"I think I'm about to cry," Molly pouted as she looked at Carmen in the mirror, her eyes already ready for the waterworks. "I feel like my heart might combust if I looked at you any longer," then, her eyes lit up and a grin crept across the corner of her lips. "So just imagine what that would do to Mr Walsh?!"
Carmen's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. Just hearing the way Molly so dramatically and teasingly took his name, did something funny beneath her chest, a knot loosening and setting some incredibly excited butterflies free in her stomach. She turned around to see her closest friend standing at the doorway, as Suzan, the makeup artist, packed her belongings and prepared to leave.
"I bet Mr Walsh won't be able to keep his hands off her tonight," Suzan said with a smirk, as Carmen felt pinpricks all over her neck and down her spine. "And if he did, consider this service provided free of charge by me."
Molly looked thrilled. "You are a vicious woman, Suz!" she pointed a finger at Suzan, but Carmen could tell it was meant to be playful. "You only make bets you know you'll win, and we both know Mr Walsh would devour her the moment he lay eyes on her." She winked.
Now, Carmen wished to combust. "Shut up, you guys!" She chastised them both before turning around and taking another long look in the mirror.
Carmen couldn't lie, but the woman who gazed back at her in the mirror did look breathtaking. Her dark hair was curled down the length and bouncy at the tips, rather than the usual straight and drab. An off-the-shoulder champagne satin gown clung to her body in the most stunning way, accentuating her lovely curves and that creamy leg that seemed to be on display due to a wicked slit running down her beautiful thigh.
Carmen had wanted to wear nude lipstick for the night, something she always, always and practically always wore—something she felt comfortable in—but four hours ago Suzan and Molly had hijacked her room and any recommendations that came out of Carmen's mouth were outrightly ignored. Now she wore bright red lipstick that made her look so…different.
Carmen finally understood why they called that move a game-changer. It completely changed the way she looked. It made her look like someone who was used to being invited to such exclusive evening gatherings, wearing such expensive fabrics, and feeling beautiful every time she looked at herself in the mirror or in the eyes of the others around her.
Ronin, on the other hand, had never made her feel this way. The only time he cared about what she wore throughout their nine-month marriage was during one of those inaugural parties when he was the star guest and his mom and grandpa forced him to bring her with him. Being put into a position like that was so very mortifying. Not only for Carmen but also for Ronin. She could tell he had no intention of keeping her anywhere around him. Sometimes he looked so miserable standing next to her, or sitting at the dining table at his parents' place, that Carmen felt sick and so heartbroken from the inside.
But her chapter with Ronin and his family was over. She was ready to move on with her life, something she should have done long before Ronin slapped those divorce papers on the dining table. It was such a boisterous wake-up call to her dignity, Carmen's conscience hadn't slept a wink ever since that morning.
But things were finally looking up. From going back to work—something Ronin had shunned her throughout their married life—to dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, Carmen couldn't believe this drastic turn her life had taken. It was all so unbelievable, felt so unrealistic, that sometimes she'd wake up in the middle of the night and pinch herself to be sure it wasn't a dream.
It was not. Because every night she woke up since she met Simon, he'd be right there with her, his strong and heavy arm so carefully thrown around her waist, her face buried in the crook of his neck, and this warm feeling growing throughout her being, the feeling of being desired by a man like Simon Walsh.
Oh, and where to even begin with Simon Walsh? The man was a dream come true and everything Carmen never thought she deserved. Not only was he mind-fuckingly gorgeous and charming and maybe a little wicked, but he was also the founder of one of the world's most exclusive cruise lines. His family name was as well-known as Logan's if not less.
In fact, if these two families were in the same business, they could have been aggressive competitors, and this little fling between Carmen and Simon would not have happened. After her divorce from Ronin, the last thing she wanted was to be in such an ugly limelight. It had already been a blessing how little the media knew about her. All thanks to her ex-husband and the millions he spent to keep his private life as airtight as possible.
"Earth to Carmen?" Molly's cheerful voice was enough to bring Carmen back to reality. "Where did you go? Hopefully, not having another steamy make-out session with Simon in your head, are you? What the hell, Carmen, when did you become so naughty?" Her eyes twitched playfully while she couldn't stop grinning for the life of her.
Carmen smacked her stupid friend across the back of the head, before noticing that Suzan had already left.
"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" Molly stepped back, rubbing her head, and giving Carmen a half-serious look.
"For being overdramatic and absolutely annoying." Carmen rolled her eyes, trying to look pissed off, but in reality, she was just casually freaking out from the inside. She had no idea what tonight meant or what any of this meant, or what Simon was thinking when he asked her to be his date. It was all so confusing. This all felt so incredibly rushed, not to mention, insane.
"You're doing it again," Molly pointed out as she plopped on the bed and folded her legs in a sitting position. She was still in her Smurf pajamas and a tank top that seemed like something Carmen would wear for her morning runs.
Carmen blinked, grimacing, and trying her best to not make it obvious how sweaty her hands already were. "Doing what?"
