Read Online Date with a Vampire by Raine English - Free Book Online

tavern, he was glad that Tommy had stayed behind. He needed some time alone to prepare for tomorrow. Applying self-tanner was a much bigger job than he’d anticipated.

 
    C HAPTER F OUR
     
     
    M elody slipped a white tank top over her head, then tied around her waist the red-and-white flower-print sarong Serenie had instructed her to wear. The knock at her door told her Sugar was here to do her hair and makeup as promised. She just hoped the extravagant hair stylist didn’t go overboard. Melody preferred simplicity.
    She left the bedroom and opened the door to find Sugar struggling with three silver train cases. Melody relieved her of one and set it on a side table in the sitting room.
    “Mornin’, sweetie. How’re you feeling today? You look nervous as hell. Don’t worry, when I’m through, you’ll feel like a million bucks.” Sugar laughed at her pun. “Oops, you’re worth that and a whole lot more.” She plopped her cases on the table, then pointed at a large overstuffed chair. “Sit.”
    Melody heeded the order and felt like a specimen in a science experiment with Sugar as the mad professor. The hairstylist draped a black cloth cape around Melody’s shoulders, then applied a pink, green, and yellow concealer to her skin. Next she blended a foundation on a plastic artist’s palette and applied a dab to Melody’s jaw line to check the shade before sponging it over the rest of her face. Not used to wearing so much makeup she was surprised that instead of feeling like a mask, the foundation was light as air.
    Sugar carefully applied the rest of Melody’s makeup as carefully as a painter creating a masterpiece, then ran a flat iron over her hair, applied a shine polish to the ends and grabbed a mirror from a train case, holding it in front of Melody for her inspection. “Viola! Now you are ready to meet the man of your dreams.”
    Melody sucked in a deep breath and cautiously peeked at her reflection. “Oh, my! Sugar, you’re amazing.” She’d been transformed into a princess. And not a gaudy one. Her complexion was radiant, her eyes luminous, and her hair hung in sleek strands of gold down her back.
    “Told ya.” Sugar’s chest puffed out like a proud parent’s. “Now go have the time of your life.”
    “Thank you so much.” Melody hugged her close.
    “Careful, or you’ll muss yourself,” she scolded.
    Melody left Sugar packing her tools of the trade and wound down the dirt path that led to the beach. She met Wendy along the way.
    “Wow! You look incredible.” The producer fell in step beside her.
    Melody’s face heated, and she smiled. “Thank you. I owe it to Sugar.”
    Before long, they spotted the aqua water sluicing against the shore and twenty stunning bachelors standing before it. All dressed in tropical shirts and khaki pants, they fit right in with the lush island scenery.
    She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. These gorgeous men couldn’t be waiting for her, little Miss Nobody from Hope. But they were. And each one wished to win her heart.
    As she walked closer, she spotted Henry Lyons speaking with the camera crew. Her heart raced and her breath hitched in her throat. She’d forgotten about the cameras! Suddenly, feeling faint, she swayed.
    “Easy now,” Wendy whispered in her ear as she held her up. “It’s okay. Just put one foot in front of the other and keep walking.”
    Melody didn’t know if it was Wendy’s calming voice or her fear of making a complete fool of herself that kept her going, but the blood rushed back into her face and her steps grew steadier.
    She went to stand beside Henry, who said, not wasting any time, “We’re all ready if you are.”
    Melody nodded and from the corner of her eye saw the cameras begin to roll. She clasped her hands together to quell their trembling.
    “The moment we’ve been waiting for, folks, is finally here,” Henry said in his best announcer’s voice. “Your new Dream Girl, Melody