Approximately Yours (North Pole, Minnesota #3)(12)

“Oh, for sure.” Holly grabbed a black bob with bangs that actually stayed put, unlike her real hair. “What if I started wearing this all the time, if I just showed up back home with a wig and didn’t say anything. Would anyone notice?”

“You look hot,” Elda said. “You should do it. Just start rocking the wig, like ‘This is me, take it or leave it.’”

Holly stared at herself in the mirror, running her tongue along the back of her scar again. She did look hot. She looked tough and put-together. “Let’s pick our dresses.” She grabbed one she remembered from when she was a kid—a strapless black and gold dress with a sweetheart neckline she used to call the “Wicked Snow White” dress. She pulled it over her clothes and zipped it up with a silent prayer. It fit. It was an actual North Pole miracle.

Elda had stripped down to her underwear, because she had a figure like a bikini model, and pulled on a kelly green dress with long, lacy sleeves and a pleated, floor-length skirt. “Grandma wore this to her little sister’s wedding in, like, 1979. Bridesmaid dress. I remember the pictures.” She put her arm around Holly, and they posed together in the mirror. “Almost perfect.”

They did their makeup—going for full, bold, Urban Decay glam. Elda hid her real hair under the short, blond wig, and Holly stripped off her robe (alone, in the privacy of the bathroom) and put on the dress. They found fancy capes and major platform heels in Grandma’s closet. Their grandma may or may not have been a spy, but tonight Holly and Elda were. They were going incognito to North Pole’s fanciest ball.

On the sidewalk outside Grandma’s house, Elda twirled as Holly fixed her cape around her shoulders. She glanced over at Danny’s house. It was mostly dark, save for a few lights in the back of the house.

As if reading Holly’s mind, Elda said, “I wonder if we’ll meet any hot guys at the dance tonight.”

“Maybe,” Holly said. Though Danny Garland might not be among them. Those crutches weren’t very conducive to dancing. He was probably sitting home alone thinking about his gingerbread showstopper entry or reading a book or watching some really interesting documentary about history or architecture. Holly liked to picture him doing those things sans girlfriend, which was naive. He and this girlfriend were probably together all the time, doing all the things they loved to do together. She was probably an amazing gingerbread house builder.

“Maybe we can team up tonight,” Elda said. “I can lure the guys over to us, because that’s where I really shine. Then you can keep me from saying words like ‘toe jam’ or ‘deer scat’ once the conversation gets going.”

Holly grinned. “I think I can handle that. If I kick you in the shins, it means stop talking about blood and guts and hairballs.”

Elda fixed the strap on her platform sandal. “And if I kick you in the shins, it means loosen up and smile at whatever cute guy is grooving on you.”

“What are you talking about? I smile all the time!” Holly had never had anyone tell her to lighten up and smile more. Okay, except for her BFF Rebel sometimes. And her parents. And freaking R.J., but what did he know? Holly didn’t have to smile just to make other people feel more comfortable. She was allowed to wear any facial expression she pleased.

“You don’t smile,” came a voice from the porch behind the girls. Holly swung around. Her cousin Sal, Elda’s brother, stood there, all dressed up like he was going to the dance, too. “Remember when you were in town for the funeral and I introduced you to my friend Patrick?”

Holly shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She didn’t remember a Patrick. She’d met a lot of people that day.

“He thought you were hot, so I arranged a meeting.” Sal adjusted the cuffs on his button-down shirt. “But you were, like, totally aloof and acted like you wanted nothing to do with him.”

He had to be kidding with this. “I was at my grandma’s funeral, Sal. What did he expect? Little Miss Sunshine?”

“I don’t know, man,” Sal said. “He thought you were mean.”

Rolling her eyes, Holly turned to Elda. “Tell your brother I’m not mean.”

Elda wrapped an arm around Holly. “You’re not mean. You’re tough and strong and opinionated. Those are good qualities.” She squeezed Holly’s shoulder. “But friendliness is okay, too, you know. Maybe loosen up tonight. Be open to new people, new experiences. I’ll be there to help you, okay? I’m your wingwoman, too.”

“You two are losers.” Sal brushed past the girls and headed down the street.

“Why don’t you put on a skirt, Sal? Show off your legs a little?” Holly yelled after him.

He responded by flipping her two birds.

Laughing, Holly said, “I miss this, Elda. I love that we’re all hanging out again.”

“Me, too.” She pulled Holly into a hug. “Let’s never lose touch again. Promise? Friends forever?”

“Friends forever,” Holly said.





Chapter Four


Danny’s mom forced him to go to the mayor’s annual Christmas ball. It was a North Pole tradition, and everyone in town always went, but Danny should’ve gotten a pass this year, what with his crutches and the fact that he’d just been dumped. He did not.