Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jake : I’m so jealous Melissa gets you all day. Are you at the Renaissance yet? … Send
Rakell : Yes, by the pool. Melissa got us day passes, so we are going to lay out, have drinks, and lunch. She insisted. Your dad is taking the kids to the San Antonio Zoo. Annette had to teach today … Send
Jake : Actually, I’m so glad you're doing this. Melissa needs it! I heard ya’ll did some shopping at Stella Dallas… Send
Rakell : Yes, I loved it. Super fun staff and the clothes are absolutely adorable… Send
Jake : I know where to shop for you ?? . Melissa said you volunteered to model for a couple of boutiques she’s trying to get help launching on SM. Thank you!... Send
Rakell : Yes, I want to do that. Melissa works so hard and really cares about the local Austin businesses. Lots of these places don’t have big advertising budgets, so I get to help out a bit where I can. You should get back to practice … Send
Jake : Morning break. Our defense is out there now. All I can think about is you on all fours… Send
Rakell : We’ll discuss that tonight bad boy! … Send
Jake : Oooh…I like the sound of that. I know it’s only been a week, but is there any news about the chemistry read? I’m up for practicing again ?? … Send
Looking at his text, she wondered if he’d react differently if he read the script, start to finish.
Rakell : Not yet. Getting anxious, but Ana seems confident. They called her again about my schedule and compensation. But I know not to get too hopeful in this business … Send
Jake : They’ll be lucky to have you … Send
Rakell : THANK YOU! Ana sent my profile to a talent place in Nashville for possible parts in music videos. It’s all about exposure, so I am not saying no to anything … Send
Jake : I’d like to make a video with you (devil emoji)… Send
Rakell : That would be one way for us both to get famous … Send
Rakell : Oh, never mind, you’re already famous and I’m attaching myself to your coattails… Send
Jake : Ignore those comments. They’re just people behind phones who have no idea who we are or how great our relationship is … Send
Rakell : Ana wants me to post more pictures, videos, and much more content featuring you…her words. But it just invites the naysayers … Send
Jake : It’s a double-edged sword; keeps you relevant and exposed at the same time … Send
Rakell : ME exposed to all the women out there who don’t think I’m the right match for THE Jake Skyler!... Send
Jake : Well, I’ve seen quite a few guys' comments and a couple of women's about wanting to see more of you! ... Send
Rakell : Sure mate, in between all the ones about my stretchmarks, or sagging boobs, or messy hair, or how I should get braces. “She has a vampire tooth” etc. … Send
Jake : Fuck them!! BTW: you can drink my blood any time … Send
Rakell : Weirdo…keep that between us! Bye, I see Melissa … Send
Jake : Give big hugs for me. She needs it … Send
Rakell : I know! Will do!… Send
Rakell stood when she saw Melissa walking toward the cabana they’d reserved for the day. She smiled, waving at Melissa, watching her navigate her way around the pool in a citrusy-colored halter sundress, a color somewhere between tangerine and ripe lemon, the straps of her white swimsuit peeking out around her neck. The dress was contoured to her narrow waist and torso, spilling into a round, loose skirt that she’d paired with navy-blue espadrilles. The vibrant material spotlighted Melissa’s fair skin and strawberry blond hair as the Texas sun created a halo around the wispy strands falling along her cheeks, highlighting the reddish hue with buttery blond undertones. Melissa reached into a straw beach bag, pulled out a white Capone-looking straw hat with a black ribbon, and secured it on her head. When she saw Rakell, she smiled and waved back.
Rakell immediately wished she’d put a little more effort into getting ready today. She’d gone to a Pilates session with Olga this morning and afterward quickly put on a chambray-colored cover-up resembling an oversized men’s cowboy shirt. She’d piled her hair into a messy bun on her head, skipping any makeup before slipping on some flip-flops. Melissa greeted her with a big hug before sitting on one of the chaise lounges in the cabana.
“You look great. I kind of just threw on something after Pilates, thinking we’d be getting in the pool,” Rakell said, a hint of apology in her voice.
