Page 65 of The Bargain

I turned toward the mirror and couldn’t believe that the beautiful woman looking back at me was actually me.

“You made me beautiful,” I whispered to the woman responsible. She bowed with a smile.

Lea came to stand behind me. “No, she didn’t. She made you sophisticated, yes, but not beautiful. You were beautiful before, Amber. You are and always will be beautiful.”

Turning toward her, I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for this beautiful day and for not being mad at me for lying to Dean.”

She rubbed my back. “Of course I’m not mad. You were scared and fear makes you do things you never thought you would do, and now there’s even more at stake.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, pulling out of her hug.

“I see the way you look at him.” She sighed. “But this day is not done, my lovely girl. Now it’s time to go find a dress that will bring my brother to his knees.

I shook my head. “Oh, no, no. I have a dress. It’s the one I wore at dinner and Timmy -”

She rested her forefinger on my lips. “No. You will have a beautiful dress and you will shine just like you deserve to.” She winked at me. “Mrs. James and Dean are with Timmy. The kid is fine, but give them a call if you want.”

Lea's excitement for the evening was spreading to me. I was so relaxed but one thought followed me all day, on every stop we made.

What would Dean Beaumont think when he sees me tonight?

I was getting restless. Forced to make idle conversation with the people congratulating me for the achievement, all I could do was nod as I scanned the room, looking for Lea and Opal.

Lea had texted me a couple of hours ago, warning me that they would probably be late, but the party had started almost an hour ago.

I was not comfortable with Opal being with Lea and telling her all the things I've said and done.

I turned toward the door again. As a vision in red walked into the room, all the air left my lungs. I didn't notice if Lea was there too. To be honest, I didn’t notice anything or anyone.

All I could see was Opal, dressed in a silky red off-shoulder, pin-up pencil dress, which molded her body like a second skin.

I was mesmerized. Instantly dropping the conversation I was having with one of the board members, I left to meet her at the doors.

She was like a beacon, calling me, and I was much too entranced to even pretend that I was unaffected.

I stopped in front of her, closer than was dictated by the decorum, but I didn’t care.

“Did you have a good day?” I asked, leaning down.

She smelled good, but not like her, and that bothered me. I was addicted to the way she usually smelled - like cherry blossoms.

She looked up at me and blushed. I was even more pleased to see that she was not planning on running away from me.

“I had a very good day, thank you. How was yours?”

I looked into her eyes. There wasn't any of the contempt and anger that had appeared after that night in her bedroom.

“What did she tell you?” I asked, throwing a little irritated look toward Lea, who was pretending to be engrossed in a conversation with an older shareholder.

“Nothing I didn't want to know,” she admitted evasively. She looked around. “This party is absolutely stunning.”

“And yet, so pale in comparison to you.”

She looked startled at the compliment and once again I couldn’t blame her. I’d never done anything like this, but now that I knew she hadn't written the note, I’d accepted that she was an obsession that I wasn’t about to forget, no matter how horrible I was to her.

“You look dashing in your tuxedo,” she replied.

I had to smile. Despite everything, she had to reciprocate, be nice. This woman was infuriatingly nice.

---