Episode 80
EPISODE 80
GOWNS AND GOSSIP
Emily
After leaving River’s room—and running into Sebastian Tate on my way—I head up the stairs and toward Ariel’s room but make a quick detour to my own suite. I need a quick shower. I don’t want to smell like I’ve just been eaten with relish when I fetch Ariel. Once I’m showered, dried, and dressed—this time in a crisp yellow blouse and white linen shorts with sparkly sandals—I leave my suite and walk the few doors to Ariel’s.
I knock.
No response.
“Ariel, love. You in there?” I knock again.
Still nothing.
I shrug. Can’t say I blame the girl. I pretty much escorted her out of River’s suite and she probably feels slighted. She’s probably also thinking that something’s going on between River and me—and she’d be right. I’ve enjoyed my time with River, but he and I come from two different worlds. Besides, I don’t relish the thought of gossip about the two of us. It’s too soon for anyone to truly pair up, and as for River...
Perhaps I’m just scratching an itch.
Or perhaps...
No. I’m not going there. He’s mad as a storm over the moors at the moment, and I don’t think it’s solely because he found me in the hot tub with Brett earlier.
I walk away from Ariel’s door, only to jerk when another door opens.
Misty peeks out into the hall.
Misty...who admitted she’s into River—according to Sienna, anyway—and who claimed one of the men had already made his choice the first night.
What a bloody liar.
I recoil at the sight of her in her pink tank top and denim shorts. What did she do to River on their date last night? Whatever it was, it catapulted him into my bed for some hot and ferocious sex. Certainly not complaining about that.
Something makes me walk closer, however, and I give her a good look. Her eyes are puffy and her nose red. Has she been crying?
“Are you all right?” I ask. “You look upset. Did something happen?”
Misty sniffles and gives a laugh—sort of. “What always does, I guess. I screw things up and end up alone. I don’t know why I thought this would be different.”
I cock my head. Is Misty actually showing a touch of humanity? If so, maybe I can get her to spill a bit of the truth.
I give her a smile. “I’m sorry you’re feeling so awful. Do you need to talk?”
Misty sniffs and lifts her eyebrows. “That would be nice. I could use a friend here. And a cup of coffee.”
To have a friend you must first be one.
Wisdom from my grandmother, and I’m tempted to say the words to Misty, but I bite back the snotty response.
Instead, I nod. “Of course. I could use a cup of coffee as well. Let’s go into your room and we’ll order a pot.”
“I thought English people drank tea,” she says.
I resist an eyeroll. “I’ve grown accustomed to a good strong cup of java in the morning. ”
I walk into her room and close the door. I have to stop my jaw from dropping. Colorful dresses spill out of an open Louis Vuitton suitcase. Some are draped over the furniture. Half a dozen pairs of designer shoes, from glittering Louboutins to sleek Jimmy Choos, are strewn haphazardly across the plush carpet. Beautiful fashion and she treats it like refuse.
Misty apparently brought her own designer wardrobe. Evangeline outfitted us well, but there’s got to be a hundred thousand dollars of clothing in this sitting room alone.
Tell me you’re a rich girl without telling me you’re a rich girl...
Misty walks to the intercom and presses the button.
“Yes, Ms. Holmes?”
“Please send a pot of strong black coffee to my room. Two cups. Plus a yogurt and granola parfait with strawberries.” She turns to me. “Do you want anything to eat?”
“No, thank you.” Then I change my mind. If I want Misty to talk, I need to lean into this. Share a meal with her. “Wait. I’ll have fresh fruit and scrambled egg whites, please.”
Misty places the order and then shuts off the intercom.
I look around the room. Where to sit? Finally, I move a Carolina Herrera red silk sheath from the davenport and take a seat.
Misty sits next to me, directly on top of a little black Chanel dress.
I hold back a gasp.
If someone treated my designs this way I’d have a bloody heart attack.
Misty immediately turns to me. “Do you have brothers and sisters, Emily? Any siblings?”
Odd question. I was expecting her to want to talk about what’s going on here on the island.
“I’ve one half-sister from my father. My parents divorced when I was in secondary school.”
Misty’s eyes go wide. Interesting... So I continue.
“I don’t know her well. I’m not as close to my family as I’d prefer to be. Why do you ask? What brought you here?”
She doesn’t answer immediately, and just when I’m thinking this will lead to nothing?—
“I came because I wanted to meet someone special.” She sighs. “Plus, I wanted to meet the rest of you women as well. I grew up as an only child. Sure, I had money, a nanny, a whole staff to take care of me, but I always felt alone.”
I’m oddly touched. I grew up as an only child as well before my parents split. I’m a bit of a loner, so I didn’t mind it so much, but I always had friends. Then I narrow my gaze. I can’t forget who I’m dealing with. I don’t trust Misty Holmes.
“ You seem to have made friends,” Misty continues. “You and Ariel have hit it off.”
I shrug. “It’s second-nature to me to nurture women who seem overwhelmed. Ariel reminds me of a lot of the women I work with.”
“Models?”
“Some, yes. Beauty sometimes comes at a price.”
Misty tilts her head. “I used to want to be a model,” she says wistfully. “I wanted something to make people care about me.”
“Beauty won’t make people care about you, love. And by the way, you are beautiful. I doubt you’d be here if you weren’t.”
She smiles weakly and sniffles again. “Ariel is so lucky. She’s beautiful and sweet. There’s something about her that makes people care.”
“Is that why you’re here, then? To find someone to care about you? Are you looking for love? Or are you simply looking for a friend?”
She’s quiet another moment, but then she stands and picks up the Chanel she was sitting on. “This was a gift from my mother for my last birthday. It came by courier along with a diamond pendant with a typed card.”
“It’s a gorgeous piece,” I say. “It should be on a padded silk hanger, not thrown on a sofa.”
“You’re right, of course.” Misty gazes around the room at the garments strewn everywhere. “I guess I take my clothes for granted. I don’t really care about them. They’re how my mother shows her love and it frankly pisses me off. A typed card!” She scoffs.
I stand, gently picking up the Herrera sheath. “Let’s put these away, shall we?”
One by one, Misty and I pick up her designer dresses and hang them in the bedroom closet.
Once done, I turn to her. “These are things , Misty. Beautiful things, but they’re just things, and that’s coming from a fashion designer. I love what I do. I create beauty. I help women feel beautiful when they wear my clothes, but true beauty comes from in here.” I touch my chest. “I’m sorry your mother showed her love with mere things, Misty. I am. But some people don’t know any other way.”
Misty nods, swallowing. “You asked why I came here.”
“I did.”
“Can you tell me why you came here?”
“To meet a billionaire,” I say succinctly.
It’s not a lie. It’s just not the whole truth.
Misty looks at the gorgeous array of clothes in her closet and then she turns and meets my gaze. “I came here for one thing. One person. River Barrett.”
I draw in a breath to stay calm, even though I want to claw Misty’s eyes out for touching my man. Except he’s not my man. I don’t even want him. Which of course is an acidic lie.
I’m not surprised at Misty’s words. Sienna told me as much. But since then, I’ve had some incredible sex with River...and some budding feelings I didn’t expect.
I gaze into Misty’s blue eyes. Does she know about River and me? Was this little chat intentional on her part?
“Well, they’re all gorgeous and rich, right?” I say. “You could fall for Brett or Alex. Sebastian is sexy, and that voice...” For a moment I recall the orgasm he gave me in his suite the first night. Where it might have gone if we hadn’t been interrupted.
But the look on Misty’s face contorts to one of... Is it determination? Resolve? Tenacity? Or downright vehemence? She narrows her eyes. “It has to be River. He’s the only one I want.”