“Yes,” I chuckled and nodded my head because it was so true. “I’m heading to my mom’s for the night.”
“I’m staying too. Having dinner with Junior Steele and Luc Delfino. Business talk, probably involving bourbon and cigars as well.”
“Sounds like fun.” I tugged my gloves on and dared to offer. “If you get bored later, I’ll be around. Just in case you need to fire me again.”
His mouth curved. “Keep an eye on your texts.”
That earned a laugh from me. “Goodnight, Mr. Bellamy.”
“Goodnight for now, Ms. Fair.”
The wind caught my hair as I turned toward my car, his voice still lingering in my chest like an ember I couldn’t smother.
SILK AND LIES
Penny
The bellover the door at Le Chat Noir chimed just as I stepped inside. A wealthy woman in mink thrust a garment bag across the counter.
“I really appreciate your understanding, Alicia,” she said.
“Of course we’ll make it right, Mrs. Whittaker,” my mother purred with a voice velvet-smooth from years of indulging clients like her. “The lighting at that gala was dreadful—no wonder the color read wrong. It happens under the new LED lights. Your skin tone needs champagne, not pearl. In fact, next week I have a beautiful gown coming in that I think you’ll like. Shall I call you when it arrives?”
While Mom finished up, I stalked the boutique, recalling all those afternoons after school shining mirrors and fixtures until they gleamed, chores she always hated to do. From the gold-edged glass to the crystal chandeliers, everything was familiar. Even the faint scent of jasmine and steam meant she’d worked the steamer overtime all afternoon. In the corner, Mom’s old onyx cat statue lorded over everything with judgement.
Mrs. Whittaker swept out, the bell tinkling in her wake. Mom flipped the sign to Closed, set her smile down like a prop, and muttered, “That woman could make Dior look discount.”
I half-heartedly chuckled, though I couldn’t agree with Mom’s pettiness. I picked up the returned dress from the counter and held it against myself in the mirror. The ivory silk caught light like liquid, the sleek, bias cut hinting at trouble.
“I actually love it,” I said. “Do I still get my employee discount?”
She arched a brow like a feline in its element. “If you can afford it on your doggie daycare salary, I might sell it to you at cost.”
The jab stung more than I wanted it to. We hadn’t reallytalkedin a while, beyond quick texts and her forwarded memes of cats in sweaters. I held the dress over my body and lifted my chin.
“I can afford it now,” I said evenly. “I got a new job working with the Bellamy Brothers.”
Her gaze sharpened at once with more fine lines and deeper wrinkles than I remembered. Then again, I’d been used to living with and seeing Brier, her sister several years younger, but similar in looks with their brown hair and petite frame.
“The Bellamys? As in Archer Bellamy?”
“Yes.” Pride warmed my chest despite myself. “I finally did it, Mom. I landed a job in architecture.”
I thought she’d be happy for me.
Her red-stained mouth flattened. “Be careful, darling. That man has a history.” She punched keys on the computer to produce the day’s sales reports.
I hung the dress on the rack near the register, my throat tightening. “I know all about him and Brianne.”
“What he did to her… unforgivable.” She gave a brief, tragic sigh. “Oh, can you fold these scarves into the round bin for me?”
“Whathedid?” I moved to the bin.
“You don’t remember? Brianne had gotten pregnant. Yes, she was seeing both Archer and Ted at the same time, but shewasn’t sure who the father was. Archer refused a paternity test and cast her aside like dirt under his nails, leaving poor Brianne no choice but to lean on Ted to take on the responsibility of a family.”
I froze. The click-click-click of her nails on the keyboard matched my pulse. My mind couldn’t process this shocking news.
No, Archer wouldn’t do that. He loved Brianne then—was shattered by her affair. I saw for myself that night long ago when we sat on the stairs of the brownstone. I’d heard from Brier how despondent he was when Brianne broke the news of the pregnancy. I should know—I was the one trying to put him back together now after she ruined him.
