Filed to story: Once Upon a One Night Mistake Book PDF Free by Simone Shirazi
“I don’t know…”
“You’re going,” Vanessa said, an air of finality in her words. “People already know you’re back anyway.”
Taliana’s brow knit together in confusion. “How did they find out?”
Marissa shot her a look. “How do you think?” Suddenly, a sparkly pink phone was being waved in Taliana’s face. “News travels fast.”
That wasn’t surprising. Word of her countless scandals back in California had spread faster than wildfire, causing her to go from practically invisible one day to the top ring of the social echelon at school the next. But that was a whole different story.
“Do you have something to wear to the party?” Vanessa asked, tapping her manicured nails against the table top.
Taliana shrugged. “I’ll just wear jeans or something.”
The horrified looks on their faces told her she’d just said something wrong.
“Jeans?” Marissa spluttered, obviously repulsed by the choice. “No, no, no. You need to be going all out. Don’t half-ass it.”
“Give the girl a break,” their father cut in, reaching out to pat Taliana’s shoulder comfortingly. “She doesn’t have to be a fashionista like you two.”
“I just don’t get it, though!” Marissa exclaimed. “I mean, her mother is? the Andrea Colton, aka the hottest designer at the moment. How can you not be into fashion when you come from that kind of greatness?”
Charles shrugged, obviously at a loss as to why Taliana didn’t dress as fabulously as her mother. It sort of made her wonder if she was even related to either one of them.
“Whatever.” Marissa shook her head, brushing it off. “We’ll help you out. Because you can’t go to Sebastian’s party looking anything like that .”
Her eyes disdainfully took in Taliana’s outfit of athletic shorts, an oversized white t-shirt, and flip-flops that she’d had forever. Her face was makeup free and her hair was thrown haphazardly into a bun, telling of the fact that she had just rolled out of bed. But obviously, her appearance wasn’t up to Marissa’s standards.
“Agreed,” Vanessa said, taking Taliana in as well. “I think we’ll have something good when we’re done.”
Taliana wasn’t sure whether to be excited or scared for her life, but she was leaning more toward the latter for the time being.
The twins glanced at each other before getting up from their seats and motioning for Taliana to join them.
“Let’s go,” Marissa instructed.
The next thing Taliana knew, she was being shoved into the backseat of Vanessa’s car, and before she could even figure out how to get her seatbelt on, they shot away from the curb. Her white-knuckle grip on the seat didn’t ease until ten minutes later, when Vanessa swung the car into a parking spot on M Street, the heart of the shopping district in Georgetown. Soon Taliana was being yanked out onto the crowded sidewalk and into a little boutique full of dresses.
“Ooh! That is so cute!”
“Talia, you have to try this one.”
“This would look amazing on you!”
“Oh, and this one, too!”
“Go on! What are you waiting for?”
I took a deep breath and let the twins pile things into my arms, heading for the dressing room. So much for a relaxing day.
* * *
There were numerous anger management techniques out there, many of which had a proven effect on people, but all hope was lost whenever Sebastian Phillips hit that crucial boiling point.
With his jaw set, Sebastian shot a glare across the room at his cousin, whose phone had been buzzing incessantly for what seemed like ages. “Jude, if you don’t turn that thing off or answer it in the next two seconds, I’m going to hang you with your stupid tie.”
The boy in question merely rolled his eyes, practically immune to Sebastian’s threats after so many years. “Touch my tie and you’ll get a pair of cement shoes and a bath in the river,” Jude calmly shot back, eyes locked on the mirror he was preening in front of.
Clearly, a love of threats ran in the family.
His hand darted out to grab his phone and with a quick glance at the screen, Jude hit a button to silence the noise before tossing it onto the black leather couch where Sebastian was seated.
“I wish that girl would stop calling me,” he complained, obviously annoyed by her persistence. “Did she not get the message when I told her I wasn’t interested in going on a date?”
“Did you tell her? why you weren’t interested?”
Jude shot him a you must be kidding me look. “Is it wishful thinking that I thought it would have been obvious? I mean, I was literally in the middle of flirting with at least three guys when we met. I even asked her which one she thought was cutest so I could narrow down my options.”
Sebastian snorted, definitely able to imagine his cousin doing that. “Maybe you should have flat out told her you were in the market for a boyfriend,” Sebastian suggested dryly, his gaze drifting to the young woman who’d just entered the private room with another pile of clothes for the boys to try on. Well, mainly for Jude.
“You know I’m not looking for commitment right now,” Jude said, following Sebastian’s gaze to the now blushing girl who took the opportunity to drop the clothes and scurry out of the room. “Just like you, apparently.”
A smile tugged on the corners of Sebastian’s mouth as he rose from his seat, looking through what the salesgirl had brought in. “No harm in having some fun. So if you can’t get that girl off your back, feel free to pass her number on to me.”
“You really are?the whore of the family.”
Shaking his head in amusement, Sebastian glanced at his watch and cursed softly when he realized there was somewhere he needed to be. “I’ve got to go,” he called over his shoulder, snagging his keys off the table before moving toward the exit. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
“I’ll be there,” Jude said, continuing to check himself out. “Where are you going anyway?”
“I’m meeting the guys for lunch.” He checked his watch one more time, calculating how long it would take to get there. “Then I’m going car shopping with my parents.”
Jude managed to look away from the mirror, glancing at Sebastian. “Another car?”
“It’s a tradition now. I’ve been getting cars for my birthday since I turned sixteen.”
Jude went back to arranging his shirt once again, unbuttoning a few more buttons to expose his tan chest. “Well, have fun. And please don’t buy anything red.”