Caught on Camera

Chapter 2, Part 3

     Rachel heaved a tremulous breath, then another. She'd viewed hundreds if not thousands of films, so knew all about the magical transformation that actors underwent in a makeup artist's chair. All eyes would be on the bride anyway, right? Rachel would merely be a secondary character. Not even that. An extra. No one paid attention to walk-ons. She'd be practically invisible. Her galloping pulse slowed.

     Taking Rachel's acceptance for granted, Candy Kane's mind was already on a different track. "Don't you dare tell any of the guests you work here." Candy swiped fingers across her mouth in a zipping motion. "There's a big tip in it if you keep the secret and pull this off."

     "How big?" Rachel wanted to ask, but kept her "sweet but sexy" lips clamped shut. Truthfully, a generous tip wasn't the reason a shiver of excitement rippled across exposed skin. Panic receding, she'd belatedly begun to appreciate the photo-taking opportunities associated with being on the set in a supporting role, so to speak, instead of as a hotel employee with no legitimate excuse to approach a celebrity wedding guest.

     "I have an idea!" Candy carefully unzipped the bridesmaid's dress. "You can walk Mopette this weekend. Wanda is extremely busy taking care of a thousand details for me. You already have a key card to the suite and you won't have anything else to do now that you're working for me." When she noticed Rachel's eyes widen, she amended, "I mean, now that you're doing me this huge favor."

     Rachel sighed, resigned. "I suppose if I don't walk your little dog she'll do her business all over the suite, and guess who will have to clean it up when you check out?"

     "Now you're thinking. Step out of the dress." After Rachel obliged, Candy gathered it up and hung it on its hanger. "Wanda will book you in for hair and makeup in the spa salon early this afternoon and tomorrow before the wedding." She swept a critical glance over Rachel from head to unpolished toes. "Plan to spend the entire afternoon there today. I want your hair colored a shade that complements mine, but doesn't compete with it. I must approve the shade first, understand? Let them know you need your brows plucked, lash extensions, mani-pedi, waxing--"

     She lifted Rachel's bare left arm to look at the armpit and shook her head in disgust. "Stubble. You actually use a razor? Tell them to wax everything." She ran an exploratory forefinger down Rachel's cheek, rubbed the back of her hand. "You use soap." She tutt-tutted. "At least your dry skin won't be evident in touched up photos. If there's time, ask for a moisturizing facial. And lose the glasses."

     Rachel's insecurity reasserted itself at this brutal description of the amount of work required to make her presentable enough to fit in. "Ms. Kane, are you positive you want me in your wedding party?"

     "You fit the dress. Besides, a beautiful bridesmaid might steal the spotlight."

     Candy's brittle laugh didn't fool Rachel, who held no illusions about her personal appearance and therefore accepted Candy's preference for a plain bridesmaid. "There's no risk of that," Rachel responded grimly.

     No doubt it would be a surprise to the arrogant Ms. Kane, but Rachel had never heard of the woman until the announcement of Candy's engagement three months ago to blond heartthrob Halden Armstrong, star of the 3D epic blockbuster Apollo: The Battle for Troy and its sequel Apollo's Vengence. According to the entertainment news, the third movie in the franchise was scheduled to start shooting in November. But because Candy Kane wasn't in the entertainment business, People and the other celebrity news magazines had ignored her until the engagement. When she had a moment, Rachel intended to research every scrap of gossip Google offered up about her "cousin".

     "We're done, here," Candy said over her shoulder as carried the dress to the walk-in closet. "You may leave."

     Rachel ruefully contemplated her ruined uniform on the soaked bed. "I have nothing to wear."

     "We're roughly the same size. Wanda will select one of my dresses for you to wear for the rehearsal at four p.m. followed by a reception and dinner tonight." Then Candy clued in to Rachel's state of deshabille. "Oh, you mean now. I suppose you can't run through the hall in your grannie panties. Take one of our robes," she invited magnanimously, "but replace it ASAP."

     Rachel dashed to the bathroom to retrieve a hotel robe. On her return, she bent to collect the discarded towels on the salon carpet. Meanwhile, Ms. Kane returned with a pair of high heels dangling from one hand. "I almost forgot. Try these on."

     Obediently Rachel slipped her feet into pumps dyed to match the bridesmaid's dress. The spikes sank into the thick carpet, and she wobbled to maintain her balance. The shoes pinched her toes dreadfully, yet were loose at the heels.

     "My former Maid of Honor's shoes fit you," Candy crowed. "Our wedding will be perfect after all."

     Rachel's good fortune to be conscripted into the Kane-Armstrong wedding party and have secret photo-op access to their guests felt like a dream. She pinched herself. Then as she gathered up her soiled uniform from the bed, the awful truth hit her. She'd tucked the camera pendant into the pocket of her pee-drenched uniform.