dressed. “Don’t peek until you have the whole outfit on. I want you to soak in the new you all at once!”
Once she had put on her new clothes and the simple earrings and bracelet, Dani took a look at herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. Wow. It was a lot easier to feel confident about the impending interview now that she looked like this! She ran her hands through her hair, enjoying the feel of the soft curl that added the fullness she had always wanted. She admitted to herself that the outfit was tighter than what she usually wore, but the way it clung to her thin waist and the curve of her hips was definitely flattering.
“Say something!” the stylist begged. “God, don’t tell me you hate it , because you were supposed to be downstairs ten minutes ago. And I know your foundation looks twenty times too dark, but it’ll read perfectly on camera.”
“I love it,” Dani said as she ran her hands over the expensive skirt. “I don’t hate it at all.”
“That’s what I want to hear. Are you ready?’
Dani nodded and mentally reviewed the interview instructions that Mark’s publicist had given her earlier. ( Look relaxed, don’t fuss with your hair or touch your face, and keep your legs crossed at all times. All times! You’ll be wearing underwear, right? Answer Barry Kinch’s questions honestly , but don’t unlock doors for him to throw open. Don’t lie or he’ll catch you. Short answers.)
“Ready.” Dani shook her hands to relieve her nerves. She would present herself and let Mark make a few statements to set the record straight. Then the media would leave them alone.
Dani went to the top of the staircase that overlooked the living room. L ighting equipment and cameras surround ed one of the leather loveseats in the living room. She hadn’t realized there would be so many people for one interview , and the spacious room was crowded.
The stylist grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered in her ear. “Repeat after me. I am a bronze goddess! I am a bronze goddess!”
Dani suppressed a smile but obediently declared, “I am a bronze goddess!” before making her way down the stairs.
**********
Mark Ocean gave Barry Kinch his best camera angles and proceeded to deliver the Celebrity City audience exactly what they wanted. The last time this show had wanted to interview him had been over three years ago, and he was not going to blow this opportunity. The stylist had transformed Dani into a strikingly attractive young woman , and he was thrilled that his daughter hadn’t turned out to be some nerdy, scraggly dork. He was impressed at how well she was holding up as Barry asked them questions. Mark affectionately put his arm behind Dani on the back of the couch.
Barry Kinch leaned his face full of pancake makeup forward, squinted his eyes with false sincerity, and asked, “Mark, tell me, what is it like to, overnight, have a teenage daughter in your life?”
Mark pursed his lips together as if deep in thought. “It’s indescribable, Barry. Very emotional, obviously, but I’m absolutely overjoyed to welcome Danielle into my life. She is incredibly bright and charming. And she’s obviously beautiful.” Mark leaned his head into Dani and shrugged slightly, as if incredulous at his good fortune.
“But how did you feel when you found out that your ex-lover had kept this colossal secret from you for all these years? Did you feel betrayed? Dani’s mother, Leila, covered up her daughter’s paternity every single day for the past fifteen years.”
The look on Barry’s face told Mark that he was desperately hoping Mark would criticize Leila. But he wasn’t falling for it. “Dani’s mother made difficult choices in her life , and I fully believe she had the best of intentions. I’m just happy to have my daughter now.” Mark paused and held a clenched fist up to his mouth, as if suppressing emotion. “I just want to show Dani my world. Show her who I am. And hopefully see who she
Once she had put on her new clothes and the simple earrings and bracelet, Dani took a look at herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. Wow. It was a lot easier to feel confident about the impending interview now that she looked like this! She ran her hands through her hair, enjoying the feel of the soft curl that added the fullness she had always wanted. She admitted to herself that the outfit was tighter than what she usually wore, but the way it clung to her thin waist and the curve of her hips was definitely flattering.
“Say something!” the stylist begged. “God, don’t tell me you hate it , because you were supposed to be downstairs ten minutes ago. And I know your foundation looks twenty times too dark, but it’ll read perfectly on camera.”
“I love it,” Dani said as she ran her hands over the expensive skirt. “I don’t hate it at all.”
“That’s what I want to hear. Are you ready?’
Dani nodded and mentally reviewed the interview instructions that Mark’s publicist had given her earlier. ( Look relaxed, don’t fuss with your hair or touch your face, and keep your legs crossed at all times. All times! You’ll be wearing underwear, right? Answer Barry Kinch’s questions honestly , but don’t unlock doors for him to throw open. Don’t lie or he’ll catch you. Short answers.)
“Ready.” Dani shook her hands to relieve her nerves. She would present herself and let Mark make a few statements to set the record straight. Then the media would leave them alone.
Dani went to the top of the staircase that overlooked the living room. L ighting equipment and cameras surround ed one of the leather loveseats in the living room. She hadn’t realized there would be so many people for one interview , and the spacious room was crowded.
The stylist grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered in her ear. “Repeat after me. I am a bronze goddess! I am a bronze goddess!”
Dani suppressed a smile but obediently declared, “I am a bronze goddess!” before making her way down the stairs.
**********
Mark Ocean gave Barry Kinch his best camera angles and proceeded to deliver the Celebrity City audience exactly what they wanted. The last time this show had wanted to interview him had been over three years ago, and he was not going to blow this opportunity. The stylist had transformed Dani into a strikingly attractive young woman , and he was thrilled that his daughter hadn’t turned out to be some nerdy, scraggly dork. He was impressed at how well she was holding up as Barry asked them questions. Mark affectionately put his arm behind Dani on the back of the couch.
Barry Kinch leaned his face full of pancake makeup forward, squinted his eyes with false sincerity, and asked, “Mark, tell me, what is it like to, overnight, have a teenage daughter in your life?”
Mark pursed his lips together as if deep in thought. “It’s indescribable, Barry. Very emotional, obviously, but I’m absolutely overjoyed to welcome Danielle into my life. She is incredibly bright and charming. And she’s obviously beautiful.” Mark leaned his head into Dani and shrugged slightly, as if incredulous at his good fortune.
“But how did you feel when you found out that your ex-lover had kept this colossal secret from you for all these years? Did you feel betrayed? Dani’s mother, Leila, covered up her daughter’s paternity every single day for the past fifteen years.”
The look on Barry’s face told Mark that he was desperately hoping Mark would criticize Leila. But he wasn’t falling for it. “Dani’s mother made difficult choices in her life , and I fully believe she had the best of intentions. I’m just happy to have my daughter now.” Mark paused and held a clenched fist up to his mouth, as if suppressing emotion. “I just want to show Dani my world. Show her who I am. And hopefully see who she
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