“I look ridiculous!” Selena rubbed her hands over her skin-tight, black leather outfit as she stared at her reflection in the museum bathroom’s mirror.

“No, you look smokin’ hot,” Ellie reassured her as she reached up to tease the dark hair at the crown of Selena’s head.

The clothes that Millie had ordered from their company’s personal shopper and had delivered directly to the gala venue somehow fit Selena perfectly, with the exception of being tighter than anything she would ever have chosen on her own.

“It’s too tight,” she tried.

“No, it’s sexy and perfect,” Millie reassured her.

Unable to keep her insecurities at bay, Selena turned to her new friends. “What if he laughs at me?”

“Then he’ll have us to deal with,” sweet Ellie tried her best to sound tough, but she failed miserably.

“I’m sure that will frighten him,” Selena quipped sarcastically.

“It should,” Ellie stuck up for herself. “If nothing else, I can throw cupcakes at him.”

Her silly threat had all three of the women giggling. “It’s not too much?” Selena asked, seeking one final bit of confirmation.

“There isn’t a man alive that could resist you in this leather ensemble,” Millie promised her. As an afterthought, she added, “As a matter of fact, why don’t you try to slip out of here without Trey or Trevor getting a look at you in that outfit.”

Selena rolled her eyes at that. “As if either of those love-sick puppies have eyes for anyone except you two.”

Neither of the women had a comeback for that because they all knew it was absolutely true. Selena noted the confident, happy smiles that curled up the lips of the other two women and longed to feel that way herself.

She was worried that Hunter would turn her away, but her new friends looked so hopeful for her, that she felt like she had to give it a try. Besides, at this point, she knew she would always wonder what would have happened if she didn’t go.

Evidently deciding that the sleek ponytail was complete, Ellie used the restroom’s free supply of hairspray to finish off her creation. Millie had used makeup from her own beaded handbag to give Selena dark, smoky eyes and deep burgundy, shiny lips.

When they stood back, Selena turned her head from side to side, inspecting her new, tough-girl reflection. Her hair somehow had volume in the front, but was perfectly straight and sleek in the back. Her makeup was bolder than anything she would have dared to try on her own, but she had to admit that the look was incredibly striking. At least if Hunter turned her down, she would know that she had tried her best.

Nodding her approval and trying to feel as confident as she looked, she turned to her new friends. “Thank you,” she told them, infusing her words with sincerity. The two women immediately pulled her in for a group hug, surprising her with their easy warmth.

“Okay, that’s enough. We don’t want to mess up our masterpiece,” Millie said as she pulled back for one last look at Selena.

“Go get your man,” Ellie encouraged her.

Selena nodded, took a deep breath, and held her head high as she exited the restroom. It didn’t take her long to find Grant in the crowded ballroom. His impressive height, topped by a bright white puff of hair was both distinguished and unique.

His eyes twinkled as he told her that it was fine for her to leave. She could tell by the paternal way he smiled at her that he approved of her new look. Even though she didn’t tell him where she was going, he seemed to already know.

Heading for the front doors of the museum, she had to walk right past the Donovan brothers. One of them let out an appreciative whistle. Selena had no idea which man it was because they both received exasperated looks from their girlfriends. Those looks were all it took to draw the brothers’ attention back to where it belonged. Selena couldn’t help but smile to herself as she noticed out of the corner of her eye that both couples were kissing.

She was pulling her cell phone out of her purse to call for her car as she walked out the giant double doors. When she looked up to keep from falling down the museum steps, she was shocked to discover Hunter standing on the landing gazing up at her.