Page 24 of Alpha Bait

Arrangement

INDIE

I buried the secret of my disgusting encounter with Richard Carmichael deep inside me to the point where I hardly remembered it happened. When I arrived home, Donnie and Jamal teased me about where I'd ended up. I lied and told them the guy never showed. They teased me more but that was far better than admitting the truth about how I'd debased myself by allowing a Carmichael to see my tits.

Our Hamptons crowd raved about the party so Jamal and I considered it a success. Reluctant to get back to work, Jamal extended our stay in the Hamptons another month. Our restlessness had set all the Holloways onto planning another big bash. I'd vetoed the idea of another yacht party but Jamal refused to open up the beach house again for a more traditional yacht party.

The Lymans had already thrown a "hoedown" party for the season and I'd had enough country music and line dancing to last a lifetime. The Maurice family on South Hampton had thrown a star-studded couture banquet and the Carmichaels had thrown a Derby-themed garden party which of course, we hadn't attended.

"We need something different," Jamal grumbled after a whiskey cocktail on the beach one afternoon.

"Agreed. I need a new distraction."

"A new boyfriend?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes, "you could say so."

"If you want a boyfriend, you should go to Dubai."

"Dubai?" I snorted, "why would I go to Dubai."

"Arabs are rich. You'll get a guy who can put up with your expensive tastes."

"I don't have expensive tastes."

"Yes, you do. You never leave the house without five diamonds."

"I've earned my Tiffany's!"

"From raiding daddy's wallet?"

"Shut up, Jamal," I huffed.

I sighed.

"I don't want to date another rich guy. They're all assholes."

"Maybe you're just too much of a handful."

"So what? I'm supposed to pretend to be weak to impress some asshole?"

"That's not what I'm saying. You could just be... nicer."

"Whatever. I don't want to talk about this with you."

"Fine. Don't talk about it. What's the next party you want to plan?"

I twirled one of my coils around my fingers as I stared off into the distance.

"More whiskey."

Jamal topped off my glass and I squeezed half a lemon into the drink.

"Hm..."

"What about an all white party?"

"Like a garden party?"

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