"Overthinking." She said as if that was oh so obvious. Then again, maybe it was. Carmen had never been that difficult to read. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, and her eyes always revealed how she felt on the inside. It was why it hurt the most that Ronin never looked at her for even a second too long, because if he had, he would have known how many times his cold and callous attitude toward her had crushed her heart.
But he never knew. Because he never gave a damn. And it had to be the worst thing in the world since they had spent nine months under the same roof and not a single moment when she felt as if she belonged.
"I'm not sure why you're feeling so bad about it," Molly grumbled, rolling her eyes. "That asshole moved on with his life before you even signed the divorce papers. Banging that bitch when you were still at home. I still get so mad thinking about it. I swear to God. I have no idea how you handled it without bashing someone's head. Because if I were in your shoes, I would have definitely murdered him in his sleep. And dragged that Jenna by the hair right out of my house." She paused to take a breather, having said all that in one breath. The next time she spoke, her eyes softened and her shoulders sagged. "Since he isn't thinking about you, Carmen, please don't think about him either. He doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve you."
An unbearable pressure behind her eyes overwhelmed Carmen, so much so that she couldn't breathe or speak for a whole minute. Thankfully, she didn't have to. Someone rang the doorbell, reminding the two friends it was time to get going.
Without wasting a second longer, Molly ushered Carmen out of the room and down the stairs before her best friend could change her mind and wasted all the pain Suzan and Molly had gone through in the last four hours. Carmen might be as gullible as a fish but there were certain things in life she would never compromise on. And to change the way she looked, had to be one of them. In fact, it was right on top of the list.
Since childhood, Carmen had always been against all cosmetics and hair treatments in salons. It was as if she was appalled by their sight. Molly was certain it had something to do with Carmen's mom—in fact, she was sure it was—but not wanting to upset her friend, Molly kept her curiosity to herself and learned all the makeup and grooming hacks online. Molly developed a fascination for cosmetics for the same reason, which led her to pursue a degree in cosmetic science before launching her own line of organic cosmetics six months ago. All that was made possible because of Carmen, because not only did she help Molly discover her passion, but she also provided her with the funds that gave the final push to her dream.
And Molly couldn't be grateful. It was so very impossible to ask for a better friend than Carmen.
Hopefully, Simon wouldn't do anything to butcher the night and Carmen wouldn't notice that her hair was now half an inch shorter. Oops!?
Once she reached the door and was only seconds away from opening it, Carmen raised a hand and motioned for Molly to stop. She needed a second to catch her breath, to pull herself together, and to calm down this anxiousness that was thrumming through her limbs.
Carmen had thought about what Molly said. And she was right. It was time to put the past behind her and focus on what was right in front of her.
Molly opened the door and let out a silent scream at the sight of one hell of a gorgeous man standing outside. When the two of them had finished ogling his face, it was time to admire the perfectly-fitted tux, which seemed to be in love with the person wearing it. Molly had never seen the man before, and while he appeared to be familiar in the back of her mind, she knew it was their first meeting in person. There wasn't much to go on with, to doubt his motives, so she squashed that little voice in her head and focused on the present.
"You must be Mr Walsh," Molly was sure that he was, and the fact that he returned the smile and offered a slight nod of agreement proved her point. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She greeted him with a handshake.
"It gives me great joy to finally meet you as well." The way he held her hand and shook it was so gentlemanly, Molly was already swooning. "Ms Carter, If I'm not mistaken."
And he had an accent too. Damn, Carmen was about to have so much fun with this. Molly couldn't keep her excitement at bay.
"Call me Molly, please. I know you're heading to a formal gathering and all, but we can ditch the formality at home. Can't we?" She shrugged, tossing a hand on her hip.
"I suppose you're right," the man hummed, smiling handsomely. "But I have a date to impress, so please forgive me if I am unwilling to take any chances."
Carmen cleared her throat, and Molly finally remembered she wasn't the only one present to greet the man.
"Oops! Sorry, here you go." She snickered before taking a step to the side and revealing Carmen, who was standing close behind her.
If Simon thought she looked beautiful in that satin gown and red lipstick, he didn't say so. He just looked at her, as if he were looking at her for the first time, as if she were someone he hadn't expected to find when Molly moved aside.
However, before Carmen could let the doubts sprouting in her head take super control, he rendered her with one beautiful smile, walked inside and slipped her hand in his, kissing the back of it gently.
Someone in the background let out a gasp of awe.
Carmen rolled her eyes.
"Ms Price. You never cease to amaze me," he said gently, tickling the back of her neck with those carefully crafted words, his eyes burning with true admiration. "Anyway, these are for you." It was only then she noticed the bouquet of assorted flowers in his hands.
Carmen happily accepted them. "They are beautiful. Thank you."
"Of course." He smiled. "Are you ready?"
Carmen gave Molly a quick glance before taking a deep breath.
"Yes," she said, her lips spreading in a lovely smile of her own. "As ready as I can possibly be."