Melissa touched the skirt of her dress before bending to undo the strap on her espadrilles. “No, please, I had two meetings this morning. Dad picked the kids up at eight, and I was out the door, first to meet with a liquor brand and then to stop by one of the boutiques I took you to…We’ll Never Tell. Actually, I got this dress for forty-eight dollars. They were trying to give it to me after you and I’d visited, but I insisted on buying it,” she said, kicking off her wedges.
“I love their name and its meaning, offering beautiful clothing at affordable prices…so never tell how much you paid for it. That’s perfect. Well, you look beautiful. I’m glad we get to do this. They already brought a fruit tray and water but said they would return for drinks.”
“Rakell, you have no idea how much I needed this today. I wished we could have started drinking before lunch. Still, I had to do both the meetings and…” She hesitated, then went on, “Then I had another meeting, so spending an afternoon by a pool with a cocktail in hand is exactly what the doctor ordered. Or what my mom and dad would order, who think they’re emotional doctors to their kids and their kids’ friends and…” She chuckled, and added, “I’m thankful that my parents are helping. They want the kids to stay there tonight. Told me to have fun.” Melissa’s volume seemed to be getting lower and lower. “But I have to be careful in this town,” she said in a hoarse whisper before clearing her throat. “I met with a lawyer today…that was my other meeting.” She sat up, her ocean-blue eyes even lighter and more crystalline than the piercing blue of her dad, or Jake, Rakell thought, studying them as Melissa looked at her intently.
Rakell’s spine straightened in response to the crackle of resignation she heard in Melissa’s voice when she said lawyer. Should she probe? Was that what Melissa wanted? She shared the same DNA as Jake, and Jake certainly would not have thrown information out there, expecting it to land without the listener's intervention. Even with friends, Rakell felt ill-equipped for this kind of emotional expedition, which would surely involve the sharing and discussing of feelings. She referenced her past conversations with Lana, who, although blunt, knew when to delicately leave a settled layer of dust, not demanding it be wiped away to reveal the surface beneath. Jake did not possess such sensibilities, and contrary to Jake, delving into her own or others' entrenched suffering was not in her skillset.
As Rakell folded her hands, attempting to formulate a response, Melissa picked up the menu. “Let’s get some munchies,” she said, the pain in her voice replaced by a faux cheeriness, as if she’d resolved that today would be a good day, no matter what battles she was facing internally. Rakell suspected that was how Melissa kept her life so in line, even when it was obvious that parts of her were hurting inside. Rakell couldn’t bring herself to ask the next question . She didn’t want people asking her about all the pasts she had buried and how she was trying to rebuild—but then hadn’t it made her breathe a little easier after she had shared the fire story with Jake? Hadn’t it been freeing, talking openly about her dad’s football junk food or her horse Snowbird, to readily share stories about the good parts of her life, realizing they were still there, the threads of her life, even though it seemed like the fire had obliterated the entire fabric of her history? In her head, her early life had been reduced to nothing but ashes until Jake had asked about her dad’s dip, as if her memories of him were an open topic of conversation and somehow relevant to her life now.
She wondered then if the past you had with someone, the moments that made you fall in love, were still relevant when the future with them crumbled. She knew that Tom and Melissa’s relationship was strained. Still, she’d also seen their wedding picture on Jake’s parents' wall, the Skyler family vacations that included Tom, the photos Jake had of Cassie and Cameron when they were born, with Melissa and Tom, a couple, new parents welcoming their first baby, then their second into the world. If Melissa and Tom’s marriage dissolved, would those memories matter? Would they continue as a part of how Melissa discussed her past, or would they be, in a sense, erased because of the damage that had ensued after those good memories had taken place? It made Rakell scrape within the depths of her brain for her core memories of her mom. Yes, some were still a part of the screenplay of her life. How does a person reconcile the past joys with the sorrows?
