The-Lucky-List-Rachael-Lippincott

26
“Tonight’s the night, Em,” Kiera says as she leans back, appraising her makeup-application skills. I turn
right and le, checking myself in the bathroom mirror. Kiera cuts me o though as she leans forward,
sweeping on another layer of mascara for good measure.
I’m wearing an o-white floral-print dress that I am not a huge fan of, but Matt said he liked it this
past spring on a date, so it feels a bit like a good-luck charm. My long brown hair is half up, and gently
wavy thanks to Kiera’s skills with a curling iron.
With a satisfied nod, she turns to meet my eyes, pointing the mascara tube at me. “is list is
getting done tonight at the bonfire. The grand finale. You’re officially getting your J. C. back.”
Done. I can hardly believe it. I look at the paper, unfolded on the bathroom counter, the multicolor
check marks next to almost every number.
“And, I mean, we can find a four-leaf clover before we board the bus tomorrow,” she says with a
wave of her hand. “It can’t be that hard.”
I’m going to have to get up pretty damn early. I’ve literally looked the entire month of July. is
thing is about as elusive as you can get.
Unless you’re Blake, I think, remembering her stack on our picnic.
I lean against the counter as she zips up her makeup bag, biting my lip warily. Is it okay that I still
haven’t found it? Am I ready for this next step with Matt, the “grand finale” as she called it, even
though I haven’t?
I look at myself in the mirror one more time, letting out a long exhale before following Kiera out of
the bathroom. Blake’s sitting on the edge of her bed, and my jaw nearly drops when I see her.
I’ve seen her a million times this summer, but not like this.
e thin line of eyeliner and the gloss on her lips and the coating of mascara emphasize her features
and sweep them into a level of beautiful that is both hard to look at and impossible to look away from.
Kiera lets out a wolf whistle, nodding, and I remind myself my admiration is totally normal. Blake is
objectively hot. It doesn’t have to mean anything. “Looking good, Blake!” she says, before rubbing her
hands together in excitement. “All right, team! Game plan for item number twelve. Sealing the deal
with Matt.”
She grabs my hand, plunking me down on the bed next to Blake. My cheeks instantly turn red as