Page 99 of Out of the Gold

Judith lowers the bodysuit. “Looks like regular wear and tear.”

I step over and lock my gaze with the woman for whose HBO job I’m vying. “May I see it?”

She passes the bodysuit to me. “Is the other suit wearable?”

“Yes.” Thank God I thought to get the other one cleaned and asked Sophia to pick it up for me. With only two suits made, I didn’t want to take a chance of a spill. Of course, I never considered this could be a possibility.

Behind me, Helene snarks, “That’s lucky.”

Ignoring her, I examine the bodysuit. The material around the snaps looks worn. But something’s not right. The snaps themselves are loose as well. How could this have happened? It’s almost as if someone did something to them, the dissolution is so perfect. How could that be?

Lindsay comes up to our pow-wow. “Is everything going to be okay?”

Today’s events rearrange in my head. White-hot heat sears through me. “You!”

All eyes turn to me. I hold up the bodysuit. “This wasn’t any regular wear and tear.” I shake the bodysuit. “This was pushed along somehow. Maybe by a solvent of some sort.” I give my childhood nemesis the evil eye. “What did you do?”

Judith is the first to speak. “Melody, the material simply wore out. As you said, you have the other bodysuit all ready for Chase to put on. Just switch it out.”

Judith’s final words are drowned out by Lindsay’s screech. “What do you mean, what did I do? You’re his dresser. Seems to me any problems fall at your doorstep.”

My body tenses as if to spring.

Noble ends the escalating melee. “All right. You”—he points to me—“go get Chase into the other bodysuit. And don’t take more than thirty minutes. Time is money, and this is the second time we’re being held up by wardrobe.”

In a tense tone, Charles says, “Come on. Let’s get this done.” He stalks toward his trailer, and I trail behind like a stupid chastised schoolgirl.

Which I’m not. Iknowthe bodysuit was tampered with. And I’m sure his sister did it. She was in the back of the trailer with it, all alone, for a while this morning. And she knew it would make me look bad. Motive and opportunity.

Without saying a word, Sophia grabs my hand and diverts me to her locker. I take the other bodysuit and head to the trailer, passing Thomas on the way.

Stomping up the steps, I’m greeted by Charles raking his hand through his hair. “What the fuck did you do out there?”

Still fueled by righteous anger at what his saintly sister did to me, I don’t temper my response. “WhatIdid? Are you nuts? Your sister put something on the snaps to make the material disintegrate.”

“How could you say such a thing?”

Indignation races through my blood. “You have absolutely no idea exactly what your sainted sister is capable of. I hold no illusions.” I do a thorough inspection of the replacement bodysuit.

“You need to get this out of your head. Whatever slights you believe Lindsay did to you as a child, you’re both grown ass women now. Well, at least I know she is.”

I pause in my inspection. “Good to know, asshole.” I triple-check the snaps and surrounding material, all of which appear fine. I shake the garment.

He takes a deep breath. “Listen, Melody, I know my sister. No way would she do this.”

Trying to mimic his stance and lower the temperature in here, I reply, “I know her, too. Better than you.”

“She’s been—” he cuts himself off. Brow furrowed, he directs, “Get me in this damned outfit.”

I hold it out for him and together we make quick work of getting him into it. He bends down to snap it, but I stop him. “Let me do it. I want to be sure everything’s okay.”

Stance wide, hands on hips, he glares at me. Ignoring the anger rolling off him in waves, I snap the costume and do one last inspection. All the while overlooking the fact his dick is almost in my face.

“There. I think you’re fine. Walk and check it out.”

He takes a few steps. Everything looks good from here. “How’s it feel?”

“Good.”

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