“Hey Rakell, Earth to Rakell,” Melissa said, grinning. “We haven’t even had our first cocktail yet.” She smirked. “Are you daydreaming? If so, I hope it’s a good one.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry, just thinking about…”
“My brother?” Melissa smirked again, smoothing over the yellow dress, then winding her arms through a sheer black coverup.
Rakell matched her smile. “Well, no, I wasn’t thinking about Jake. I think everybody assumes that’s all I think about.”
Melissa swung her legs up on the padded chaise. “No, I was kidding, but he’s probably hard not to think about…”
Rakell’s eyebrows arched. “Well, he’s pretty formidable,” she offered in a lame explanation.
Mellisa chuckled. “Okay, that’s one way to describe him. When I said he’s hard not to think about, I was referring to Jake being an over-communicator. Jenae and I talk about it all the time. He used to text in between classes, then football practice breaks, before he went to bed and when he woke up, just to check in and see what we were up to. He’s better now because we told him to cut that shit out—we have jobs and other people in our lives, and we can’t constantly be answering his texts. So I can’t imagine what it’s like to be his girlfriend. Not just some girl he’s casually dating, but The One …the one he’s made known as his forever girl. Lord, I owe you this day and many more for the sheer exhaustion of life with Jake Skyler. His heart is beyond generous, but the amount of attention…”
Caught off guard by Melissa’s exacting description, Rakell barked out a gust of laughter. “Oh my God, it’s so true. He’s adorable, but I mean…it’s sweet, yet so...”
“Fucking annoying—excuse my language. The past few months, that word has become a normal part of my vernacular. I have to stop myself to avoid it slipping out in front of the kids. Seriously though, Jake…”
Dark eyes peered in from around the curtain of the cabana. “Miss Skyler?”
“Yes,” Melissa replied, gesturing to a mid-twenties broad-shouldered guy with tawny-colored skin, holding a tray with two cocktails in plastic margarita glasses.
“Sorry to interrupt, but these were ordered by Jake Skyler.” His lips wrinkled up, as if trying to submerge a smirk. “Well, that’s what he said. My name is Carlos, and I’m supposed to ensure I care for you both very well today. Mr. Skyler said two of his loves were hanging out in cabana six, and he wants to make sure you both have a good time.”
When Melissa and Rakell’s gazes met, they both burst out laughing.
Rakell was not sure if Melissa had caught the odd expression on the waiter’s face when he said ‘two loves.’ Carlos set the drinks down on the table, then swallowed a muffled chuckle before he said, “Guess it’s pretty nice being an NFL star.” He grinned, scanning from Rakell to Melissa as if they were perks of the profession.
“Thank you,” Melissa said, “but wait, please.” She dug into her bag, pulled out her wallet, and handed Carlos a platinum credit card. “Can you do me a big favor?” she said lightly, “and tell my brother that this is our day. I have it covered…and if he calls you again…Carlos, right?” Melissa asked pointedly.
His neck elongated as his back straightened, alerting to Melissa’s intentional tone.
“Tell him his sister said he’s not invited, and he needs to stay out of our day so we can have a sliver of time that we’re free of controlling men.”
Slowly, his fingers pinched the card as he eased it from Melissa’s outstretched hand. “Um…”
Rakell caught how Melissa’s eyes roamed his taut, broad, bronzed body. “Would you do that for me? Let the great Jake know that he can’t adult his big sister no matter how famous he gets.”
Rakell snickered into her cupped palm, watching Melissa pick up the margarita and sip it. “Well, he did remember the light syrup, so there’s that,” she uttered, tilting the glass to her lips and taking a long gulp as though it was lemonade. “Go ahead and bring us two tequila shots, too—the cleanest Blanco you have, please.”
Rakell saw the imperceptible shake of the waiter’s head as his eyes lingered on Melissa. "Sure, no problem, Ms. Skyler. I’ll let Jake know in a more pleasant way, and don’t worry, I’ll still be the one taking care of you. I’ll be right back with your shots. Let me know if you want food. Our tacos are great, as are the wings. I made sure your cabana was stocked with water and fruit, but anything else?”
