Take My Dress Off Read online

“I really suck at this,” he grinned. “I’m sure Maddie is regretting asking me to join you guys.”

  “You’re really not as bad as you think,” I smiled. “I’m sure it’s the flip-flops tripping you up.”

  “Sure, like that’s it. Or that I totally have two left feet,” he laughed. “Do you mind?” he asked as he held out his hand. I wasn’t his partner, I was Dillon’s of course, but the steps were the same. I took his hand and he pressed me against him. His arms felt strong and he wrapped one around my waist as I began to count to eight. He tripped and I counted again, slower. Occasionally, he would pull us off balance and I would fall into him, the light scent of Ralph Lauren’s Polo cologne lingering on his neck. We practiced for the remainder of the break and he began to catch on.

  “There, you’ve got it.”

  He leaned down to me and whispered, “I work better with you. I think Danielle’s too tall…and way bossy,” he winked.

  The group got back together and after about a million times of Rory yelling, “again” the routine was starting to take shape.

  “I swear if I hear that fucking song one more time I’m going to puke,” Dillon whispered into my hair as we kept in step.

  Finally, Rory was satisfied with our performance, reminded us of the next rehearsal time, and we were dismissed. Donny, Rory, and Maddie left for Rory’s office and most of the models started to gather back into their groups discussing what they were going to do for the rest of the afternoon. Danielle and I plopped onto the bench and kicked off our pumps.

  “Wanna trade partners?”

  “Oh, c’mon, you’re not being fair,” I chastised. “Chaz did improve from when we first started. And he’s a good sport. I’m sure he has better things to do.”

  I glanced over at him talking with Dillon. Normally, I would be drooling over Dillon while my body exploded in hormones but now…something was different. Dillon was leaning into Chaz who was listening intently, his eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed. Chaz nodded a few times and then they both looked over to me.

  Busted.

  Dillon lazily sauntered up to me, his grin becoming wider with each step. One small butterfly danced softly in my stomach. He stopped in front of me and raised his brows.

  “What?” I squeaked up to him, my throat dry.

  “You’re blocking my ball.”

  “Excuse me?” I gasped. Danielle burst out laughing. Dillon didn’t release his gaze as he squatted down between my legs, his hands resting on my knees. He reached under the bench with one hand, his head lowering even closer to my thighs as he reached for the soccer ball. I was sure I was having a heart attack as my chest tightened from this intimate and public gesture. He grinned and pushed off my knees to stand.

  “See ya,” he called, gave me a peck on the cheek, and tossed the ball to Chaz who was watching this production from across the room, a look of disapproval on his face. I caught his eyes and felt foolish, that he saw me fall apart like that. He tossed the ball back to Dillon and slowly lifted his hand and waved then followed Dillon and the rest of the guys out of the room.

  Danielle pulled me up from my collapsed state against the bench. “Dillon is such an asshole. He knows you’ve got it bad for him and he loves fucking you up. I mean he’s cute as hell and everything but I don’t know why you’re so crazy for him.”

  I picked up my bag, stuffed my pumps inside, and searched for my car keys.

  “Dillon’s been seeing Jordan for a month now. So of course he’s screwing her.”

  “Danielle, gross!”

  “Paige, you need to crush on a guy that’s available.”

  We stepped outside into the afternoon heat and walked down the steps. Dillon was climbing into Jordan’s jeep. She slid into the passenger seat and he tossed her his precious soccer ball. He hopped into the driver’s seat and fired up the jeep.

  Chaz was behind the wheel of an old blue ‘65 Mustang convertible, one hand on the wheel, one tapping against the outside of the door, The Cure blasting from the radio.

  “See you next time, ladies.” Donny brushed past us, his black backpack slung over one shoulder. He hopped over the passenger door into the front seat next to Chaz and the Mustang roared off onto the road.

  “Working tonight?” I asked as we walked to my car. Danielle worked at the mall. I hoped my modeling jobs would continue to pay well so I wouldn’t have to get a job at the mall or Rocket’s Drive-in like everyone else.

