That Blue Gibson

CH 46

Liz opened the door to the same hotel suite she was in a week ago, clutching a tall cup of coffee and her cell phone.

"Hey, Liz!" Mark called from the couch, not bothering to look up from his phone, "How was Oregon?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, surprised that he was in such a good mood. When she had left LA for Oregon he was furious, yelling that she was throwing away her career and that no one would work with anyone that snubbed the biggest parties of the year. Apparently, he had been dead wrong and her evasiveness was being construed as mysteriousness. The cameras and corresponding photographers had tailed her to the hotel and it took a half an hour to find a safe entrance she could use. Finally, Travis had just thrown his jacket over her head and carried her in the kitchen door, using the service elevator to get her upstairs.

"Very Pacific Northwest... ish," she muttered, setting her coffee down.

"Good... good. Ready for this?"

"Absolutely not," she grumbled, turning when the bedroom door swung open.

Josie flew out of the room and into Liz's arms, squealing like a twelve-year-old, "You're here!"

"Josie, it's six in the goddamn morning. Shhh!" Liz groaned but was happy to see both her and Sarah, who appeared in the bedroom doorway looking just a little green.

Josie just laughed, "Right, right. Let's go get started!"

*

"So then he stayed at my place the next night and after that, I don't really remember, but I just dropped him off a couple hours ago," Josie giggled from the bed as Sarah ran a comb through Liz's hair.

"Sounds like you and Rami really hit it off," Liz said, staring wide-eyed at her phone to cleanse her brain of the sex-filled novel Josie just rattled off to her.

"It's like fifty shades of Foo Fighters in here," Sarah muttered. Liz met her eyes in the mirror and laughed.

"Oh Liz, I'm sorry," Josie sighed, "I'm telling you all about Rami when things ended so badly with Dave. He said the rest of the guys are super bummed about it."

Liz coughed into her coffee cup, realizing she hadn't talked to Josie since the night she left for Oregon. "Buckle up, Josie," she smiled, "Cause I have one hell of a story for you."

*

Hours later, Sarah and Josie stood back and studied Liz as she turned in front of the large mirror. Her dress was a mermaid silhouette, the bodice covered in deep indigo beading that faded down towards the train that ended in bright cerulean sequins. The straps holding the heavy gown up were so thin that Liz was willing to tape or staple or even sew the backless dress into her skin to avoid any disasters on the red carpet.

"You look like a mermaid that sold her soul to the sea witch for a man," Sarah finally said.

"Damn it," Liz replied, "I'd rather be the sea witch."

Josie knelt to adjust the light blue train, "It is very oceanic, isn't it?" She stepped back and furrowed her brow.

"At least I'm not wearing any pearls," Liz offered. There wasn't any time to change if Josie decided she looked too 'theme-like'.

"No, we're going to forget the diamonds tonight anyways," Josie said, still considering the dress, "It'll look like you looted a shipwreck."

Liz pouted at the windowsill where a large pile of borrowed diamonds was laid out, sparkling brilliantly in the daylight.

"No, Liz," Josie scolded, "They're pretty, but it's too much. This dress might already be wearing you."

"Maybe if we pull her hair up? An updo as opposed to beach waves?" Sarah tried. They had already backed off on her makeup, removing the heavy cat eyeliner for a more natural look.