“Yes, Diet Coke,” Melissa said. Rakell was surprised because Jake had described Melissa as a health nut saying that she didn’t drink, ate only clean food, and wouldn’t touch a preservative for anything. But Rakell had seen her drink the last couple of times she was at gatherings, and she’d eaten BBQ, not exactly healthy food.
When he turned, exiting the cabana, Melissa said, “Damn, Jake,” and grabbed her phone. “I know he’s trying to be nice, but it’s also controlling. I’m texting him to stay out of our girls’ day today. We are not talking about him anymore, except for me telling him: I told your girlfriend not to let you control her! ” Then she tapped on her screen frantically, slowly reading what she was texting.
Rakell laughed softly. “Oh, I’m sure that’s going to go over well.”
“Oh, I’m adding… but brother, I appreciate that you arranged for Rakell and me to have the hottest waiter in Austin. This guy is charming and even more chiseled than you .” She tossed her phone back into her bag.
Rakell felt pulled in by Melissa, as if they had an understanding about men, specifically Jake—not that he was bad—but it was nice to be with someone who recognized that his intensity could also be challenging. He reeked of chivalry, but the tether of control that dominated his approach didn’t go unnoticed by Rakell. She took a long swig of the cocktail, then said, “You know what he did in Tahoe?”
Melissa’s head twisted toward her. “I’ll smack him, what?”
Rakell let out a sigh. “It wasn’t bad at all, quite the opposite, it was—” She took another swig.
Melissa sat up, bringing her margarita to her mouth and sucking down a long swallow. “He didn’t tell you the rules…or…”
Rakell’s eyes widened. "What? No. He…well, let me back up. I flew into Reno, rented a car, and drove to Incline Village to meet him, but I’d taken the winding path, and he knew it was stressful, so…” She let out a long breath. “So, Monday, when I went to leave, he let me know that he’d had my rental car returned and that a driver was picking me up to take me—not to the Reno airport—but to drive me to the Sacramento airport because he’d found a direct flight to Atlanta. When I said everything had already been booked, he told me he’d texted my agent, Ana, to cancel my other flight because he’d booked me a first-class flight and didn’t want me driving back to Reno.” Rakell searched Melissa’s face before she continued. “I didn’t say anything because he told me while running out the door to the first day of training, as he kissed me and told me he loved me and would always take care of me.” Rakell’s shoulders inched up to her ears as her frustration rose, remembering the scenario… “Sorry, I just…”
“Noooo, that is controlling , you were right to feel…well, not sure what you felt. I certainly don’t want to express your feelings for you, but that’s controlling. Yes, I know my brother, and I’m sure he was well-meaning, just like today, but regardless, that’s a bit controlling.” She shook her head. “Actually, it’s fucking over-the-top control freak shit. Men…” She guzzled the last of her margarita, and Rakell followed suit.
Just then, Carlos cleared his throat from outside the cabana. “Okay for me to…?”
“Yes, come in,” Melissa said. “We’re ready for those shots and probably refills on the drinks. Is that okay with you, Rakell? Talk about a control freak,” she huffed, her thumb aimed at herself. “I think it’s the Skyler bloodline.”
“That sounds good. Can we get a couple bottles of Topo Chico?”
“Sure, no problem, and Ms. Skyler,” he continued, handing each of them the tequila shots with a slice of lime, “your brother said he’s been trying to call you since he has a few minutes to talk during his lunch break.”
Rakell noticed how the light bouncing off the pool made Melissa’s eyes glitter. "Well, I won’t be contacting him. I think you can see we’re having a girls' day…which means free of men, unless they are particularly well-built and bringing us tequila.” She tilted her head, her eyes fixed on the man before her.
Rakell’s gaze darted away uncomfortably, trying not to look at Carlos’ face, but she heard him say, “Well, thank you. You are particularly attractive as well.”