  “Yeah, Miller’s Outpost sucks but at least it’s air conditioned,” she laughed. “We can’t all be Christie Brinkley like you.”

  Chapter Two

  “Maddie this makes no sense, in fact I think it’s ridiculous,” I said as we sat on her bed and folded towels.

  For the last set of the show formal wear would be shown. Rory thought it would be cute if Donny and I lip-synched a song next to a piano as the homecoming dresses were shown. The models would present like they were at a school dance in a gym and would be called out of the dance to come down the runway to model the clothes.

  Maddie pursed her lips and stopped folding. “I really want you to do it, the audience will love it.”

  I didn’t think they would love it. In fact I was sure I would be ridiculed for months.

  “What song?” Oh God, please don’t let it be something lame.

  “I don’t know, Rory picked something.” Maddie’s reply did not ease my concern. It was probably something stupid from Flashdance. We already had a routine to Shandi Sinnamon’s He’s a Dream.

  That afternoon Donny and I stood next to a piano that had been pushed into the dance room. Rory came over and handed us sheets of notebook paper.

  “Here are the lyrics. Get the words down and I’ll be back in ten to work on your blocking.”

  I searched for the title at the top of the page. Almost Paradise? I screamed silently in my head as the blood drained from my face. I looked up at Donny who was already mouthing the words, his eyes scanning the page.

  “What?” He narrowed his amber eyes as I continued to stare in disbelief.

  “You’re okay with this?”

  “It’s a great way to show the formal wear. I picked the music and Rory planned the routine.” He went back to mouthing the lyrics.

  “Great,” I mumbled.

  We worked through the song a few times, holding magic markers for microphones as Rory placed us in different positions. The models began to dance in pairs to the right of us. I looked at Danielle and Chaz as they danced by. Chaz was staring into the mirror and Danielle rolled her eyes at me.

  “No, no, stop, cut the music,” called Maddie walking over to us. “This isn’t working.” Thank God! Someone had finally come to their senses. “I’m sorry, Donovan, but Paige looks like your little sister, not a romantic love interest.” I let out a sigh of relief and turned away from the piano. “You stay right where you are young lady,” fired Maddie. “Dillon, come over here.”

  Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse!

  “Donovan, take Dillon’s place with Marissa.”

  Marissa Scott and I had been friends since elementary school. She used to live across the street until her parents divorced two years ago and we slowly drifted apart due to lack of proximity and the fact that we just didn’t have anything in common anymore. I started modeling and she got into cheerleading. Now she was attached to Varsity Cheer Captain, Piper Agar’s hip.

  I could tell Donny was disappointed that he was losing the spotlight. He liked being the center of attention but he shrugged it off. Marissa looked pissed because she had lost Dillon. She had a big crush on him (who didn’t?) and tossed her perfectly feathered auburn hair to one side, her hands on her hips. Dillon stared in disbelief then walked over to the piano. He picked up the paper and the marker.

  Rory told Dillon to put his arm around me and I tensed.

  “Start the music,” she called. Dillon glanced from the paper to me and back to the paper. I felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. This was
torture! I had to stand here in front of everyone mouthing these words to Dillon? Are you freaking kidding me? I prayed for the floor to open and suck me down as Dillon serenaded me. Why was it so damn hot in here? Hello? A fan maybe? I began to fan myself with the paper.

  Dillon whispered down to me, “You’re not even trying.”

  “This is lame. I can’t believe you don’t think so.”

  “I didn’t say that,” he grinned. “But I get it. It’s kinda sweet.”

  “I need some air.” I spun on my heel abandoning Dillon at the piano and walked into the hall.

  My unrequited love would be on display for the entire convention center! For three minutes and fifty one seconds I really would be in Almost Paradise and then the song would end and I would go back to being a girl in love with a guy who wouldn’t love her back. Danielle was right, this was going nowhere. I’d been crushing on Dillon for almost an entire year! A freaking year! I was wasting my youth away pining after this guy. I was so tired of getting my hopes up from a touch or a glance that promised more, only to watch him go off with Jordan or some other girl. In that moment I made a decision to no longer be lonely.

