Chapter One

“Will you hurry up? We're going to be late,” Lydia complained. She leaned against the bathroom door and watched as I finished putting the last touches on my mascara.

“And what?” I asked, turning to look at her. “We'll miss the waiters walking around with the little trays of fancy hot dogs you don't like? You'll live. Promise.”

My little sister rolled her eyes at me. For being twenty-one, she still had all the abilities of a teenager in the eye-roll department. She took a deep breath like I was trying all of her patience and checked her hair in the mirror one more time.

“I guess it's fashionable to be late,” she said, smoothing down her dark hair. “We'll look more important and more people will be able to see us arrive.”

I couldn't help but shake my head. We both had the same slim build, dark hair and dark eyes, but other than the physical similarities, it was hard to believe we were related. She was impulsive, naive, and fame-hungry, which drove me absolutely batty. She was sure she was the center of the universe.

I at least acknowledged that I was only the center of the solar system, not the entire universe.

“Have either of you seen my silver earrings?” Jane, our roommate asked, poking her head into the bathroom and looking around. “Oh, you're wearing them, Lydia.”

“They look so much better on me,” Lydia replied with a shrug. “You should wear the blue ones. They bring out your eyes.”

“Can you at least ask next time?” Jane asked, crossing her arms. She managed to look beautiful and statuesque even though she was angry. She always managed to look beautiful and statuesque.

“Fine,” Lydia replied with another classic eye roll. “But you know I'm right.”

It was Jane's turn to roll her eyes.

“ Lizzie, you're sure this is a fancy, exclusive event, right?” Lydia asked, pushing up her cleavage in her skintight black dress. “Famous people will be there?”

I sighed. "Yes, Lydia. It's the main fund-raising event for the two major hospitals in New York City. It's super fancy, and it's super lucky I even won these tickets. We couldn't afford to go otherwise."

“Good,” she replied. She frowned as she watched me put my mascara away. “Elizabeth Bennet, you need to put more mascara on. I can barely see your eyes.”

“Are you serious?” I asked her. I felt like I was already wearing ten pounds of makeup. I felt like I'd been getting ready and putting makeup on all day.

“Yes,” Lydia replied, reaching into my makeup bag and handing me back my mascara. “You need to look like you belong at this party.”

“Why can't I just be me?” I asked her, not putting any more mascara on yet.

"Because you aren't fancy," Lydia replied. "You're smart, and you're sweet, but I swear, you'd go in a ponytail and your work scrubs if I let you."

"No, I'd at least wear this dress. I like the fancy dress," I informed her. The floor-length gown hugged my curves as it made its silky dark blue way to my feet. It had just enough of a hint of sparkle in the fabric to make me feel like it had been blessed by a fairy godmother. The dress was awesome. I stuck my tongue out at Lydia, and she just pushed the mascara at me again.

“I'm glad you'd at least wear the dress,” Lydia replied. “It is designer. I still can't believe you found a Prada dress. You look amazing, but you have to finish it. More mascara.”

I sighed, but I put on another layer. I looked up in the mirror and shook my head at the stunning woman looking back at me. Lydia was right. I looked amazing, but I didn't look like me. I looked like a Barbie-doll version of me. I couldn't imagine how women did this every day. It was exhausting getting this done up.

“Oh, did you two hear?” Lydia asked watching me like a hawk. She motioned for another swipe of mascara. “The penthouse of our building is rented out for the rest of the year.”

"Really? I thought it was considered too expensive for the market." Jane looked surprised as she put in the blue earrings. They really did complement her cornflower blue eyes perfectly. They even brought out the soft gold in her hair. Not that we'd ever tell Lydia she was right.

“It is way overpriced,” Lydia confirmed. “But, supposedly, it's this business guy worth millions. The money means nothing to him. He just wants to be near Central Park while he opens some new business ventures, so he's renting the place. It's so exciting.”

I stepped back from the mirror. “Why are you so excited? He's not an actor. I thought you wanted to be a movie star.”

“I will be a movie star,” Lydia corrected me. “But he's rich. Rich buys access to fame. Famous people hang out with rich people.”

“I still don't get it,” I told her, shaking my head. “How is meeting this guy going to make you an actress?”

“If I can be arm candy for a night, or if he meets me in the elevator with his famous friends- I'm in,” she explained. “I'd be famous in a heartbeat. Once I'm famous, I'll have all the roles I can handle. It's an opportunity most people would give their right arm for.”

“Oh, I get it.” I nodded and put the mascara away. “New neighbor is definitely arm-chopping off potential.”

I motioned to my face, and Lydia nodded her approval before leaving the bathroom. I turned to Jane when she was gone. "I'm surprised we don't see more arm-less people walking around given the kinds of opportunities here."

Jane snorted and pushed me out of the bathroom.

Lydia was waiting impatiently by the front door of our apartment with our jackets. They looked shabby compared to our gowns, but there was nothing to do about it now. Lydia had found a company that rented high-end clothing, so we all dressed to the nines in clothes we could never afford. Other than our jackets, of course.

The three of us were going to the most significant hospital fund-raising gala in New York City. Every year, the two major hospitals joined forces to put on a black tie event. It was next to impossible to get tickets, but since I worked at one of the hospitals, I had managed to win some at a work raffle. Lydia was sure that someone rich and famous would notice her, and thus this gala was her ticket to fame and fortune.

"Are you two finally ready?" We nodded, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You've got this, Lydia. It's your night to be a star." She peeked one eye open and glared at Jane and I. "Don't screw this up for me."