Rakell shifted her focus back to them, watching as his eyes skittered toward Melissa’s left hand. A small smile lifted his lips when he saw her ring-free finger, something Rakell hadn’t noticed until that second. Melissa’s chest reddened, her cheeks blushing as he said he’d return with more drinks.
Melissa’s hand shot to her mouth. “I’m so embarrassed. I hadn’t meant to be so direct or forward. So sorry, you probably think…” She shook her head.
Rakell leaned forward, tapping Melissa’s knee. "Hey, I think you’re having fun—he’s super-hot and you’re attractive, so naturally there’s a spark. I guess that’s what they call it. I’m definitely not the person to give any advice, but I did notice you’re not wearing your ring.”
Melissa moved her hand to the side. “Well, I feel like a fool wearing it since I am fairly confident Tom has been seeing someone in Dallas. The sad thing is that Tom hasn’t even noticed I’m not wearing it.” Her face dropped, and she suddenly looked forlorn, as if glimpsing a snapshot of the past that she would never get back. She lifted her hand and said, “There was a time, for years actually, that he would get irritated if I took my rings off to wash my hands, or go to the lake, or ride horses, and then forgot to put them back on. He was demonstrative about it, professing that he wanted everyone to know I was his, always, like…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes flickering as if she were going back in time.
“How did you meet?” flew out of Rakell’s mouth. She was trying to ask something innocuous, but even as the words were forming in the air, she realized that question must be loaded with so many splinters of emotion that Melissa was probably trying to avoid today.
Melissa said, “I need more shots for questions like that…”
“Sorry,” Rakell whispered, wishing she could stuff the words back in. “I’m not really good with personal conversations, and in discussions like this, I usually avoid asking anything…because I don’t like people to ask me…so anyway, sorry.”
Melissa let out a soft chuckle. “Well, that’s one social strategy. I want to answer, but let’s do these shots…ready?” They sucked their limes, looked at one another, then tilted their heads slightly to slug back the tequila. Slamming them down on the table between the chaise lounges, they giggled.
“Sooo, how did I meet Tom?” She ran her hands down her thighs to her knees. “I met him when I’d attended my best friend’s debutante ball in Dallas, his sister actually. From that night on, he had sort of whisked me into a whole new life. I thought he was perfect.” She put her hand up, shook her head, then went on. “I had been enthralled by the idea of a debutante ball, but my parents scoffed at the type of organizations that put them on. I was jealous of her and her influential family in Dallas, but grateful I could live in their periphery. Don’t get me wrong, my family has done well, but they do not run in the circles of some of the old money in Dallas—actually, Texas in general. Anyway, I went, and I remember I was wearing this stunning gold gown. My mom had taken me shopping and agreed to buy it. She’d known I had always wished I could be a debutante. My friend, I think you may have met her in passing at the Super Bowl party, is Analee Herrington. She has straight coal-black hair that is always perfectly styled and a super perky nose…one she wasn’t born with, mind you…” Melissa grinned, her pointer finger pushing her nose up.
Rakell rolled her eyes. “As you can imagine, that’s common in my industry. After a few more shots, I can tell you the list of cosmetic alterations suggested to me so far. But wait, she’s your sister-in-law and best friend?” Rakell asked, her eyes widening, remembering something Jake had said about Tom’s family owning one of the most powerful law practices in Texas, with offices in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Lubbock.
“Yes, Analee and I became friends my freshman year at UT. I’d met Analee’s parents and seen pictures of the hailed big brother, but I didn’t meet him until her debutante ball. I was a sophomore at UT, and he was in law school. Unfortunately, the title of best friend is in question as of late,” Mellissa added tartly.
