“Good luck out there, okay?”
My heart rate sped up. I knew an opening when I saw one.
“Listen, I know I didn’t exactly make the best first impression but, is there any way you would consider… SHIT!”
Past Marshall, all the way at the back of the yacht, a fresh crop of guests had boarded. One of them was Constance. Constance, who wasn’t supposed to be here. Constance, who couldn’t see… I covered the necklace with my hand, the diamonds pressing into my palms.
She was coming this way.Shit, shit, shit.
I reached at the back of my neck, trying to undo the clasp, but of course it was just as hard to take off as it had been to put on. Marshall was eyeing me strangely.
“Can you please?” I asked, pointing at the back of my neck.
He didn’t move. I tugged at the necklace, harder and harder as his eyes grew wide.
“Get this off me!” I screamed.
Constance hadn’t seen me yet, but it wouldn’t be long until she did.
“But I just—” Marshall said.
“Now! Just freaking do it! I’m not supposed to wear this.”
Marshall exhaled sharply and spun me around. The necklace loosened around my neck just as Constance spotted me.
I turned to face Marshall, but his whole face had clammed up.
“I can explain,” I said.
“Please don’t. I beg of you.”
“No, wait! It’s just that—”
He shook his head and disappeared through the crowd.
Constance was less than ten steps away from me now. I slid my clutch down my arm and tried to slip the necklace back in, but my aim was off and it fell on the wooden floor.
Crap.Ihadto get rid of it. I couldn’t be a failure, a psycho,anda thief. That was too much for one person. I quickly knelt down, grabbed it, then stepped toward the railing and leaned over, my knuckles white around the diamonds, holding on to the edge tightly with my other hand. No one would find the necklace at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. It would be like I had never stolen it.
“What are you doing?”
Constance was by my side and she was looking at my hands. It was too late.
“What is this?” she asked.
I was done for. Slowly, silently, I unclenched my fingers. The necklace sparkled so brightly in my hand.
Constance stared at it, perplexed. “Are you trying to recreate that sceneinTitanic?” She studied the necklace with awe. “Who gave this to you?”
“I don’t understand,” I said carefully.
“Do you need help putting it on? It would go amazingly well with your outfit. Great call.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s stunning.”
We looked at each other for a moment, ignoring the throng of people coming and going around us. The party was in full swing.