  Dillon’s voice echoed down the hall. “Paige, you need to come back. They’re ready to start again.” I leaned into the drinking fountain and splashed some water on my face. I took my place at the piano and gazed at Chaz tripping over Danielle as I pretended to sing about forever with Dillon. Then everything became clear. Chaz looked over and flashed a warm smile at me. I didn’t feel hysteria, no explosions, but definitely a delicious warmth that spread from my head to my toes.

  ***

  Two days before the show we were standing on the main stage of the convention center going over the sets. Maddie barked the counts as the stage shook beneath us. Rory shouted, “kick-ball-change, kick-ball-change, ladies!” The guys strutted down the runway to He’s a Dream as the girls danced behind them. We were exhausted and Rory wasn’t letting up as she pounded her stick on the floor in time to the music. I watched Chaz as he strutted down the runway. Whenever he got to the end he would suck in his cheeks before nodding his head, then turn. Maddie yelled at him to cut it out but I thought his nervous tick was adorable.

  “Maddie hates me,” laughed Chaz as he walked up to me.

  “No she doesn’t, she’s hard on everyone. She wants the show to be perfect. Maddie appreciates that you’re here, stepping in at the last moment. The rest of us have been working together for quite a while.” He leaned against the railing and tapped his long fingers, unconvinced. “You really are doing a great job for your first time modeling.

  “It’s fun, I guess. At least I don’t have to lip synch,” he teased. He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his chest. “Almost paradise…” he sang. I giggled as he continued to sing.

  “Hey, are you trying to steal my job?” asked Dillon, turning our twosome into a threesome.

  “Nope, just your girl.” Chaz pulled me closer.

  My face fell as my heart sank into my stomach. “I’m not his girl,” I said coolly.

  “Oh, my mistake. I thought you two were…uh…together.”

  I moved away from Chaz and his eyes searched from mine to Dillon’s.

  “She’s too good for me,” smiled Dillon, trying to shrug out of the thick tension that was spiraling around our awkward little triangle. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “The piano in ten.”

  I watched after him as he walked away. As usual I was watching him walk away. Hot tears stung my eyes, my heart betraying me once again. I turned away from Chaz so he wouldn’t see how pathetic I was.

  “I’m really sorry,” he said, squeezing my shoulder. “I didn’t mean to start anything.”

  “You don’t need to apologize.” I turned back to him. “I’m just being stupid, I’m just…”

  “…a girl who’s in love with someone who doesn’t deserve her,” he said finishing my sentence. He wiped the tears from my face with his thumbs. My tears returned from his kindness.

  “C’mon,” he said. He put his arm around me, pulling me tightly to his side. During the last three weeks we had gotten to know one another and it was comforting to lean on him. We went down the ramp, off the stage, and behind a black curtain to the restrooms.

  “Get yourself together. We’ll go back and you can get this over with.” I nodded and went in. An older woman was drying her hands at the sink. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was all puffy and blotchy. Gross!

  “Are you okay, dear?” asked the woman. I nodded. She smiled back sympathetically, put her rings back on and left. Great, now old ladies were feeling sorry for me. I splashed water on my face and patted dry with a paper towel. I was truly a basket case. I was crying over losing a guy that I never had to begin with.

  This. Had. To. Stop.

  I heard raised voices as I pushed open the door. Dillon was standing across from Chaz, his arms crossed as Chaz glared at him.

  “She needs to come out of there. Maddie’s getting pissed.”

  “She’ll come out when she’s ready,” said Chaz. “Quit hassling her.”

  “What’s going on?” I walked up and stood between them.

  “Maddie’s having a cow,” said Dillon. “We need to get the last set done so we can get out of here on time.”

  “Fine,” I said numbly and brushed past him.

  After getting read the riot act about responsibility and maturity from Maddie I took my place next to the piano with Dillon and stood like a wooden doll. More like a puppet. Dillon’s puppet.