“Oh sorry, that’s…”
Finishing Rakell’s sentence, she clipped, “That’s how the Herringtons operate,” reaching for a bottle of water, twisting off the top, then gulping at least half of it. “On that note, I want to say this…I know Jake is madly in love with you, and I’ve never seen him like this before—and I know the future is unpredictable—but the Skylers are not the Herringtons. Meaning, our family became close to a woman Jenae dated for four years, Sheila, and she and I still meet up in Houston even though that relationship ended years ago. She was already an attorney when Jenae was at Rice. She was good to my sister, and she’s delightful. Jenae knows we are still friends. Hell, she even sees Jenae and Winnie when she goes to New York. As far as Jake’s girlfriends, if I ended up disowning everyone he’s walked away from, that would negate a third of the population in Texas.” Her hand went to her mouth. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like…”
Rakell couldn’t resist a snort of laughter. “Oh, my God, please. I’m well aware of ‘Pretty Boy’ Skyler’s fan club. Believe me, they chime in on Instagram regularly on how he can and has done better.”
“Ignore them, please. I will unfriend anyone who does that to you. One thing I am learning from this time in my life, between the strain of my marriage and just trying to navigate life as a parent, well, I should say a parent of a child with autism…especially in my friend circle…I’m starting to see who my friends really are. When life gets rough, mean girls prey, that’s all I will say. I’m learning that I don’t want them in my life, and I don’t want to be one of them. I don’t think I ever was, not intentionally, but I definitely ran in that crowd. I didn’t stand up for other women when my friends …” she said, making air quotes with her fingers, then added, “when they said things about other friend's bodies, their houses, or parenting styles…or when they looked down on someone getting divorced, I usually just smiled quietly. I didn’t necessarily join in, but I sure as hell didn’t stand up for the one being berated. The ironic thing about how life works is that it circles back. When you don’t stand up for others, someday you can count on it coming back to you. Those same social vultures turn on you, and then there’s no one. The friend group withers because no one wants to stick their neck out. I’m realizing now that being a bystander to all the nastiness is essentially condoning it, and that has been a lot for me to grapple with, maybe even harder than knowing my marriage is crumbling. I didn’t want to give up my standing in the group, and I felt impenetrable because of Tom and his family...I thought no one would go after me,” she gulped, her voice faltering, “but now, I’m scared as hell for that exact reason.”
Rakell lifted her eyebrows in a questioning gesture.
“The power of Tom’s family,” Melissa stated dryly.
Suddenly, they both shifted their attention to the footsteps approaching outside the cabana.
Carlos returned, carrying a large tray with more drinks, an order of tacos, wings, and a Caesar salad.
Melissa and Rakell exchanged puzzled looks as he started putting everything on the table.
“Wait, we haven’t ordered food yet. I’m buzzed, but I would remember that.” Melissa spoke with an irritated tinge to her tone.
“Sorry, Mr. Skyler insisted and offered me tickets to the San Antonio game,” he explained, smiling sheepishly. “He also made it clear that neither of you are available.”
“Snake! He’s a snake,” Melissa scoffed. Just then, their phones rang—first Rakell’s, then Melissa’s.
In unison, they looked at each other and said, “Jake.”
Carlos stepped backward. “Let me know if you need anything else.” Then he semi-bowed before walking away.
“Let’s show my baby brother that he may not have wanted to put his credit card on the line for this day.” She pinched the shot glass between her thumb and index finger, the other hand bringing a lime to her mouth, sucking the juice, her mouth puckering, her eyes sparking at Rakell. “Go,” she said, then both downed the tequila.
The sharp liquid burned as it splashed in Rakell’s throat; she quickly followed it with a sip of margarita.
Buzzing noises and ringtones repeatedly emanated from their bags. Their eyes shifted to each other, then the sound of their phones calling for attention. They knew who it was. “I’m turning off my phone,” Melissa stated. “My kids are safe. My assistant has the business covered, and two people I thought were my best friends told me that if I stayed home with my kids, Cameron might learn to talk faster. So honestly, I need to get away today. I wish we were in a different city because I’d like to take Carlos up to one of the hotel rooms and screw his brains out.” Melissa chortled as if she were stating that this place had a great vibe.
