Chapter Fifteen
Georgie
––––––––
The next morning, I arrived at the store forty minutes late. The bus had gotten a flat tire, and it took forever to fix it. Luckily, Zelda was opening today.
I wondered when Julian was going to send the gift or if he was going to bring it himself. I’d definitely love that. I was looking for any excuse to see him. I had a yearning for him that I couldn't explain.
To my intense disappointment, there were no customers inside the store.
I will never get used to this, the highs and lows. Why was yesterday so chock-full and today empty?
"Hey," Zelda said when I stepped in.
"Have we had any customers today?"
"There were two girls earlier. They bought a handful of beads and cheap masks. And you got a delivery."
Aha. Guess who had butterflies in her stomach? That's right, me.
She pointed at an elegant box at the side of the counter. It was nondescript.
"Thanks. Who brought it?"
"Someone working for Julian LeBlanc."
I grabbed the box and said, "I'll just go in the back."
"Sure."
She had a very sneaky smile. Could she tell from my face? Oh, who cared?
I didn't even make it out of the front room before opening it.
"Oh my," I sighed.
Inside was a truly exquisite mask. It was porcelain, which meant it cost a fortune—I’d never dared to use it for my own masks. It was clearly hand-painted with very delicate strokes.
I put it on and dashed into the bathroom, glancing in the mirror. I already knew what I was going to wear. It would match perfectly. I put it back in its box and immediately took out my phone, messaging Julian.
Georgie: I received the mask. It's truly exquisite.
Julian: I'm glad you like it. I bet it will take me no time at all to recognize you.
Georgie: Will everyone wear a mask?
Julian: Yes, me included.
Georgie: That's generous, giving everyone masks.
Julian: The invitation actually specified for everyone to bring their own mask, but I wanted something special for you.
Georgie: But then you know what it looks like.
Julian: No. I specifically instructed my assistant not to tell me any details.
Georgie: I'm not going to make it easy for you to recognize me.
Julian: Trust me, Georgie, I’d recognize you in a room with a million other women. You draw me in no matter what.
Holy shit, when did this game turn seductive?
Just like that, my heartbeat was way out of control as I made my way back to the front.
"You okay?" Zelda asked. "You’re flushed all of a sudden."
"I'm good. Let's get ready to work."
"By the way, the girls and I will try to hunt down a spot to watch the motorized floats. Want to join us?"
I bit the inside of my cheek. "Sorry, I can't. I have other plans."
"No problem," Zelda said.
Would it make me look like a snob if I told her I was watching it from the Marriott suite? Probably. I could try explaining what was going on with Julian. But as I said the words in my mind, I realized how far-fetched they seemed, so I decided to keep the information to myself.
For the rest of the day, I kept thinking about my outfit for the party while tending to customers.
Julian had assured me that his party would be something like the gathering at the bar. Casual. But how casual could an event at the Marriott be?
Oh, I had to stop fretting. It was Carnival season, and I had the perfect outfit.
***
The day of the party, I was extremely proud of my attire. At four o'clock in the afternoon, I told Zelda I had to leave early. I'd thought about schlepping my costume with me to the store, but I preferred to change at home.
"Actually, you know what? I think you can close," I told her, and her relief was palpable.
"Oh, thank goodness because the girls told me that I should really get there soon if I want to have a shot in hell of reaching them. The place is packed already."
I grimaced. "Then go, go, go."
"Are you sure it's okay to close the store?"
My shoulders slumped. The truth was that this was a bit silly. We’d lose a few customers, but what the hell? I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see motorized floats from the balcony at the Marriott. I was a firm believer in hard work, but I could afford this luxury for myself and my girls. Since motorized floats weren’t allowed in the French Quarter anymore, the parades on big boulevards like Canal Street were the only way to see them.
"Yes. Take the time off and celebrate."
She grinned. "Thanks, boss."
Getting out of the Quarter was absolute madness today, but I knew shortcuts, so I decided to walk. I wasn't going to take the bus from the cathedral today but rather jump on three stations farther down, beyond St. Charles Avenue.
