“Hi Thomas,” Odessa purred to the stiff-looking man. “Be a dear and set up the bridal suite for my sister-in-law. She’ll be staying with us after all.”
His eyes darted to Nadine. “Yes, miss.”
“Bring her luggage up too, will you? You’re in good hands now,” she said to Nadine. “My father only hires the best people. They’re very discreet.”
Nadine watched ‘Thomas’ leave with both her bags, hefting them like they weighed nothing. She felt like she should offer to help, but she was afraid to do so with Odessa watching and judging, just in case it might be stupid or rude. “What’s the bridal suite? You said Caledon—he, uh, he built it for his first wife?”
“His second,” Odessa corrected. “It was a sign of wealth and good breeding in those days, to have a separate room for your new bride. It was part of the original structure but it didn’t become the unicorn room until after he married Evangeline. This was back in Victorian times, when they liked to pretend that married couples didn’t ever fuck. Oh,hi, Baby Cal. Are you fighting with your clients again, or is that sourpuss look for me?”
Nadine glanced sharply around. Cal was wearing another dress shirt, tie undone, and had his cell phone in his hand. “What is she doing here?” he demanded.
“Jessica kicked her out of her AirBnB. Isn’t that rude? Apparently she didn’t want a Cullraven under her roof. Probably afraid she’d get her eyes pecked out.”
“She said she double-booked,” Nadine said, shrinking under Cal’s gaze. She wished he hadn’t walked in on them talking about couples sharing beds and fucking.
“I see,” he said, not looking particularly surprised.
“Isn’t she such a liar? I’m pretty sure lying isn’t Christian. I should join that stupid little bible study group of theirs just so I can tell them that. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’s a quote in their book about that. They have quotes for everything. It’s like Pinterest for sanctimonious people.”
“Proverbs 12:22,” said Cal. “The Lord detests lying lips, but delights in people who are trustworthy.”
“Ooh, I like that. Lying lips. Doesn’t that sound sexy, Nadine? I knew there was a reason people spend so much time on their knees in church.”
Cal glanced at Nadine’s mouth. And then, lower, to her strappy top and khaki shorts. “You two need to leave,” he said, but he seemed distracted now. “I’m about to have a meeting with a client. If you insist on discussing fellation and blasphemy, you’ll have to do it elsewhere.”
“Yes,Daddy.” She rolled her eyes at Nadine. “Baby Cal became a real stiff in law school. He used to be quite the jock, but then they brain-washed him at his fancy little Ivy League and now he just acts cross and makes stupid money by yelling at people all day.”
“Stop fucking with me or you’ll be next,” said Cal. “And don’t ever call me Daddy again.”
“What about Nadine?” Odessa wanted to know. “Canshecall you Daddy?”
The door slammed an inch away from the tip of Odessa’s nose. The blood-red door was only slightly darker than the color Nadine imagined her own face probably was.
“God, he’s irritating. He’s going to make a nice girl very miserable someday.” Odessa shook herself and smiled at Nadine. “You’ve gone red. Are you sick of us already?”
“What? No—”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take you to your room and let you get settled in. Dinner’s at seven every evening and breakfast is always at eight. Cal mentioned you had an allergy, I think?”
“Yeah. It—I have a card?”
“Don’t give it to me.” She waved away Nadine’s attempt to dig into her purse. “I’d only lose it. Just give it to Thomas when you see him. He’ll be up with towels and spare bedding.”
It’s almost like they were . . . waiting for me.
Odessa flitted away with a slight bounce in her step before Nadine could ask for directions. Directions she found that she needed when she climbed up to the second floor and immediately got lost. Except for the various pictures and portraits arranged at odd intervals on the wainscoted walls, with their colorful Chinese wallpaper, they all looked completely interchangeable.
Nadine tried several handles. But most of the doors were either locked or opened up into dim hallways or rooms that were very clearly not for her.
Shit, Nadine thought, feeling a bolt of anxiety when she rounded another corner and found herself with even more doors to choose from. And that fan palm wallpaper was starting to make her feel a little claustrophobic, as if she were trapped in some kind of jungle. Realistically, she knew the house couldn’t bethatbig, but not knowing her way around made it feel endless.
I’ll try this hallway, she told herself.One more hallway, and then I’ll call out.
She gripped a door handle at random and pulled. Another bedroom, but this one wasn’t empty. There was a man in front of it, standing in front of a mirror as he got dressed.
“Oh my god,” Nadine blurted, when he turned around. “I’m so sorry!”
It was Nathaniel—she recognized him immediately, although it looked like he had lost some weight from the wedding. She blushed darkly when his hands dropped from his partially done-up shirt. “Noelle?”