  “What the hell?” mouthed Danielle as she glided by with Chaz. He leaned down and whispered into her ear and she nodded, shaking her head as she looked back at me with disgust. Dillon had the sense not to push me and didn’t try to act out our endless love as Ann Wilson and that Loverboy guy poured their hearts out to each other.

  “It better look awesome next time you two,” glared Rory. I heard Dillon suck in his breath and knew that he wanted to throw me under the bus.

  “Trouble in almost paradise?” Donny raised his dark eyebrows. “Seriously guys, you’ve really got to go full out or we’ll all look stupid. Whatever it is, work it out.”

  “Don’t worry, we will. Right, baby?” Dillon smirked as he squeezed me to his waist.

  “Of course, honey.” I smirked back and punched his arm.

  Chapter Three

  I groaned. “Is this really the last box?”

  “Yes, you can put it down next to the bed,” said Jen brushing away the sandy blonde hair stuck to her face. Jen and I had met at the ranch where I boarded my horse. She and I had quickly become friends. Her parents were divorced and she lived with her father, Rex. Today I was helping Jen move into their new house, a sprawling, brick, ranch style home on five acres in Fallbrook. I planned on hanging out with her all summer because she had a pool.

  “This is great, Jen. I’m so jealous that you have a pool. And your horses are in your backyard!” I had always dreamed of having a place in the country but Maddie was not a country girl. She had a hard enough time settling in the suburbs of Vista.

  “You can bring your horse over for the summer if you want, there’s plenty of room.”

  “You better ask your dad and makes sure it’s okay,” I warned, though I knew Rex wouldn’t care but Maddie would say no. Jen was so lucky, she did whatever she wanted. Rex treated her like an adult. She had just turned eighteen and was headed off to college at U.C. Davis in a few months.

  “Want some iced tea?” Jen snapped me out of my thoughts. I followed her into the kitchen and gazed out at the sparkling pool as she poured the tea. “This has got to go.” She pointed at the refrigerator. “Avocado green, so rank. This place is totally seventies. It’s like the Brady Bunch in here.”

  “Their kitchen was orange.”

  “Why do you know that?” she laughed. “Whatever, it’s still totally gross. This place needs a serious update.”

  We spent the rest of the afternoon bobbing around the
pool on inflatable chairs and I told her what was going on with the show and Dillon.

  “Paige, you really need to stop crushing on this guy.”

  Jen was right, Danielle was right, everyone was right.

  “Find somebody else. You’re about to start your senior year of high school. Believe me, it goes by so fast. You don’t want to waste it waiting around on some dumb guy.”

  I told Jen about Chaz.

  How he was nice, gorgeous, and kind.

  How he made my heart race not pound.

  How he made me feel good when I was with him.

  “He drives a blue Mustang?” asked Jen.

  “Yes.”

  “Convertible?”

  “Ya, why?”

  “There’s a cute guy who lives at the ranch down the road who has an old Mustang. I’ve seen him drive by a few times.”

  “No way!” I flipped off the chair and swam toward her. “Let’s get the horses and ride down there. I want to see if it’s him!”

  We slipped on t-shirts and shorts, quickly bridled the horses, and rode bareback down the road. Twenty minutes later we were gazing at his house from the fence.

  It. Was. Huge.

  There was a long circular gravel driveway surrounding a large lawn with a huge tree in the middle. A courtyard with a fountain led to a white adobe Spanish style home with a red tile roof and wooden carved front doors. Rows and rows of lime trees flanked the house on each side. Sitting in the driveway on the side of the house was the blue Mustang convertible.

  “That’s his car. I don’t believe it, what a coincidence! What should I do?”

  “Well, you can’t sit out here all day staring at his house. That’s a little creepy,” said Jen.

  “Should I knock on the door? Would that seem weird?”

  “Yes and yes.”

  “Jen,” I whined. “C’mon, I’m totally serious.” Butterflies were bouncing in my stomach and I began to regret my impulsive decision to come down here. I could have glanced at the house after leaving Jen’s later.

  “Look, he’s coming out!” squealed Jen.

  “Shit!” I cried. “Turn around!” I tugged the reins, kicked Goldy in the side, and spun him around.