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at the ridiculous thought and then focus again on the task at hand. Maybe insistence will get her attention.
    “Please, Max, please ? Scout’s honor—I really think this is the one!” I call across the living room.
    My voice is barely not a whine. I do this because I know the touch of desperation will tick her off.
    “You dress yourself every day, and you seem to have made it this far in life without my help.” She whips an angry hand off her keyboard and points to whatever crazy T-shirt she’s wearing today as some kind of evidence. “I’m not exactly the reigning fashion plate.”
    I allow myself a small smile, because she’s not looking up at me anyway. I knew if I annoyed her enough she’d engage, and if she’s grouchy at least she’s not zoning out in her own little world. I’ve started to worry about her lately. She’s seemed so aimless since she graduated, and while she’s opened up to me and Miko in a lot of ways, in some ways she’s more closed off than ever. So even though I know I drive her crazy, I keep prodding her because on some level, I think it’s good for Max to be challenged.
    Speaking of which, she’s still mesmerized by her screen. Time to bring out the big guns.
    “And yet when you need to, you can somehow bust out a designer ensemble and makeup inspired by WWD ,” I say sarcastically. “And yeah, you only wear black nail polish, but you and I both know it’s Chanel. You know, at first I thought your bipolar style was accidental, but then when you did that smoky purple eye for Miko’s party and it was exactly like the last Burberry ad, I—”
    “Oh, for freak’s sake!” She slams her laptop closed and glares at me from across the room. I knew that would work.
    “Look, you’ve been my roommate for six months—”
    “Seven and a half,” I interrupt with a wink.
    Max doesn’t even pause for a breath.
    “And in that time you’ve managed to start and lose a job working at one of the biggest event-planning firms in the nation. I get that your boss was a soul-sucking nightmare, and that likely made your first months in LA feel like a profound life experience. Then, in sheer defiance of the laws of reality, you and Miko start your own company—”
    “All because of your support and encouragement,” I interrupt again.
    Again, she ignores me.
    “—and you’ve actually managed to grow your client base, which is, frankly, way more than anyone expected so soon. Top it off with the fact that you’re officially dating Brody now.”
    I can’t help but sigh a little at the mention of his name. My crush-level on this man is reaching some pretty epic proportions. But the interlude is brief; Max is still on her rant, and I’m going to have to say something or this could go on all day.
    “That’s a lot of big things in a short period of time, and I can understand how you’d think that somehow bonds us or whatever, but—”
    “Oh, come off it, Max,” I laugh. “I just want you to help me figure out what to wear. Like it or not, that’s what friends do, and despite your gruff exterior, your constant scowling, and your pretended indifference, that’s what we are. Now”—I wiggle my eyebrows dramatically—“what do you think of this one?”
    I strike an expectant pose not unlike the BCBG mannequin who inspired this sassy little ensemble. The outfit feels sophisticated to me, and for my first real date with Brody, I’m going to need all the help I can get. I tucked a tight white T-shirt into a pleated black silk skirt that falls just below my knees. Both the black booties and the little leather tuxedo jacket are loans from Miko, leftovers from the days when our boss enforced an all-black dress code. Also, since I spent over an hour doing it, I can safely say my makeup is flawless. My hair is twisted back in a low messy bun. I feel a little naked without my hair being teased up to Jesus, but I’m nervous about how nice a restaurant we’re going to, and I don’t want to