It was my turn to roll my eyes. I wasn't as good at it as Lydia, but I could roll with the best of them. Lydia ignored me and walked out into the hallway. I followed, doing my best not to trip on my dress.

“Hurry up,” she called as she pressed the button for the elevator. “Unless the new penthouse guy is in the elevator. Then you two can be as slow as you like so I can talk to him.”

Jane closed the apartment door behind us. “You and your dreams,” she said, shaking her head and smiling. “I hope they all come true.”

It wasn't crazy to think that a millionaire might be living in our building soon. Jane's parents had purchased the apartment back in the eighties as an investment property. It was just a hop and a skip away from Central Park, and what had once been considered a sketchy neighborhood was now prime real estate. The apartment was worth well over ten times what they paid for it.

Jane owned the apartment now. She shared it with Lydia and me for practically nothing since we were as good as sisters. Since Jane's parents died a few years ago, we were the closest thing she had left to family. It was the three of us against all of New York, and we had a fantastic apartment to work out of.

***

It was a short cab ride to the Ritz Carlton hotel for the fundraiser. Since it was black tie only and incredibly exclusive, all of New York wanted to come. The place was packed with expensive cars and flashing camera lights. We stepped out onto the red carpet leading up to the main entrance and felt like movies stars.

I could see why Lydia wanted this feeling all the time.

Inside, beautiful people wearing beautiful clothing walked around the hotel. We dropped our coats off at the coat check, and for the rest of the night, there would be no way to tell that we didn't belong with the rich and famous.

I smoothed the silk fabric on my dark blue gown, glad I had listened to Lydia's advice on renting the dress. My go-to little black dress would not have fit in with all the designer gowns walking around. I would have felt incredibly out of place.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” Lydia bounced up and down and pointed. “It's Layla Falls! She's here!”

“Who?” Jane asked, looking around. “Who fell?”

“No, Layla Falls, the movie star,” Lydia explained, pointing Jane in the right direction. “She just released a new movie. She's so famous.”

Lydia looked like she might faint with joy.

"I doubt you'll get close to her," I told her, pointing to the three men in dark suits wearing earpieces that stood beside the movie star.

“Oh, I will,” Lydia assured me. “We're going to be best friends by the end of the night.”

“You say she's famous?” Jane asked. “I don't recognize her.”

“You don't recognize anyone if they aren't a French Post-Impressionist painter," Lydia replied. "She was in that action movie this summer. She's rumored to be making a medical drama next, so being here is probably research. Hospitals and all.”

“Oh, I think I remember her now,” Jane replied. She watched the actress for a moment and then shook her head, obviously still not recognizing her. “I'll go find us a table.”

“Lizzie, can you teach me some medical words?” Lydia asked, watching her hero smile for the cameras across the room. “Maybe I can be an adviser to the film or something.”

"I need a drink," I said, looking around the lobby for an escape from my sister. There was supposed to be an open bar, and if I was going to deal with my sister going after Layla all night, I was going to need some alcohol.

Lydia didn't even notice I had gone as I made my way to the bar. She just stared at her movie star dream with big eyes and hopeful sighs.

The bar was easy enough to find. It was where everyone was congregating. I looked around, taking in the sights. Everyone looked polished and rich. Lydia was right about me needing more mascara to fit in here. It felt like a very different world than the one of scrubs and stethoscopes I was comfortable with.

Jane waved to me from across the lobby as she and Lydia found a table. They were the only familiar faces in the crowd. I worked as a Cardiac ICU nurse, and the only reason I would ever interact with the people at this party was if they had a heart attack. I wasn't quite sure I would ever fit in with this level of wealth, or given the amount of makeup I was forced to wear to be here if I even wanted to.

“Two martinis and one long island ice tea, please,” I informed the bartender once it was my turn. He quickly went to making my drinks as I waited patiently by the bar. I stood there, minding my own space when someone bumped directly into me, nearly knocking me over.

He was tall, dark, and handsome with eyes the color of the sea after a storm. I would have fallen in love with him right there, except for the dirty look he was shooting me. He glared at me like it was my fault for being in his way when he wasn't looking where he was going.

It was typical entitled rich guy. He thought he owned the world. There was no way I was apologizing for his mistake, though, so I just smiled sweetly up at him. “Can I help you?”

He made an annoyed sound and continued on his way. It was a shame he was a jerk. The man was good looking, and if he was at this party, probably rich. Unfortunately, he was obviously way too full of himself to apologize. He walked away with more swagger than any man deserved. Especially after being the bumper, not the bumpee.

My drinks arrived, and I managed to carry all three of them over the table without spilling. Lydia took a big sip while Jane thanked me.

“What should we do next?” I asked, taking a sip of my drink. It was nice and strong. I was going to have a great night.

“Let's go look at the silent auction,” Jane suggested. “We can bid on the items while they're still in our price range and feel like we're helping to raise funds for the hospitals.”

I chuckled. The silent auction was going to be full of things we could never hope to afford, but it still sounded like fun to go and see what they had.

“You two can do that,” Lydia said, picking up her already half-empty drink and looking around the room. “I'm going to go mingle. I need to make friends with Layla.”

“Good luck,” I replied as she fluffed her hair. She put her chin up and walked away with a mission.

“Do you think she'll find someone to make her famous?” Jane asked.

“She'll probably have as much luck at it as we will winning something from the auction,” I replied with a shake of my head. I wasn't betting on either.