Free The Family Man by Trish Millburn Page B

blow Adam away.”
    “I seriously doubt that.” But Sara gave up the fight in the face of three opponents. She’d let them do their best and hope she ended up passable. She’d done a lot harder things in her life than fumble her way through an ill-advised date. Like accepting she’d probably never see her own mother again.
    She shook off the memories and allowed Ruby to pull clothes from the closet and hold them up to her. This went on, Ruby and Tana making remarks pro or con along the way, for a good five minutes until Ruby found a red, wraparound dress in the darkest corner of the closet.
    “Oh, yeah, that’s more like it,” Tana said. “Good V-neck, flowy skirt, pretty.”
    “This will look wonderful with your dark coloring,” Ruby added, then proceeded to dig in the floor of the closet. “Please tell me you have some shoes to go with that.”
    She hadn’t worn the dress since a three-day cruise she’d taken the year before she’d come to Horizon Beach. Did she still have the shoes? She eyed the interior of the closet and spotted a shoebox under aduffel bag. “There.” She pointed toward the box, and Ruby retrieved it.
    Tana removed the cover and pulled out the red satin slingbacks. Sara could still hear the saleslady’s voice as she’d waxed poetic about the shoe’s “rounded peep toe” and “adorable pleat accent.”
    “Oh, pretty,” Lilly said as her eyes grew wider.
    While Tana toed the line between cute and trendy and walking anime/goth girl, Lilly was all girly-girl and hadn’t met a bow or frill she didn’t love with all of her little girl heart.
    “Sara, I’m seeing a whole new side of you,” Ruby said with a wicked grin.
    “Those have been worn exactly once, on a cruise ship.”
    “Well, it’s time we put them back into service. These shoes were made for dancing. Among other things.” Ruby said the last part under her breath so only Sara could hear her.
    Sara’s mouth dropped open a little at the implication. “Ruby,” she scolded. But she couldn’t help the thrill of possibility that soared through her at the thought that Adam might think the same thing.
    After Tana picked out jewelry she deemed appropriate, she and Ruby ushered Sara into the bathroom and made her sit on the closed toilet lid. For the next half hour, they brushed and curled and applied makeup like they were on a cable makeover show competing for fame and glory.
    When they finally stood back and admired their handiwork, their mouths stretched with big, satisfied smiles. That had to be good, right?
    Lilly scooted her way in front of them, stopped and stared. “Mommy, you’re bootiful.”
    Sara choked up at her darling daughter’s assessment. It had all been worth it even if when she looked in the mirror she looked like Tammy Faye Baker or Marilyn Manson. She kissed Lilly on the cheek then stood and turned toward the mirror.
    “Oh.” She couldn’t believe the image staring back at her. She didn’t look scary at all. She turned her face so that her bruised cheek was toward the mirror. She couldn’t even see the discoloration. She bit her lip.
    “Don’t you dare cry and mess up our work,” Ruby said.
    “You like it?” Tana asked, some of her lovable snarkiness giving way to the need to please.
    Sara turned away from her image in the mirror and hugged Tana close. “Yes. I think you two might be miracle workers.”
    “It’s just makeup and hair product,” Tana said. “You’re already pretty.”
    “And I don’t think we’re going to be the only people to think so,” Ruby said with satisfaction lighting her pale blue eyes.
    The nervousness returned full force, and Sara brought her hand to her stomach again. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
    Ruby spun her around and pushed her toward the bedroom. “No, you’re not. You’re going to go and have a marvelous time.”
     
    W HEN S ARA SPOTTED Adam outside the hotel ballroom, she thought maybe Ruby was right. Her breath caught at the sight of