CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Reynolds
“Just help me. Please?” I asked Madeline. It was strange talking to her when she was dressed to go out on stage at Sugar. But I had to catch her sometime.
She crossed her arms over her ample chest, bringing even more attention to her cleavage.
I did my best to look anywhere else. She narrowed her eyes at me.
I think. It was hard to tell since she had her stage makeup on, and her eyelids looked heavy with her fake lashes applied. “Why should I help you?”
“Because we both care about Nadine.”
“Do you, though? Or are you just leading her on?”
“I’m not. I swear. I’ve talked to her about everything. She understands what’s going on,” I assured her.
“I’m glad someone does.” She strutted up the stairs as the music for her set started playing.
“Will you do it?” I called out to her.
She looked over her shoulder at me. “Yes. Let’s do it tomorrow. Where do you want to meet?”
“Meet me downtown at Cartier? Around ten?”
Madeline smiled then, and it’s the first genuine smile she’d given me in a long time. “Fine. I’ll see you then.”
The next day dawned bright and chilly. It didn’t get very cold in South Georgia in December, but it was still cool enough for a coat.
I asked Byron to drop me downtown with instructions to pick me up in a couple of hours.
That was perfect for him. He wanted time to go work out with Nico at Saffron, and he was okay leaving me as long as I stayed where I said I would be.
Now that the election was over, both of us felt more relaxed.
Me about life in general, and him about my need for around-the-clock protection.
I knew he’d still be concerned about advertised public appearances, though, like the charity ball and my inauguration. Until then, we’d both enjoy a little freedom.
I enjoyed the brisk December air as I walked down the street.
The new downtown was so different from the way it had looked when I was growing up.
This area used to be little more than miles of undeveloped land.
Now, that land was filled with luxury shops, up-scale restaurants, and high-end cafés tucked in between high-rise office buildings and specialty stores.
Everything was bright in the morning sunlight.
The replica gas lamps on wrought iron posts, a staple throughout downtown West Bay now, were all decorated with bright red ribbons for Christmas.
The city’s newest Christmas decorations hung from the tall streetlights.
We’d decided on intricate Swarovski crystal snowflakes that lit up at night and sparkled beautifully.
I breathed in a deep, satisfying breath of the chilly, humid air.
The breezes coming off the bay kept things warmer than they might normally be, but they also brought in extra humidity.
Not that we needed any more of that in Georgia, but I relished the hint of salt in the air. It was a good trade off.
I rounded the corner to the Cartier store.
I saw Madeline inside through the large storefront windows.
She was wearing a bright blue dress. She seemed to often wear that color, and I thought it had to be deliberate to match her pretty eye color.
I opened the door and was immediately approached by two saleswomen.
“Good morning, Mr. Mayor!” one woman called out to me. “Are you here to buy that pretty girlfriend of yours something for Christmas?”
Well, fuck.
Madeline and I exchanged a look.
“I’d like to keep that under wraps, please.” I gestured to Madeline. “This is Madeline, and she’ll be helping me pick out something for a good friend of mine.”
Madeline cocked an eyebrow and tried not to smile.
“A friend,” the other saleslady gave me a big wink and grin. “Sure, we understand.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Lord, I’d be so glad when I could pull the plug on this thing with Whitney. I turned to Madeline. “Y’all came in here back in the summer, right?”
She nodded. “Yes, and she wouldn’t buy a thing. She said it was all too expensive and she could get cheaper pieces at a discount store.” She wrinkled her nose.
I laughed. “You say discount store like it’s a leper colony.”
“Might as well be,” Madeline sniffed.
I grinned, but inside I wondered how in the hell Madeline afforded her expensive habits. Everything she wore seemed to be of the highest quality. She was going to need to marry a very rich man one day if she didn’t find a job good enough to fund her lifestyle. She couldn’t be a stripper forever.
I wisely kept these thoughts to myself. “Did you look around in here, though? Did she have any pieces she liked before she realized how much they cost?”
Madeline’s eyes sparkled. “Definitely. How much are you looking to spend?”
God. This was going to set me back. But I didn’t care.
All I could picture was Nadine’s face on Christmas morning when she opened her gifts.
I’d already bought her a car. She’d shown interest in the BMW 4 series coupe before realizing the one she liked was a little over seventy-five thousand dollars.
