Luckily, I wore skinny jeans and nothing gets caught on anything.

“You didn’t have to wait for me outside,” I say.

“I wasn’t going to, I was just finishing my coffee,” Dolly says giving me a brief hug.

Even though she’s at least twenty-five years older than I am, I feel older than she looks. I’m haggard and tired from a long and stressful day at work, and she looks refreshed and well-rested. She’s wearing a pair of to-die-for Louboutins with the red soles, and a tight black pant suit. Again, all of her assets are on full display, starting with her hair down to her five-carat diamond ring. I don’t actually know how many carats that diamond ring is – I don’t know anything about jewelry – but it looks big. I’ve never seen anything that big on a person, but I know it’s not a fake. Even as evening falls, it sparkles with full intensity.

“Sorry, my car is still in the shop,” I say apologizing for the shitty Honda. It is in stark contrast with every other car on this street. On this street, BMWs and Mercedes look like they belong to middle-class people.

“Oh, don’t apologize honey. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re here to spend money and, as long as that’s the case, no one is going to look twice at you.”

I hear what she’s saying, but I don’t exactly believe her.

“Dolly, I was thinking,” I say, taking her aside before she could open the door. “Maybe this isn’t a very good idea. This guy you’re setting me up with, he has money. He expects to be with a woman who knows how to spend money. I’m not that girl. As much as I love fashion, this isn’t the place for me. I can’t afford a single thing in there.”

“Oh don’t be silly, Chloe. The last thing this man, or any man wants, is a woman who knows how to spend money. And you don’t have to pay for a single thing. This is an expense of running my business.”

I’m still hesitant, but I stop protesting so much. It’s getting embarrassing. I follow her inside the boutique.

“We will need to look at your evening dresses,” Dolly announces. “She has a very important black-tie event this Saturday and she needs to look stunning.”

Two women run over to us and show us to the evening dress section in the back. They offer us drinks and coffee, and Dolly takes a glass of champagne. She picks out three dresses and sends me inside the spacious changing room. Everyone waits outside. I slip on the first dress. Light blue, full-length. It’s made of airy, breathable chiffon and it flows along with me as I move. When I walk outside, Dolly smiles with her whole body.

“Gorgeous,” she says.

I nod. It’s actually breathless. I feel like a princess in it.

“It’s beautiful,” I say.

“Do you love it?”

I twirl around in the mirror. The dress has thin straps and holds my breasts in just the right way. I’m not very well endowed, but from the way the cups are, you’d never know.

“Yes,” I say decidedly.

“Perfect, we’ll take it,” she says, finishing her glass of champagne and taking out her wallet.

“What? But I have two other ones to try on.”

“Chloe, I live my life by a certain philosophy. If you find something that you love, you grab it and hold on to it. You don’t go around comparing it to what other people have. Those kind of comparisons can only lead to trouble. That’s my philosophy in love and in life. And especially in clothes. If you tell me that you love the dress, and I see how happy you look wearing it, then what’s the point of comparing it to something else?”

I never thought about that before, but changing back into my jeans and blouse, I realize that Dolly is right. Comparisons only make you feel shitty about what you already have. In fact, I even read this article not long ago, which said when people are presented with a large variety of choices of a certain product, they are often overwhelmed and end up less happy than if they were just presented with a few choices. Dolly is perfectly right. Wow, I can’t believe I never got this before.

I wait as Dolly pays for the dress ($750!) and the woman packs it up for us.

“And what I said before is especially true about men,” Dolly says. “Once you find the one, don’t waste your time comparing him to anyone else. There is no one else like him, and you won’t find out if he’s the right one for you by turning outward. The only way you’ll know that is by going deep inside yourself.”

“So, how do you feel about this whole thing?” Dolly asks, handing me the garment bag outside the boutique.

“I feel okay, I guess. I’d feel better if I knew who this person was. Or anything about him. What does he do for a living?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you that,” she says with a shrug.

“Why?”

“Because it will affect the quality of the date.”

“Why? Is he famous or something? Are you afraid I’m going to Google him beforehand?”

“No, he’s not famous. Still, that has happened in the past on a few occasions. But that’s not why.”

“So why?” I ask impatiently.

“Because he doesn’t know anything about you, and it would be unfair for me to tell you anything about him. I want this to be as…organic as possible.”

I toss my hair from one shoulder to another while opening the passenger side of my car with the key.

“There’s nothing organic about this whole thing,” I say. I catch her staring at my key. “Hey, you might laugh about this thing now, but in the future. This car is going to be a relic. There aren’t many around that you still have to open by sticking the key into the lock,” I say jokingly.

