25. Jenny
JENNY
I pulled my fedora down artfully to the side as I checked myself in the mirror. The black jumpsuit Shirley had bought me was luxurious, and the hat was the perfect accessory. I looked like one of those rich women I saw periodically driving a Range Rover around town. Hot, wealthy, and in charge. I would fit in just fine with the five-star resort crowd. I hoped. With a nod of approval at my reflection and a reminder to fake it until I make-d it, I grabbed my carry-on bag.
Audrey still hadn’t texted me by the time Cole and I headed to Logan Airport. It made me feel funny worrying about my friend; usually, it was the other way around. And that wasn’t the only thing making me feel weird.
All of a sudden, things were slightly off between Cole and me. No one would notice it but me. Maybe not even Cole. On the surface, everything appeared fine. Actually, it seemed to be great. We’d still had sex when we got home from the reception. I still did the thing with his balls. We both orgasmed, yelling and grunting in pleasure and held each other while we fell asleep. Still, something was amiss.
Something wasn’t right.
I’d felt oddly comfortable with Cole from the beginning. It shouldn’t have been that way. We were from two different worlds, but somehow, the billionaire bachelor had immediately put me at ease. The attraction had been instantaneous. The sex made me feel like a million bucks—scratch that, a billion. Same thing whenever Cole put his arm around me and when I woke up next to his big, warm body. I was proud to be next to him. Real proud, like I was being rewarded for good behavior, and everyone could see it.
But now, as we headed to Logan for our flight, another awkward silence stretched out between us. I wondered if it was because the vacation was the last part of the assignment. All of a sudden, the end of our arrangement was in sight. The party was about to be over. Instead of crying about it, I vowed to enjoy myself. Maybe the trip wouldn’t be the end of us after all. Maybe Cole would decide to “buy” me and put me up in a condo or something. Maybe he’d become a regular.
Or maybe pigs would fly.
Again, I promised myself I wouldn’t think about it. I had plenty to be happy about. We were flying to the Caribbean! Shirley had gone shopping for me, dropping off a week’s worth of designer resort wear in addition to the things Elena had already packed. I had the hottest billionaire alive sitting beside me, holding my hand. We were going to go swimming in turquoise water and drink rum out of coconuts. I should enjoy my dreams coming true, not cry about whatever happened next. Or whatever didn’t happen next.
“We’re flying private,” Cole announced after we went through security.
“Woah. Seriously—a whole plane for just us?”
“Yep.” Cole smiled, pleased at my reaction. It was like the sun coming out. “You’re going to love it.”
“Of course I’m going to freaking love it!” I grinned back at him. “I’m flying private to the Caribbean with my billionaire boyfriend. What’s not to love?’
He grabbed me and pulled me against him, some of the uneasiness between us dissipating. “We’re going to have so much fun, babe. I can’t wait to see you in some of those bikinis Shirley bought.”
I arched my eyebrows. “You’re going to be seeing a lot of me.” Shirley had bought scraps of fabric—thin, lacy scraps—sold as expensive swimwear. Celia Preston was going to get an eyeful!
Speaking of the Preston matriarch, we soon found her in the waiting area, along with Robert Preston, Todd and Evie, Evie’s cousins and their husbands, the other bridesmaids, and a small crowd of additional well-dressed guests who I’d seen at the various events. Our private seating area was hushed. The guests were silently drinking their coffee, bleary-eyed and most likely quite hungover from the reception.
James and Audrey weren’t there yet. I crossed my fingers, hoping they’d make it.
“Mrs. Preston. Mr. Preston.” Cole nodded at them as we took seats near Todd and Evie. The happy couple smiled at us. Todd raised his coffee in a cheer.
“It was an awesome wedding,” I said. From her perch several seats away, Celia Preston sighed. “ Wicked awesome,” I added for good measure.
Evie grinned. “Thanks! I agree.” She snuggled against Todd, putting her hand on his chest. Her enormous diamond winked at me.
I briefly wondered what it would feel like to be married and have a ginormous ring on my finger, but I shoved the thought away. Eye on the ball, Jenny, I reminded myself. Eye on Cole’s balls! I was getting paid a fuck-ton of money for this assignment. There was no reason to sit around, waiting to board a private plane, boo-hooing and feeling sorry for myself.
A minute later, James and Audrey arrived. My friend looked pale beneath her makeup. James appeared tense, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Uh-oh. Gone were the goo-goo eyes and the lovey-dovey behavior from the past week. They both looked uncomfortable as they approached our group.
Celia rose as soon as she saw them. “Audrey, dear, we were worried you weren’t going to make it. What happened to you last night?” she asked. “I would have asked my son at the reception, but he avoided me like the plague, as usual.”
Audrey offered a strained smile. “I wasn’t feeling well, Mrs. Preston. I’m so sorry I had to leave—I missed everything. James said it was extraordinary.”
“You’re better this morning?” Celia Preston eyed her up and down.
Fine actress that she was, Audrey reached for James’s hand. “I’m much better, thank you. I’m really looking forward to this trip.” She almost sounded convincing.
Seemingly satisfied, Celia went to sit back down. But then she stopped herself. “Oh, I meant to ask you—who was that strange woman you were talking to yesterday at the church? She caused quite a stir in the back, I understand.”