I’d picked a red one for her after noticing that many of her dresses and other clothes were in different shades of red.
She looked amazing in it with her coloring, and I could just picture her driving around town in the beautiful car.
But now for jewelry. The car was part of the contract, so even though it was a delightful gift it wasn’t all I was going to get her for Christmas.
Jewelry felt like a proper gift. “I’m not that worried about the price. I want to see some pieces she liked before I make up my mind.”
Madeline nodded and turned to the saleslady. “She loved the trinity set. The ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings.”
“Ooh, nice choice. I’ll pull that out for y’all to look at.” She pulled it out.
“She also liked the love collection in white gold.”
“The entire set?”
Madeline nodded to the saleslady, and she pulled that set out as well. I looked at both sets, examined them, and decided she needed both. “I’ll take all of that, please. Boxed and wrapped individually, please.”
Madeline looked so happy, almost as if she’d be the one receiving the jewelry.
I leaned close to her so the salesladies couldn’t hear me. “What about some diamond jewelry?”
Madeline clapped her hands with glee. “Yes! Diamonds are always a great choice. But,” she gave me a serious look, “Nadine isn’t flashy.”
“She’s not?” She seemed kind of flashy to me, but I would maybe keep that to myself.
Madeline shook her head. “Nope. I mean, she loved costume jewelry when she first got to West Bay,” she amended with a grimace.
“But once she figured things out, she discovered she liked simple jewelry. If you want diamonds for her, I’d suggest solitaire earrings and a solitaire pendant.
” She walked over to the cases and studied the jewelry, every now and then asking the saleslady to pull some out for us to see.
We settled on a set like Madeline suggested, but I wanted a solitaire pendant bracelet to go with it, too.
“I think that will do it,” I said with a smile. “If you’ll wrap these up as well, I’d appreciate it.” I plunked my card down, not even blinking when the price went well over one hundred thousand dollars. Nadine would freak out if she knew the cost, but she’d never need to know that.
Madeline beamed at me as we walked out of the store with all the packages. “She’s going to love it all. She’ll be kind of mad at you, but she’ll get over it.”
“Thanks so much, Madeline. I couldn’t have done that without you.” I gave her a quick hug.
“No problem.” She started to leave but then turned around. “Reynolds, are you going to spend Christmas with her?”
I blinked at her. “I mean… part of it.”
Her expression changed. “And the other part?”
“I have to attend the Christmas charity ball and see my parents as well.”
She nodded. “And the ball? Will Whitney be going to that with you?”
I found back a grimace. “Yes.”
Madeline’s face shuttered as if a mask had come over it. “Gotcha. Well, take it easy, Reynolds. I’ll see you around.”
“Wait,” I said, causing her to turn around. “Why do you ask?”
“I just wanted to know if she was going to need me and the other Cinnamon Girls. Sounds like she will.” She unzipped her purse and pulled out some nice leather gloves, taking her time putting them on. “I’ll be inviting her for Christmas dinner at Cinnamon House.”
“Oh, good.” I was relieved. I hadn’t wanted to think of her by herself while I was dancing the night away with Whitney.
Madeline gave me a half smile that didn’t reach her eyes, turned, and walked away.
***
“I have several houses picked out,” Nadine said, letting me help her into a jacket before we left the condo. “Are you sure you have time to go with me?”
I wondered if she was really asking if I minded being seen with her. The answer would’ve been complicated, so I’m glad she didn’t come right out and ask.
“Yes, honey, I have time to go with you.” I put my hand on the small of her back as we left the condo.
There was only one week until Christmas. That meant there were only two weeks left until my swearing in ceremony, and six weeks until the inaugural ball. And after that? I was free to have a public, amicable split with Whitney so that I could date Nadine out in the open for all to see.
I wanted to suggest that instead of me buying her a house, she could live with me, and I’d just put the amount I would’ve spent on a house in an account for her.
But I couldn’t very well do that and still keep up my sham relationship with Whitney.
No, we’d have to buy her something. She could always keep it as an investment property for later or sell it after she was free to move in with me.
“Where do you want to start? Do you have any you want to look at near the Mayor’s Mansion?”
I hoped she did. If she lived within walking distance, we wouldn’t necessarily need to move in together at all.
“Um… not really. The Estates at South is a bit pricey…”