"No," Nick Lucas said sternly, staring at the screen. His brother, Joe, groaned and rolled his eyes, pointing at the black haired stunner in the photo.
"Why? What's wrong with…Carolina Garcia?" Joe read her name off of the profile folder in his hands.
"She's not interesting enough," Nick sighed.
"YOU HAVEN'T MET THE GIRL!" Kevin cried.
"Hey, if you guys want me to have a celebrity girl to fake date for my 'image', she has to be PERFECT," Nick sighed. Ah, yes, his "image". That was all the band's publicist, Jessica Anderson, seemed to be talking about those days. Since Joe and Kevin were both dating, Jessica saw it fit that Nick should be dating, and since Nick could not be trusted with a girl that he actually liked, she came up with the grand idea that Nick should fake date a fellow celebrity.
Kevin switched to the next slide. "What about her?"
Nick groaned at the smiling blonde. "Not pretty enough!"
"It's frickin' Tawni Hart!" Kevin cried. "Would you rather date Grady?"
Nick shuddered. "No way,"
"Okay, then, she's perfect! We're done!" Joe said, opening his arms wide for a hug from Nick. Nick stared at Joe's pit stains and turned away.
"I actually want to meet them before I 'fall in love' with them," Nick explained, switching off the projector.
"Okay, fine, we'll have a party," Joe said a little too quickly. Kevin gave him a blank stare. "What? My birthday's coming up and if all the hottest babes in Hollywood are going to be there, so will your Cinderella, Prince Charming,"
But maybe she wouldn't be there.
***
"Mandy, where is my espresso?" Jessica Anderson tapped the heels of her croc leather pumps on the carpeted floor of her office. Her pen copied the action on her mahogany desk as she waited for her assistant to bring her another mug of coffee. She had been working restlessly all night on her current client's image. JONAS was the most popular boy band in Hollywood, and it only seemed fit that they should have the top girl celebs as their current soul mates. Kevin was currently dating a teen pop sensation, Joe was dating a soap star…and then there was Nick. Poor, dateless Nick. Jessica had a list of several choices for him, but he refused them all. Which was why she needed coffee. Where was it, anyway?
"Mandy!" Jessica called impatiently. Suddenly, her frazzled assistant leapt into the room and slammed a cup of Starbucks espresso on her desk(using a coaster of course) and stepped back slightly.
"It's, um, Macy, Jess—"
"Thank you," Jessica sighed and rolled her eyes. Macy nodded frantically. The publicist studied her slowly.
"Lose the blazer," Jessica held out her hand for the poly-blend shame. "This is an office, NOT a law firm."
Macy practically ripped off the blazer and handed it to her boss, who shoved in carelessly under the table.
"So, I need you to call the JONAS house and see if this party idea Joseph texted me about is for real so I can start hiring planners," Jessica said quickly, not looking up from her white Mac. Macy blushed. JONAS was like, the hottest boy band ever, and she was going to get to talk to an actual JONAS? Normally, she would have squealed and squeezed the giver of the news, but with her boss, there was one rule: Show no emotion.
Macy tapped the information into her work BlackBerry. "Okay, anything—"
"Then after that ask Stella what she's planning for the boys to wear to this party if it's actually happening," Jessica continued, sliding forward a company credit card without looking at Macy. "Next, take this and buy yourself something to wear for the event,"
Macy shoved the card into her bag. "Okay, um, what should I wea—"
"Three words, Mary." Jessica sighed, exasperated with Macy's lack of fashion sense.
"It's Macy,"
"Of course it is. Anyway, three words. Little. Black. Dress," Jessica waved her off. "Shoo, shoo."
Macy left quickly, jumping into the company car and driving off.
***
"Tuxes in a soft snow white," Stella breathed, pulling out her sketch pad and a charcoal pencil. "That's what I'm going for,"
"Right," Macy smiled. "Good, at least I've done two things right today. Jessica's been chewing on my a—"
"And bow ties in black," Stella said as she sketched furiously. "This is a black tie gala, is it not?"
"It is," Macy nodded. "God, Stella, what should I wear? Jessica gave me the company credit card and—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Stella dropped her charcoal pencil on her desk. "The company credit card? Macy, you can get your hair done, do your nails for the party, buy the dress—"
"Stella," Macy whined, handing the black AmEx card to her best friend. "I suck at fashion stuff,"
"Little black dress, Macy!" Stella went back to sketching carefully. "For you and your petite frame, I would suggest a short one…maybe, a…Tocca hammered silk bow dress, in black of course,"
Macy peeked to see if Stella was reading off of a notebook. None. Hmm…Stella's fashion sense really was unbelievable.
"Then maybe a low bun," Stella said. "Done with Nick's tux,"
She flipped the sketchbook over so Macy could look. "What do you think?"
An obviously photographed Nick was drawn in a dashing white tux that fit his form with a black bow tie. Macy studied the sketch. Or rather, Nick. She admired his chiseled nose, his heart shaped mouth that curved slightly to the left, his dark brown curls, and her personal favorite, his eyes. The dark brown windows to his beautiful soul. Macy sighed. He was truly the Prince Charming of Hollywood.
"He's beautiful,"
Stella smirked knowingly and slammed the book closed. "I meant the tux, Mace. Not the guy."
"What's this?" Macy held up a black cotton T-shirt with praying hands on the right side.
"Oh, right, nearly forgot!" Stella smiled. "Do me a favor and give that to Patrick at the Christian Audigier office and tell him that Nick tried it on and isn't interesting in wearing it for the Facebook broadcast on Thursday,"
"Um, okay," Macy said, holding the shirt gently. "See you in 10 for lunch?"
"Yeah," Stella said, back to sketching furiously. "Darn you and your muscular arms, Joe," Stella huffed angrily with a slightly smitten tone to her voice. Macy sighed. At least Stella had a chance with her Prince Charming.