The flaw in my plan was that I didn't count on a delay. The bus came fifteen minutes late, but then I was finally on my merry way home. Once I arrived, I dressed very quickly, putting on a short multicolored dress. It was another sparkly one, but in my opinion, if there was ever a time to bring out the sparkle, it was definitely during Carnival season. The colors complemented my beautiful mask too. I put it on just to see how I would look.
Oh yeah, I looked like a sexy vixen. Well, maybe not sexy, but enticing for sure.
I swallowed hard, lowering the mask, as I remembered Julian’s messages. How he insisted he would recognize me even with the mask. Was he flirting or simply paying me a compliment? I didn't know. All those fake kisses felt too real. It was messing with my head.
Maybe I should have a chat with him just in case any kissing comes up and tell him he should keep it to a very decent, almost boring level.
"Ha, don't be silly," I told myself in the mirror. “If you're going to get fake kisses, they should at least be delicious.”
There was no reason to hold back. Except... I was already looking forward to an opportunity for a fake kiss, which was crazy. That wasn't the point of this at all.
I had a feeling I'd completely lost the point, though. Why was I even attending this party? It wasn't really for networking. I was dressed like a Mardi Gras flag, and Julian told me that most people actually went there to see the floats and get drunk.
No, I had to be honest with myself. I'd said yes to his invitation because I wanted to see Julian. The floats, too, but mostly Julian.
As if on cue, my phone beeped.
Julian: When will you be here?
Georgie: I'm still at home, but I'm hurrying.
Julian: Don't worry. Plenty of time until the floats arrive.
I finally arrived at the Marriott forty-five minutes later. Traffic had been insane, but once I stepped inside the lobby, I completely forgot about it. It seemed like I was in another world altogether. One of luxury and peace where nothing ever went wrong. I could feel the calm seep into my bones.
The suite was on the fifth floor, and I immediately realized why Julian had indicated I use a specific elevator. There was a man inside who asked, "Going to Julian LeBlanc's party?"
I nodded.
"Come on in."
"This is a cool job. You escort people there all day long?"
"Yes. And you’re lucky that it's just you in the elevator. Last group was so big, I thought the doors wouldn’t close.”
"A lot of people have arrived already?"
"Yeah. Everyone likes free booze," he said with a chuckle.
As the door slid open upon our arrival, he nodded. "Good luck."
"Which door is it?"
"You'll see it soon enough."
He was right. It was impossible to miss. Julian hadn’t just rented out a suite but the presidential suite. I couldn't even imagine how much that cost.
I suddenly looked down at my dress. No, I wasn’t going to question myself. I was a very confident woman. I didn't want to let Kyle get into my head, but apparently he had already. Nevertheless, I was determined to enjoy this evening.
I unbuttoned my coat as I arrived in front of the double doors. There were two women on either side, both wearing a black-and-white outfit.
"Hi, may we take your coat?"
"Sure."
One of them took it from me while the other held a tray with flutes. "Champagne?"
"Yes, please."
"You should put the mask on," she said seriously.
I gasped. "That’s right. Can’t believe I forgot.”
I turned with my back to the room, quickly taking the mask out of my purse and putting it on. Then I twirled to face them.
"How do I look?" I asked.
"Fantastic. By the way, your dress is by far my favorite one tonight."
My face exploded into a grin. "Thanks. I wanted to watch the floats in style."
"As you should. I’d do it, too, but this party always has fantastic tips, so I try to sign up for it every year. Have fun!"
"And you."
With the mask on, I felt no shame checking out other people’s outfits. Julian had been right. It was casual. Lots of jeans, lots of T-shirts that were a mix of gold, green, and purple. Though I also spotted a few other dresses that were just as glittery as mine.
Where’s Julian? I glanced around the room once but didn’t spot him.
I went to one of the windows, looking out. We were going to have an absolutely perfect view. I couldn't believe my luck. I was feeling even sorrier for my poor team, standing in lines for hours to catch a glimpse when I had this perfect view.
"Hello, gorgeous." Julian's unmistakable voice resounded from behind me. "I told you I'd find you. I noticed you as you came in."