Rakell thought she sounded almost too nonchalant, wondering how it felt to untangle yourself from a relationship you’d been in for years. Melissa had met Tom when she was twenty and had been married to him since she was twenty-five…so over a decade. They had a house, two children, and a friend group. How do you cleave all of that apart without losing yourself? Or had she already lost herself, fitting into Tom’s ecosystem? Is that what happened to my mom? Had she lost herself fitting into my dad’s dream of a good life? Then, there had been the statements from a few of the NFL wives and girlfriends at the team's yearly preseason cook-out: “Oh yeah, I was an aspiring model, too, but honestly, that became too complicated, so I gave that up.” “There’s no way to have a demanding career and make this kind of relationship work.” “Not sure how long you can keep pursuing acting and be with Jake, but good for you.” “Once I had my daughter, the only thing that mattered to me was creating a home for her and Chad, making sure he felt taken care of to achieve his dreams.”
“I better…” Rakell muttered, her eyes casting to her wicker bag.
“Wait,” Melissa uttered, sitting up straight. “Do you have anywhere to be tomorrow?”
“Um, well, Pilates, then I need to review a document for Matt, but nowhere early, and I know I’ll be nursing a hangover.”
“Okay, I’m taking care of Jake,” Melissa said emphatically, grabbing her purse, searching for her phone, and bringing it to her ear. “Jake the snake…Jakeee,” she mocked, the liquor slowing her speech.
The tinge of Texas in Melissa’s voice exaggerated, sounding closer to Jake’s casual drawl, Rakell thought, chuckling internally.
Melissa flapped her hand, gesturing to the screen before flipping it in Rakell’s direction.
Rakell flinched, hearing Jake’s lecturing voice booming from the small device, knowing he would be perturbed at best. The tequila whisked through her veins as a thought ruminated in her head—she was nervous because Jake Skyler would be irritated. No way, no! She had her own life, and how dare he be annoyed because she was not answering her phone or letting him define her days? No fucking way!
Bringing the phone back to her ear, Melissa continued chiding him. “Thanks for taking care of our fun girls’ day, Jakee. I appreciate it, and so does Rakell, because we are staying the night here on your dime…” Melissa rolled her eyes, nodding. “Well, brother, you were generous enough to offer your credit card to ensure we eat and drink well today. We will do just that…swim, eat, drink more, then crash here. Rakell doesn’t have anything to do tomorrow. Her demanding boyfriend is supposed to be practicing so he can win another Super Bowl and not be nosing into her day with his very, very responsible older sister…you know, perfect Melissa!” she added, snapping out the last line.
Rakell heard her dad’s favorite song filling the cabana. Knowing it wasn’t Jake, she grabbed it. Ignoring the ten or so ‘Jake texts’ popping up on the screen, she answered, “Hello, Ana.”
“Rakell, sounds like you’re already celebrating. So, you know?”
“Know what? Did I? Tell me, Ana,” she insisted, her mouth opening, then shouting, “Did I really?”
She jumped up as she heard Ana say, “Yes, you did, and the terms are fantastic for a new actress!”
Melissa stopped talking to Jake and sat up abruptly, her expression entreating Rakell. “You got it?”
Rakell nodded, a smile beaming from her face.
“Jake,” she shouted into the phone. “Add a couple of bottles of this place's most expensive Champagne to your tab. Your girlfriend is well on her way to Hollywood stardom.”
A grin plastered across Rakell’s face as she thanked Ana profusely. “Yes, send the contract, and we’ll talk details tomorrow. Did you call Leather and Lace? They expected me back in Paris next month…” Rakell battled the party sparking in her brain from the good news, but she heard that Ana had worked it out for her to do the photoshoot in Paris earlier. Sucking in air, she slowly said, “Okay, okay, in two weeks…okay, yes, just tell me where to go and when.” Throwing her head back, “Thank you!” she screamed into the phone before tossing it onto her chair. Then she reached out to hug Melissa but slipped and fell onto her, making Melissa lose herself in laughter.
Melissa dropped the phone, still crackling with Jake’s voice…” Rae -kale? Issa?”