“Be at the Beverly Hilton Hotel by 7 p.m. on Saturday,” she tells me as I slide over to the driver’s side.

“How am I supposed to know who he is?” I ask.

“I’ll think of something. He’ll find you. Do you have shoes that go with this dress?”

“Yeah, either I do or my sister does. I think I have some beige or black stilettos that will go well with it.”

“Perfect. Have a great date! I’ll text you the details.”

I drive away with the garment bag and the most expensive dress I’ve ever held in my hands in the seat next to me. Everything about the exchange today should’ve felt off. It should’ve felt strange and uncomfortable. And many parts were, but something also felt sort of right. It’s hard to explain, but I feel like I’m supposed to be there at this gala. Even though the last time I went to a black tie event, it was prom!

Just as I find the perfect parking spot, only a street away from my apartment building, my phone rings. It must be Dolly. Same area code and the first few numbers look familiar.

“Hey,” I answer.

“Hi.” His voice comes in crystal clear, sending shivers down my back. No, this can’t be him. Right?

“Chloe? Are you there?” he asks.

“Who is this?” I ask. My voice cracks in the middle. I cough a little to hide that fact.

“Finn. Finn Dalton.”

So, it is him.

“Hi. How did you get this number?”

“From Martha. I told her that I need to talk to you about something. I hope that’s okay.”

“Okay,” I say slowly. What would Finn Dalton have to talk to me about?

“I was actually calling about the dry cleaning. You said that you were going to get my stuff dry cleaned—“

“Oh my God. Yes, of course!” I interrupt him, talking way too fast. “I’m so, so sorry. I forgot the clothes back at work.”

“Oh…okay.”

“Is this an emergency? Is it okay if I get it to you in a day or two?”

“Yes, that’s fine. Perfectly fine,” he says. But I don’t believe him. There’s hesitation in his voice. He isn’t happy.

Someone honks at me. I suddenly realize that I’m sitting in the middle of the street, and I have not parked yet.

“Hold on a second,” I say and put him on speaker phone. I maneuver the car poorly into the parking spot and nearly side swipe the one next to me.

“Shit,” I say out loud.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m just in the car. Parallel parking. I’m not very good at it.”

“Oh, no worries. I just heard someone honking.”

“Yeah, there’s like four cars behind me and they aren’t too happy with how awful I am.”

I finally put the car into park and pick up the phone.

“So, is it okay if I get your car to the dry cleaner tomorrow? Or should I go back for it tonight.”

“My car?”

“I mean, your clothes.” I’m talking way too fast now. It’s like my mouth is working independently from my mind. How is that even possible?

“Oh yes, of course. I was just checking. And honestly, you don’t have to do it at all. I can get my assistant to do it.”

“Your assistant?” I ask before I get a chance to catch myself. Of course, he has an assistant. He’s a movie star. Big time movie star. What’s wrong with you Chloe?

“Yes, my assistant. She usually does that kind of thing for me.”

“Oh okay, got it. But that’s not necessary. I said I’ll do it, and I will. During lunch tomorrow.”

“Okay,” he says quietly. Suddenly, there’s a long pause. Neither of us says anything. I know that he’s just looking for a way to hang up without being too rude. But for some reason, I can’t come up with anything.

“So…what are you doing tonight?” he asks. I nearly drop my phone.

“Tonight? Um, nothing really,” I say. “Oh wait, what time is it?”

“Almost eight.”

“No, I take that back. I actually have work. My real job. It’s not too far from where I live but I can’t be late.”

“You have another job?” he asks.

“Yeah. I’m a waitress at Fat Dog on Fairfax. It’s like a bar/pub place.”

“Oh, I think I know where it is. You work there?”

“Yep,” I say.

“Well, I’ll have to stop by sometime and see you in action.”

“Okay then,” I whisper. Did this really happen? Is Finn Dalton really going to come see me wait tables? No, he’s just being nice. He has to be. Right?

“Are you working this weekend?” he asks.

“Yes. I mean, no,” I say, trying to climb out of the car holding the phone, the garment bag and my purse. I don’t have much time and I need to get home, drop all this stuff, change, get my apron and walk to work.

“What?”

“Um, I’m supposed to, but I’m doing something else Saturday night. So I have to call off.”

Why is he asking me all of these questions? And a better question is why the hell am I telling him all of this?

“Oh, hot date?” he asks flirtatiously.

“Actually, yes. I guess,” I say. “Listen, I can’t talk now. I’m really running late. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay. Don’t work too hard,” Finn says and hangs up. For a second, I listen to the silence that his voice left behind. It feels like he’s still there, but he’s not. And I’m really late.