Sugar and Spice_ An L.A. Candy Novel - Lauren Conrad [54]
Jane grabbed Scarlett’s arm. “Wait. Is that Gaby?” she whispered.
“Ohmigod!” Scarlett whispered back. “I think that’s her? Except, um, when did she get double Ds?”
“Padded bra?” Jane guessed, not taking her eyes off Gaby.
Scarlett looked doubtful. “Or maybe she wasn’t actually ‘on vacation’ these last few weeks. Maybe she was recovering. I’ve gotta say, the most I’ve ever come back from Mexico with was a tan. Oh, and a henna tattoo, once.”
“No way!” Jane couldn’t believe Gaby thought she needed plastic surgery. Gaby fussed over her appearance, sure, but she had always been kind of understated, even conservative, preferring her blouses buttoned almost to the top and her skirts just above the knees.
Gaby spotted the two girls and pranced up to them. “What an awesome party! Topher, these are my friends Jane and Scarlett.”
“Hey,” Topher said. His gorgeous blue eyes fixed briefly on Jane and Scarlett before cutting away, no doubt to see if there were more attractive/interesting/important people for him to talk to.
“Topher’s an actor,” Gaby explained. “He’s on that new show This Town.”
“My Town,” Topher corrected her, sounding annoyed. “Where’s the bar?”
“Over there,” Jane said, pointing. “Gaby, I . . . uh . . . like your dress.”
“Thanks! It’s a Mario Nuñez.”
Jane couldn’t get over Gaby’s transformation. It was clear from her bulging cleavage that she had had a procedure done. Combined with her heavy makeup, plumped lips, spray tan, slight weight loss, and obvious hair extensions, she looked like an oversize Barbie doll. It was more cartoonish than cute.
So this was what Dana had meant when she asked them not to say anything to Gaby. Jane knew there would be no explanation on the show as to why Gaby looked totally different. L.A. Candy was about the real lives of regular girls, and regular girls like Gaby didn’t get boob jobs and lip injections. Or if they did, they didn’t talk about it.
“So I just got back from vacation,” Gaby spoke up, plucking an icy shot glass from a passing waitress’s tray. “What’d I miss while I was gone?”
“Not much. Deb’s got me doing a new Pilates routine at the gym. It’s awesome,” Scarlett replied.
“And I’ve been super-busy with work,” Jane added.
Gaby blinked at Jane. “Oh, yeah. Speaking of . . . you should stop being so mean to Madison at the office! She said she comes up with all these amazing ideas, and you just blow them off! You should give her a chance.”
Jane gaped at Gaby. Where had that come from? “Yeah, well, Fiona makes the final decisions about everything, anyway,” she said as casually as she could manage. “Soooo. How was Mexico?” she said, hoping to change the subject.
“Madison’s really upset, Jane. You should take her out to lunch and make up,” Gaby persisted. “It’s the least you could do. I mean, after everything you put her through.”
“Everything I put her through?” Jane demanded.
Scar shot Jane a not now look. Jane took a deep breath and made herself mentally count to ten. She had no idea what sort of game Gaby was playing, or who was making her say these idiotic things (Trevor? Dana?). But Scar was right; Jane couldn’t continue with this she-said, she-said drama without the risk of appearing as dysfunctional as Madison. She would have to have a private conversation with Gaby later, off camera.
Gaby blinked at Scarlett. “You should apologize to Madison, too. She was soooo depressed after you told Jane all those rumors about her and Jane moved out of her apartment.”
“What? Gaby, are you on something?” Scarlett blurted out.
“Scar!” Jane hissed. Now it was her turn to shut Scar up. “Hey, why don’t we all get a drink before I have to start working? I think—”
“O-M-G! Is this a reunion or what?”
Uh-oh, Jane thought.
Madison sauntered up to the three girls, dressed in a tangerine minidress and black patent leather heels. “I hope you weren