“I still have it from the day I originally tried to get in.” She started mentally preparing a list of what she’d need. It didn’t make sense to keep going over there so she might as well just pack up a suitcase and bring it back.

“You know, I wanted you to avoid my house but if you’re going to do this, at least dress up a little.”

Ridley stopped adding items to her mental list long enough to say, “Huh?”

“You know what I mean. Just dress up a little, wear some makeup for once.” Ridley wrinkled her nose at the phone. “And anyone watching will just assume that I’m home from my latest travels. No one thinks anything of my strange comings and goings at this point. I’m actually away from home more than I’m there.”

“You think I should dress as you? Why? I don’t have to hide anymore, remember? Whatever David was doing for the Morenos had nothing to do with me.”

“I’d still rather you stay invisible until Sam checks things out, but I want you to dress up for my sake. There’s usually paparazzi lurking around the house and of course, they’ll assume it’s me coming home from a shoot. I don’t want to be the next ‘What NOT to Wear’ headline, so please dress up a little. Oh and don’t take Jackson with you.”

“Why not? I can do it faster with help. You’re being awfully difficult about this.”

“I’m not! It’s just that he’s too well known and I’m sure he doesn’t want to be linked to me in the media. Is there anyone else you can get to take you?”

Ridley thought back to the day of the cookout. While it had been overwhelming to meet so many people at once, she was glad she’d gone now.

“Yeah, I think I know a few people who wouldn’t mind helping out.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

“SO, WHAT’S IT like to have a sister? As much as I love Matt, there are just certain things I can’t talk to him about. What’s her name?”

Ridley waited patiently for Mara to finish applying yet another layer of lip gloss before answering. Mara had been more than happy to come over and “glam-ify” her after she’d gotten off work. She’d given the excuse that she was trying out ideas for her next blog column. Mara, it turned out, was a fan of the “Legs” blog, and more than willing to help out.

They’d been immersed in the guest room for the past thirty minutes while Ridley tried on and rejected each of the outfits Mara had brought with her. After Mara had finally just pulled one of the tops over her head forcefully, they were now working on makeup. She’d never known there could be so many pots of crap used just to paint a face.

“It’s, uh, Rina.” She mentally crossed her heart. It wasn’t actually lying, right? Just omitting a letter.

“Is she a model, too?”

“No, she’s my complete opposite, actually. We’ve always been best friends despite being so different. But it’s not easy when your sister is smarter, more confident, and more popular than you are. It's living with constant comparison and feeling like you never measure up.”

“Do you feel like she treats you that way?” Mara asked, her voice raising a couple of octaves. She looked like she was insulted on Ridley’s behalf.

“No, no. She’s my biggest fan. She’s always defended me. The same way Matt has always defended you."

Mara blew out a breath. "He has always defended me. Maybe that's part of the problem. I never stood up for myself, so now he doesn't believe I can stand on my own two feet. I wonder if I've been as much of the problem as he has by leaning on him too much."

“Matt just needs time. He’s been protecting you from guys your whole life and now he’s supposed to pretend he doesn’t care one of his friends has seen you naked?”

Mara cringed. “Ugh. You’re right. I didn’t really think about how much harder it would be that I was dating someone he knows so well. I’m sure he remembers every bad thing Trent’s ever done and feels like he needs to warn me.”

“Since he can’t, he ends up putting his fist through walls,” Ridley added.

“I asked Jackson to talk to him,” Mara muttered. Then she turned Ridley to the mirror gently. “What do you think?”

Ridley leaned forward and inspected her newly long lashes, flawless skin and rosy slicked lips. “Wow. I look so… shiny.” She couldn’t imagine wearing makeup just to hang around the house but Raina always had. She hadn’t even worn this much makeup when she went to prom.

“Thanks so much for your help, Mara. I’ll give your stuff back as soon as I get more clothes from the house. I just didn’t want to go out looking like a bum. If I do, there’ll be a tabloid picture of me tomorrow claiming I just left rehab.”

Mara rubbed her hands together. “No problem, I had fun. I’m channeling my mom for this project. She placed as high as first runner up in the Miss Columbia pageant back in the seventies. This was before she met my dad and came with him to the U.S. She still talks about how close she was to that damn crown. She was always so disappointed that I didn't want to do the pageant thing."

Mara picked up a silk headband and then held it against the loose top Ridley was wearing. After staring at it for a minute, she apparently changed her mind and tossed it back on the dressing table.

"I don't blame you. The thought of all those people staring makes me want to throw up."