Part 5 (1/2)

”I can so see Avril in this,” Alicia whispered, running her fingers across a boat-neck cashmere black-and-white-striped sweater. They had it paired with a pair of deep red, ultra-straight-legged cords that were covered in zippers. Vintage combat boots and a black velvet riding blazer were there to complete the look.

Olivia pulled what appeared to be a black mesh tube top off the corkboard. ”Alicia, what do you think this this is for?” is for?”

”That is theee theee latest accessory,” Lucinda said quietly, covering the mouthpiece of her cell phone before deciding to just hang up on the person she was talking to. ”And Avril's going to break it on latest accessory,” Lucinda said quietly, covering the mouthpiece of her cell phone before deciding to just hang up on the person she was talking to. ”And Avril's going to break it on our our cover. It's going to be bigger than her tie obsession in 2002.” She signaled for the girls to join her behind the pyramid of straw hats to avoid being overheard. ”There are fifty-eight different ways to work it,” she whispered. ”But Avril's manager told me she wants to wear it cover. It's going to be bigger than her tie obsession in 2002.” She signaled for the girls to join her behind the pyramid of straw hats to avoid being overheard. ”There are fifty-eight different ways to work it,” she whispered. ”But Avril's manager told me she wants to wear it over over the cords, like a big wide b.u.t.t belt. How f-in' brilliant is the cords, like a big wide b.u.t.t belt. How f-in' brilliant is that? that? It's called a Dixon.” It's called a Dixon.”

”I love it!” Alicia said, unable to contain her excitement.

”Want one?” Lucinda asked, handing them each a circle of black mesh fabric. ”Be the first ones in Winnchester to wear them.”

Alicia was so grateful she didn't bother correcting Lucinda.

”What's Winnchester?” Olivia giggled. ”We live in West-”

Alicia elbowed her friend in the ribs. ”Thanks so much, we love these,” she said.

”Hey, where's my my Dixon?” Dean asked, pretending to look offended. ”Can't forty-year-old men use them too? I could use it to drain my pasta.” Dixon?” Dean asked, pretending to look offended. ”Can't forty-year-old men use them too? I could use it to drain my pasta.”

”Have this instead.” Lucinda handed Dean a black wallet. It had a thick silver chain hanging off it with a clasp on the end so it could be attached to his belt loop. ”I've never seen a girl look cute wearing one of these yet, and it's been here since the late nineties.”

”Awesome! Thanks!” Dean said, mocking Alicia and Olivia's enthusiasm.

All three girls responded with eye rolls.

”Let's move on.” Lucinda turned off the lights in The Closet. She led them back down the hall. ”I have a five o'clock with Ashlee Simpson's camp and her agent hates it when I'm late.”

”Is Ashlee going to be here?” Olivia asked.

”Unfortunately.” Lucinda groaned. ”Hey, Olivia, is that poncho real rabbit?” She reached over and rubbed a tuft of white fur between her thumb and index finger. ”J'adore ”J'adore rabbit.” rabbit.”

”N-Yeah, it's real.” Olivia winked at Alicia. ”Don't tell Peter.”

Alicia wanted to scream, ”It's PETA! People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals!!! Not PETER.” But she didn't. Instead she pretended she hadn't heard Olivia, a trick she learned from Ma.s.sie.

”And your boots are so retro,” Lucinda said to Alicia. ”I haven't seen square toed since my babysitter rented Young Frankenstein Young Frankenstein for me, like, ten years ago.” for me, like, ten years ago.”

Alicia felt the blood rush to her face. She wanted to sue Saks for selling her a pair of old-fas.h.i.+oned Frankenstein boots.

”Oh, these are from Spain,” Alicia lied. ”They are very IN there. My mom just brought them back for me. They aren't even out in America yet.”

”Kewel,” Lucinda said. She actually sounded excited. ”You girls are pretty cool. I swear, you're never going to believe this, but when I was in the seventh grade, I was a total beast. And I had no no b.o.o.bs.” b.o.o.bs.”

Alicia folded her arms across her chest when she noticed Lucinda checking her out.

”How much did you pay for those?” Lucinda asked. ”I bet they were at least five grand a pop.”

”I didn't pay pay for these; I would never-” for these; I would never-”

”Hey, Barnaby, come look at this girl's b.o.o.b job; it's perfect,” Lucinda said to a guy who was walking toward them in the hall. He was wearing tight white pants, moccasins, and an off-the-shoulder cable-knit sweater.

”This is Barnaby, our staff photographer. Paolo, our other photog, is on a.s.signment in Bora Bora.”

”Hay-ayyy.” Barnaby waved. ”Those are fierce,” he said to Alicia's b.o.o.bs.

She smiled politely and put her Prada bag in front of her chest.

”I paid for my nose,” Olivia offered.

Normally Alicia would have been mortified, but she was grateful for the distraction.

”O-M-G, so did I.” Lucinda lifted her palm in the air and high-fived Olivia.

After their laughter died down, Lucinda's expression suddenly became serious.

”Have you two ever modeled before?”

”Sure,” Alicia lied.

”Genius!” Lucinda clapped. ”Not that it matters, because you're both gor-jusss.” Without warning she stopped walking and leaned against the wall. Her head rested on a picture of Britney Spears's navel. Her eyes s.h.i.+fted back and forth and she tapped her fingernail against her bottom teeth.

”Here's the deal. We're looking for pretty-in-a-real-sort-of-way girls to model in our Christmas holiday issue. I envision a scene of girls dressed in this year's hottest holiday fas.h.i.+ons, holding tons of bags and waiting on line to get their photos taken with a mall Santa. How fun is that?”

”So fun,” Alicia said.

Dean smiled politely.

”Would you girls be interested?”

”Ehmagawd. Given.” This time Alicia couldn't mask her excitement.

Barnaby put his hands on his hips and sighed. ”Luce, Nina will so have you fired if you put them in the same issue twice.”

”Ugh! I hate you, Barn,” Lucinda pouted. ”Not only is your waist smaller than mine, but you're always right.”

”We don't have to do the interview thing,” Alicia said, throwing her bag over her shoulder. ”We totally heart modeling.” She drew an air heart with her two index fingers and Lucinda smiled.

”Oh, good.” Lucinda threw her hands up, ”And I heart heart you guys.” She drew an air heart of her own. you guys.” She drew an air heart of her own.

”I'll have to check with their mothers, but I'm sure it won't be a problem,” Dean said.

The girls rolled their eyes once again.

Lucinda walked at high speed as she led them back to the elevators. ”I need six models total, so e-mail pictures of your pretty-in-a-real-sort-of-way friends, 'kay?”

”Sure,” Alicia said. But she'd sooner donate her new Prada raffia handbag to the annual OCD holiday gift drive than include Ma.s.sie, Kristen, and Dylan in her modeling debut. This was going to be all about her. ”I'll see what I can do.”

The elevator door opened and Alicia and Olivia were suddenly face-to-face with Ashlee Simpson and her people.

”Ash,” Lucinda said, double-kissing her. ”Grrreat to see you.”