Episode 60
EPISODE 60
GIRL TALK
Ariel
Alex gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before he left. Once the door was closed behind him, I turned back to June.
“Alex is gone now, so tell me the truth. Do you feel safe here?”
She nods, adjusting the sash on her robe. “I do. I believe Alex.”
“Then I have to ask. Why did you say that Alex and the other men are the reason you have to leave?”
She grabs another tissue and wipes her nose. “I figured Evangeline spoke for them. She’s their employee, after all. I figured they’d rather have Misty here than me.”
“I think you may have misunderstood the situation, June. I got the feeling from Alex that Evangeline does not speak for them.”
She nods. “I got that feeling too. But that’s only Alex. What about the others?”
“They’re close friends, and they put together this event. They don’t want any of us to leave. That would defeat the whole purpose.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Plus, it’s not fair of Evangeline to take your concern for Rachel and turn it around on you like she did.”
“No, it wasn’t.” She sighs. “I know why I’m here, but now I’m having second thoughts.”
I can’t help a slight chuckle. “You and me both.”
“Alex was in your room,” she says. “That’s got to be a good sign.”
“I suppose. I’m the one who invited him up here.”
“God, I’m so sorry I interrupted you guys. So the date went well then?” She nods and eyes my sequined tube top and miniskirt. “You look hot as hell. And your hair is...a little mussed.”
Did the date go well? I threw myself at him, just like I did at Brett last night. And he told me no...just as Brett did.
I sigh. “Sort of. I mean, yeah, it did. He asked me what I wanted to do, had the chef prepare a perfect meal for me. We talked a little about ourselves, got to know each other better.”
“And...?” she prompts.
“And...that’s it.”
“Ariel, you invited him to your room.”
“I did. And nothing happened. Well, not nothing . He went down on me.”
“How was it?”
I sigh and lean back into the couch. “He’s amazing...”
June nods. “I’m glad you had fun. Emily and I were the odd women out tonight.”
Should I tell her that I spied Emily and River taking off toward the beach earlier? Probably not. June seems vulnerable. As if she thinks she’s not in the running.
“It was all random, June,” I say. “You’ll have a date tomorrow night. You and Em both.”
She sniffles and wipes her nose again. “If I’m still here by then.”
“You won’t have to leave. You heard Alex. He’s going to fix everything. And you know what? I think he can. He’s so...capable.”
“Capable?”
“I know. Doesn’t sound sexy at all, does it? But Alex surprised me tonight. First of all, how hot is he in those glasses?”
“He’s hot in anything,” June says. “They all are.”
“True.” I shake my head. “I was sure I was falling for Brett last night, but then tonight I saw Alex as someone I could totally fall for, maybe even more so than Brett. Brett was the one I was initially attracted to. Those surfer-boy good looks. I’ve always loved blond hair on men. Alex is the opposite of that, but I swear, his eyes... They’ve seen things. It’s like they’re a mirror into wisdom or something.”
June cocks her head at me.
“I know I sound ridiculous.”
“No, you don’t.”
“That’s kind of you to say, but of course I do. How can I be so fickle? I don’t have a clue what I want.” I regard June, with her milky complexion and gorgeous blue eyes. And of course that hot lingerie-model body. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why are you here? I mean, if anyone should leave, it should be me. I’m not like the rest of you. I haven’t done anything special with my life.”
June laughs. “Look at you. You’re as gorgeous as any of us, and you’ve got two of the guys taking an interest. I’ve got nothing. Though I did have a great orgasm with Sebastian this afternoon.”
I smile. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“I didn’t?”
“Yeah. I asked why you’re here. You’re a famous model, June. You can have your pick of wealthy and worldly men.”
“They’re not always nice men,” she says.
I tilt my head and nod, indicating for her to continue.
“Seems the more money some men have, the more they think they can exploit a woman. You wouldn’t believe how many rich men just want arm candy and think that because I’m beautiful I don’t have a brain. It’s not some trade off.”
“I don’t think these men are like that.”
She shakes her head. “They’re not. I looked into all of them, and that’s why I wanted to come here. I admit I got into the modeling business young. I had one of those stage moms, you know? She saw my potential by the time I was twelve, and she had me traveling to New York and LA to talk to agents.” June rolls her eyes. “At least she didn’t have me in those kiddie beauty pageants. I’d be more fucked up than I already am.”
She pats my arm. “You’re not fucked up.”
“I am, though. People see an easy target because I’m young?—”
“You’re not as young as I am.”
“No, but nearly. Anyway, they think they can take advantage of me because I’m young, I have my own money, and I’m just a pretty face and a hot body, which means I don’t have a brain. But I do have a brain, Ariel.”
“I know that.”
“The problem is that I tried to start a business last year. Sank a lot of my savings into it, and it tanked.”
“What kind of business?”
She looks down and slumps her shoulders. “A line of lingerie for plus-sized women. But no plus-sized woman wants to buy lingerie from someone who looks like me. I thought I was creating something beautiful for body positivity, but I didn’t do the hard research first. I’m still okay financially, but it took a toll on my savings and my ego.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s my own fault. I didn’t have a business plan that was workable. But I’ve always wanted to have my own business. I can’t walk the runway forever, and I don’t have supermodel status.”
“You might someday.”
She shakes her head slowly. “I doubt it. I’m already closer to thirty than I am to twenty. Besides, I don’t want to do this forever. Though I love the travel. I did a shoot in the financial district of Tokyo last year. It was so amazing...”
“Where do you see yourself going next?” I ask.
June straightens her posture and looks me straight in the eye. “Not into lingerie, that’s for sure. Besides, who needs another lingerie line? I think I’d be an excellent agent. And I’d treat my models well. They wouldn’t be arm candy. They’d be human beings, individuals with their own interests and passions, and that’s how they’d be treated.” She sighs. “So I’m here because I’m looking for a partner who can help with those goals. I have money, but not that kind of money. These men aren’t looking just for arm candy. If they were, they wouldn’t be doing it this way. They’re so loaded they could have arm candy for every day of the week. The month. The damned year, for God’s sake. If one of them falls in love with me, I’ll have not just a husband and lover but an asset.”
I raise my eyebrows at her, not quite understanding.
“Maybe not the right word,” she says. “I’m not thinking of a husband as a thing . A partner, you know? Someone who wants the same things I do. Someone who can help me in business, and I can also help him. I want to support his business, and I want him to support mine.”
I close my eyes. “That would be wonderful.” Then I open them. “Of course, I don’t have a lot of business know-how.”
“You can learn. You’re young. Explore life a little.”
I hesitate a bit, fidgeting with my hands. “June, I’m a waitress at a drive-in diner in bumfuck Alabama. I wear roller skates. God, I can’t believe I just told you that. The roller skate part, I mean.”
“Honest work is nothing to be ashamed of, Ariel.”
“I’m not ashamed, but let’s just say I didn’t tell Brett or Alex what I do for a living. Or that I have Tweety Bird tattooed on my ass. Or that I left high school at sixteen to help out my mama.”
“That’s noble.”
“Is it? Or is it trashy?”
June gives me a big smile. “You, my dear, need to see yourself the way others see you.”
“That’s what Emily says too.”
“Emily’s wise, then. You’re beautiful, Ariel. You’re sweet and nice and kind. Why do you think I came knocking on your door? Emily’s great, and I like her a lot, but I didn’t go to her when I needed to cry tonight.”
I take her hand. “I’m glad you came to me. And we’re going to fix this. No way are you leaving this island tomorrow. The guys will take care of it. And if they don’t? You and I will. I have a plan.”