Audrey’s smile faltered, but only for a moment. “She was just some woman who wandered in off the street—I didn’t want her interrupting the ceremony. So I helped her out.”
Celia Preston managed to raise one eyebrow slightly, and her gaze shifted to her son. “And you left your brother’s wedding to go help Audrey with this random stranger?”
James shrugged. “I wanted to make sure Audrey didn’t need me. Turns out she didn’t. She handled it all on her own.”
“How impressive. You almost make it sound as if Audrey’s an actual adult.” Celia chuckled meanly and sat back down.
Cole and I watched this exchange with interest. “She really is a bitch, huh?” I whispered. “She and Audrey’s mom deserve each other.”
“Maybe we should invite Audrey’s mom to the island, too,” he said, also keeping his voice low. “Then we can vote them both off.”
“I like the way you think, Coley,” I said, feeling myself relax a little. I might have awkwardness to deal with, but it was nothing compared to what Audrey was going through. I needed to buck up and support my friend.
Cole smiled at me. “We make a pretty good team, don’t you think?”
I grinned back. “I sure do.” I could feel the hope rising in my chest, that pesky weed that cropped up regardless of its surroundings. Mentally, I plucked it. It was time to keep my eye on the ball. The balls .
I had work to do, not the least of which was helping my best friend.
The private plane was impressively luxurious, of course. The chairs were wide and comfortable-looking, with plenty of space to spread out. We followed a stiff-looking James and Audrey to the back of the plane, and I sighed in relief that we had a few rows to ourselves. I was psyched to get away from Celia Preston.
We flopped down across the aisle from Audrey and James. I stared at my friend, but she was avoiding me. She probably didn’t want to talk, but too bad. That’s what friends did.
“Where’d you run off to last night?” I asked. “We had to watch James drown his sorrows in about ten bourbons.”
“I had a thing,” she said, that same strained smile on her face.
I frowned at Audrey and then turned to James. “Hey, James. Wanna switch seats for a minute?” He nodded, gratefully sliding in next to Cole, who punched him on the arm in greeting.
I turned to Audrey as the flight attendant went through the safety presentation. “What’s the matter with you two?” I whispered.
She leaned over to check that James and Cole couldn’t hear us; they were deep in conversation. “A lot,” she said. She looked miserable. “I’m thinking I just need to be his escort. No more feelings. It’s too messy. There’s too much at stake.”
I raised my eyebrows. “He was a mess last night at the reception, Dre. Seriously. He was miserable without you.” Cole had told me how many bourbons James had banged through just at the start of the reception. “And he still looks like that today—like he has an emotional hangover. You need to make that right.”
She started fussing with her outfit, a nervous habit. “I don’t know if I can do that, Jenny.”
“Dre.” I waited until she looked up and met my eyes. “Don’t you try to fool me. I know you have bona fide feelings for that man.”
Audrey raised her chin, looking defiant. “I thought you said thoughts and feelings were invisible, Jenny. No one’s supposed to be able to see them.”
“They’re not invisible when they’re written all over your face,” I snapped.
We just looked at each other for a beat.
“I’m trying to do the right thing,” she said. “For both James and me.”
“Did you talk to him about how you’re feeling? Did he tell you whathewants?” I asked.
She shook her head. “He tried to. But honestly, I don’t want to know. Because no matter what he says, I know I’m not the best thing for him.”
I squeezed her arm. “You’re such a good person—one of the best people I know. When’re you going to give yourself a chance?”
“A chance for what?” she asked miserably.
“To be happy,” I said.
“I am happy. At least I know what it feels like now,” she mumbled.
I frowned at her again. “If you love him—and I’m guessing that’s what you mean—you’ve got to give him a chance,” I said.
“I can’t, Jenny.” Audrey looked like she might start crying. “I’m just trying to keep this from going from bad to worse. Bad is where I’m at. I love him, and he’s totally out of my league. His mother hates me, and she’ll never accept me into their family. My mother’s already tried to blackmail him. That’s why she came to the wedding. It’s not like we’re ever going to be one big, happy family.”
She took a deep breath. “And it could get so much worse—that’s why I don’t even want to know how he feels. What if he loves me back, huh? It’ll never work out and that would break my heart. Or what if hedoesn’tlove me back? Then that would break my fucking heart. You get it?”
“I get it,” I sighed. “But you gotta stop this overthinking. And you gotta let him have a say. Otherwise you’ll never find out.”
“Find out what?” she asked.
“Who he is , Dre.” I patted her hand. “If you don’t let him tell you how he feels about you, you’ll never get a chance to know. And that might seem safe and perfect in that little airtight container that you’re trying to create for yourself, but it’s not right.
“I know you. You want everything in order. You want to take care of Tommy and keep your mom out of trouble and keep James up on a pedestal. But that little airtight container’s not big enough for you, girl. It’s not big enough for you to have a life .”
“Huh,” she said. She fussed with her outfit some more. “Have I told you lately that you’re smart?”
“You have,” I said and smiled. “So if you think I’m so smart, you listen to what I’m saying. You gotta be brave here. Desperate times call for desperate measures. And maybe some liquid courage.”
I hit the button above us, and an attendant appeared instantly. “We’d like two large glasses of alcohol,” I said. “Any kind you got. This being such a fancy flight and all, I’m sure it’s all good.”