Page 122 of Your Fault

We gave ourselves mani-pedis and a no-holds-barred waxing, and I took a bath with Himalayan salt and rosewater so my skin would smell delightful. I moisturized with an almond oil my mother had bought ages ago. I’d worn it once, and Nick had said it made him want to lick me all over.

I smiled, looking at myself in the mirror in my underwear. I’d chosen the most provocative bra and panties I could find. I swore to myself that the night to come would be unforgettable and that Nick would never look at another girl until the end of his days.

“Is this the dress?” Briar asked, taking it down from its hanger in the closet.

I nodded, taking a look at my phone. Mom had sent a text saying a car would come pick us up and take us to the estate where the event was being held. I was getting nervous. I wasn’t sure what to do or how to act when I got there, but I tried to put my fears aside when Jenna’s hairdresser showed up. Briar said she’d take care of her own hair—she was used to being dragged onto the red carpet by her parents and knew exactly how she liked it.

I put on a satin robe, sat down, and let Becka get to it. That extravagant-looking woman put curls in my hair and surrounded them with an intricate crown of braids. It hurt when she was twisting it, but I put up with it because I knew the result would beincredible. An hour and a half later, I was looking at myself in the mirror and smiling.

“I love it,” I declared, turning and checking myself from all angles. Jenna picked up the dress and handed it to me. I put it on carefully, admiring the delightful rustle of the silk against my skin.

“You’re going to cause a stir,” she said, passing me my clutch, which was just big enough for my phone and my lipstick.

I hugged her.

“Jenn, try and work things out with Lion. He loves you. Don’t forget that,” I said. She nodded, and I went to grab Briar. She was wearing an attractive beige gown that left little to the imagination. Her hair was pulled up on one side, with a cascade of curly locks hanging down on the other. She looked fantastic.

We said a quick goodbye to Jenna and walked toward the rented car that was waiting for us outside. I was surprised to find not a chauffeur, but Steve, dressed to the nines. As he saw us descending the stairway, he smiled and passed me a rectangular box.

“It’s from Nick,” he said. There was something strange, almost unfriendly, about the way he said it. I looked at the box and the accompanying envelope.

Briar gave me a strange look as I laid them both in the seat without opening either. “You don’t want to know what he got you?”

I shook my head, focusing on the road. I needed to keep a cool head. When the night was over, we could talk about whatever we wanted. I’d wait to open my heart till then.

The estate was outside of town, and my nerves only grew more strained over the course of the long drive. When we got there, I was surprised to see the trees flanking the road all covered in white lights. A row of limousines was waiting to drop all the passengers off at the door. When our car came to a stop, a man in a suit opened our door. I had to try to keep a lid on my insecurities. When he helped me out, at least thirty pairs of eyes focused on me.

“Good evening, ladies,” the man in the suit said, and he touched a button on his earpiece, whispering something I couldn’t hear.

My mother had told me not to stop for any photos until I found her and William. I turned to Briar as the man in the suit motioned for me to follow him.

“I can’t miss this,” she said, observing the photo-call with calculating interest.

“You sure you don’t mind staying by yourself?”

She rolled her eyes and turned her back to me. Her elegant legs marched off toward the group of people gathered in front of the camera, and I knew there was no need to worry about her.

I was led past a huddle of reporters interviewing numerous guests. I felt overwhelmed until my eyes met my mother’s… We hadn’t seen each other since the night I’d left home a month back, and even if enough time had passed to put our problems aside, when I saw her, I knew we still had a lot to talk about.

“You look lovely, Noah,” she exclaimed when she saw me, bending down for a quick hug.

She looked like a movie star: Her hair was in curls and pulled back with a bejeweled silver hairpin. Her dress was burgundy and made her look much younger than her true age. I’d always been amazed by how well-preserved she was because she wasn’t a strict dieter or anything of the sort.

“Thanks. You, too,” I responded, looking toward the corner where William was speaking with reporters from theLos Angeles Times.

Standing apart from the crowd, but still easily seen, I watched the cars arrive and the elegantly dressed guests getting out. My mother was projecting her voice to talk to various acquaintances as they passed. It was a madhouse, and it was already starting to stress me out. I couldn’t remember all the people I was getting introduced to, and we still had to wait for William to stop talkingto the stupid reporters so we could finally take our goddamned family photos.

A wave of excitement shot through the photographers, and I looked over to see a car that had just stopped next to the carpet. There he was, and my God, who could have seen him without going gaga: Nicholas got out of his limo, his face serious, professional, despite the catcalls from the photographers. He buttoned his blazer and reached out a hand to the girl who was riding with him. Sophia Aiken was dressed in a spectacular black gown, tight, incredibly sensual. As I observed them from a distance, I had to suppress the urge to vomit.

I turned away just as William started walking away from the reporters to greet me. He was beaming. I guessed this was his night… I’d been thinking so much about myself that I’d forgotten how important this all was for him.

“Thanks for doing this, Noah. You look great,” he said with a smile.

I nodded, ignoring my mounting irritation. I saw Nick say something to Sophie, break away from her, and walk toward us.

When our eyes met, I felt a thousand butterflies take off in my stomach. His eyes widened as he saw my dress. Lord…Nick in a tuxedo.

Before I could do something crazy, I turned around and looked at the amazing gardens, the lights, the journalists… Wasn’t that one a well-known newscaster? And that guy over there, didn’t he just get hired for the new Spielberg movie?

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