Page 17 of Tempting as Sin
“I told you,” she said, “I don’t follow Hollywood events.”
“Ah. I left Kylie Jordan high and dry. We were engaged, you see, until a bit ago. I cheated on her, sources say, and she’s in hospital now. Breakdown, or possibly suicide attempt. Who knows? NotPeople,but they’re happy to guess.”
“I guess ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ is out for this year, then.” She couldn’t make it quite as nasty as she wanted to, because despite everything, she couldn’t believe that Rafe would be that hurtful.
Another surprised bark of laughter from him. “I guess so. Of course, I didn’t make it last year, either. Always a bridesmaid. Bugger. Maybe I’m actually not the sexiest man alive.”
“Unfortunately,” she said, “you’re probably close. But then, they gave Antonio that three years ago. You have to consider the source.”
When he dropped her at the curb outside Alaska Airlines, getting out to pull her suitcase from the back for her, she was glad she was leaving, and even gladder to get through security. Away from werewolves with killer Australian accents, disarmingly sweet smiles, a way of listening to what you had to say that made you feel like you counted, and something in their eyes, whether they were golden brown or genuine iceberg blue, that suggested there was so much more under the surface.
Away from actors. Away from men who drove their fiancées to suicide attempts.
He hadn’tseemedlike…
Whoa. Stop. Do not go back there. No more excuses. No more shoving down the pain and disillusion, telling yourself that what you have is enough and you shouldn’t wish for more. You don’t have to think that. You’re strong enough to make it alone.
The mantra as usual.
When she got to her gate, she was being paged. It had better not be because she was getting bumped. She needed to get back to the store. Businesswoman. Real life.
When she made it up to the counter, though, the agent said, “I need to give you a new boarding pass.”
“I have it,” Lily said, holding it up. “Window seat, exit row. And, yes, I’m willing to assist in the event of an emergency.”
The agent was still typing. “You’re upgraded to first class. Is the bulkhead good? Another window?”
“Uh…sure. But why? I don’t have that many miles.”
“I don’t know.” The agent smiled. “I guess it’s your lucky day. You’re welcome to wait in the Admirals Club lounge if you like. They’ll give you a boarding call.”
He hadnot.
Wait.It would be Jace. That made sense. It was exactly the kind of sweet thing Jace would do. Which meant she could wait in the Admirals Club without feeling bought and paid for. It was about Paige, not her, and Paige was always her own woman.
Once she was sitting on the very top level of the airport, in a comfy chair with a cup of tea, she texted Jace.
Hey did you and Paige upgrade me?
A long, long fifteen minutes, during which she pulled out the collection of magazines she’d bought for the trip and started studying summer looks. Homework.
The color of the year, she already knew, was deep violet. So much better than last year’s grass green, a color that flattered almost nobody. This one, she could play with. It would be beautiful all the way from the palest lavender through the jewel tone of amethyst, and on to the richest, most decadent darkness of an almost-black iris. More flattering and more feminine than pure black, and just as devastating.
She had lavender growing along the winding stone walkway to her front door. Plenty of it there to decorate the shop. Fresh later on in the spring, and eventually dried, which was still pretty. Also—infuser. Lavender essential oil. She’d keep it light, so you barely noticed, so all you felt was a little more relaxed. Could she drape chiffon fabric around the windows? Softness, but still subtle? It would hardly cost anything if she hemmed it herself. You could do a lot with a staple gun, too.
She’d been thinking about sconces as well. Expensive, but she needed to take the shop to the next level, now that the ski resort was upgrading and taking Sinful with it. And maybe there was a cheaper way…
She was on her laptop, researching looks and ignoring the pang of anxiety that balance-sheet thoughts always produced in her brain, when her phone dinged.
Sorry. I should’ve thought of that.
Oh. Jace. Upgrade.
Never mind,she answered.Must have been miles. Was just wondering.
Next time,he sent back.
No, really,she typed, fighting back the urge to laugh. Now she hadbothbrothers thinking she was a princess.Not necessary. Absolutely not. Go back to work.
