Who Is Lucas Ryker O'Riley?

38. SERIOUSLY ATTRACTIVE

The following morning, after taking a shower, I walked back into my room with nothing more than a towel wrapped around me. At the same time, the doorbell rang.

Looking over at my alarm clock, I saw that it was a few minutes shy of 9AM. Who could be at the door this early on a Thursday morning?

Not thinking to put on a robe or anything, I went downstairs to see who was at the door.

I carefully opened the door just a crack and peeked out.

It was a very fashionably dressed Beck standing outside the door and I let her right in.

Her hair was parted on one side and almost all flipped to the other side. She had on an expensive, short, red flower print sun dress, with long diamond drop chandelier earrings and a gold cuff around one wrist. The real eye catching part was her red, four inch high heeled, high top sneakers.

"Good morning, Carla," she greeted as she entered, one arm resting on the Michael Kors purse she had strapped across her chest.

"Hi . . . Wow, just wow," I gushed as I greeted her back.

I couldn't believe I had just said that out loud and was a little embarrassed because I feared that it gave away the fact I found her to be seriously attractive.

Fortunately, I was able to quickly remind myself that pointing out another girl's outfit was something that wouldn't be out of character for Carla, it wasn't weird coming from one girl to another like it would be for guys, so I continued.

"That an awsome outfit and you look amazing. You have a great sense of style. Hopefully some of that will rub off on me today."

"Thanks. And the thick, fluffy towel you're wearing is too. Although I might have chosen a different color for a shopping trip. Come to think on it, I have a pair of DKNY flats that would go great with that towel, if you'd like to borrow them." Beck teased with laughter.

"Sorry, I just finished my morning shower. And there's no way my brother would have answered the door, unless there was something in it for him. You can forget about him ever lifting a finger before ten in the morning during summer vacation." I groused. "Besides, he tweeked his knee a couple days ago and isn't supposed to be walking on it."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hope he gets to felling better soon. I brought some fresh baked croissants if you and Dave are hungry," she announced, holding up a bag that was resting between two coffee cup in a cardboard carrier. "I figured it was safe to assume neither of you would have had breakfast yet. You and I are going to need the energy for shopping, so I got us Starbucks as well."

We took the breakfast into the kitchen and I devoured two croissants and finished off my latte while Beck slowly savored one croissant and sipped her vanilla sweet bean, cold brew, no fat, latte with caramel drizzle.

After finishing breakfast, we headed to my room where I proceeded to pull out a tee-shirt and shorts.

Beck stopped me when she saw what I was going to wear and said it would never do. She then threw a compliment my way, saying I had the potential to be a knockout, I just needed a geek-to-chic makeover.

Going into my closet, she observed, "Wow, you really don't have anything to work with. Most of this stuff is tomboyish. Ugh, you would never find me wearing any of this. Seriously, are these your brother's hand me dow-Wait! Hold on. Now this . . . this here is more like it. In fact, it's perfect. Here, put this on, it's super cute."

She came out of the closet and handed me my worst fear, the sun dress.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. I knew there was no way out of this. I was about to have to wear a dress all day, in public.

I didn't have a choice, so I turned my back to Beck, stepped into a pair of panties, dropped the towel to the floor, fumbled with fastening a bra, and then hesitantly slipped the dress over my head.

Beck then asked me where my makeup was.

"I uh, I don't have any. I've never been a makeup wearer. I guess you could say I'm the biggest tomboy you ever met. My mom, she can't do anything without makeup. She's got tons in her room."

"Com'on, let's go. Today you are going to shed that tomboy style."

We headed to my parents bedroom and I took a seat in the chair in front of my Mom's vanity.

Brushes, and, creams, and powders, and wands. Beck got to work on me like she was a makeup artist preparing me for the Miss America pageant.

When she was done, I looked prettier and girlier than I ever imagined I could. My entire face was perfectly smooth and a shade darker than normal. My lips had more than just a hint of lipstick, my nose and cheeks looked thinner, my eyes were lined in black mascara with wings, my lashes thicker/more noticeable than ever before, and my eyelids had a bold, sparkly, sliver shimmer that revealed itself when I blinked or closed my eyes.

I kept closing one eye then the other so I could get a look at my eye stuff.

"Eyeshadow," Beck corrected me.

She then used her phone to take a couple photos with my eyes open and closed, and showed me.

Immediately my heart began to beat faster in my chest. I was impressed with how feminine I looked. That was one pretty girl on her phone.

Wearing makeup made me feel like there was a spotlight shining on me, a warm positive light. I liked the way it made me look, the added color completed my costume, so to speak.

Before heading out, Beck and I left Dave a note on the fridge saying that we'd be back mid-afternoon, that he had croissants in the bag on the counter, and not to get into any trouble.

Following Beck to her vehicle, I saw Lisa getting into her mom's car. As we made eye contact, she made a hand gesture, the universal sign for 'call me', signaling for me to give her a call later.

I raised my arm and gave her a thumbs up.

As we walked around the hedges separating our properties, and up Beck's driveway, a huge bright pink Hummer ev sitting next to the black Camero suddenly chirped and the electric engine came to life.

Beck had unlocked the doors and started it with her cellphone.

This vehicle was impressive. I was really beginning to love Beck's style.