“I bet the helicopter ride was beautiful!” Jules chimes in.
“Not really,” Patricia says. “All these islands start to look the same after a while.”
She holds her purse out at arm’s length, dangling it by the strap as if to toss it overboard. Within seconds Gia is behind her, scooping it up and clutching it to her chest.
“Can I get you anything to drink, Patricia?”
“Actually—“ Arthur pipes in. Patricia puts up her hand.
“Arthur will have a soda water. He has a call before lunch that he’ll be taking in the office.”
I watch in horrified fascination as Jim unloads several tons of matching leather luggage from the helicopter before we’re ushered back down to the salon. Once inside, Patricia fixes her harpy eyes on me and drags them from my mosquito-bitten legs to my sunburnt shoulders. She grabs a piece of my frizzy brown hair and examines it like a biologist with an exotic insect.
“Oh dear, did they lose your suitcase?” she gasps with unwarranted concern. “You simply can’t fly commercial these days. You know, there are hairbrushes in the medicine cabinet. And the boys will happily go ashore and fetch you anything you want from the resort boutiques—all you have to do is ask.”
My cheeks redden as my hair flops back down to my shoulder. Before I can open my mouth, Jules grabs my hand ever so subtly.
I take the hint and zip my mouth shut.
I was right about keeping things buttoned up once Harry’s parents arrived—this is no relaxed family vacation. It’s a trial for Jules and, by proxy,me.From now on, I’m going to have to keep my head down, my mouth closed, and my eyes on anything but Caleb’s forearms.
Nine more days.
I can do anything for nine days.
12
While the elder Warrens settle in and everyone else gets ready for the evening, I decide to head up to the top deck for an hour before dinner. But before I leave my cabin, I notice my spanking new sketchbook has left its place in the bottom of my t-shirt drawer and has somehow come to lie, pencils and all, on the cabin desk. Either Patricia’s arrival was the intro to an episode of the Twilight zone, or Gia’s trying to tell me something. I snatch up the book, out of guilt or curiosity, I’m not sure, and stuff them in my bag. Unfortunately, Jules has other plans.
“Is that what you’re wearing to dinner?” she stops me before I even reach the stairs.
“Yes?” I answer skeptically, looking down at my brown slacks. “Is that a problem?”
“No, but…” she ducks her head into her cabin, making sure Harry isn’t in there. “Why don’t you borrow something of mine? I have a gold dress that would look stunning on you!”
I cringe. Technically, Jules and Iarethe same size—except for her double D chest and my insanely long praying mantis legs. And she looks so excited, I’d hate to let her down.
“Ok. If you really want me to.”
She squeals as she leads me into her cabin.
“But I’m NOT wearing mascara.”
Walking into Jules and Harry’s closet is like walking into a Neiman Marcus catalogue. The woman I’ve scarcely ever seen in anything but long skirts and tank tops has brought so many outfits on board I’m surprised the ship is still floating. She pulls out a shimmering champagne empire dress with embroidery around the collar and holds it gleefully towards me.
“That’s not a dress, Jules,” I tell her. “It’s an art installation. I’ve seen wedding gowns more casual.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. You used to love dressing up!”
“When I was seven.”
But that’s exactly what this feels like—dress up. I step into the champagne monstrosity and am immediately transported to the days of dowries and oil barons. The boning is so tight in the waist I can barely breathe. I’m starting to see why all the movie heroines run off with pirates or penniless artists.
“Do you have anything… simpler?” I ask her, and she takes out a floor-length black Givenchy halter dress. I may not be on the actual Titanic, but this definitely feels like a sinking ship.
“No,” I shake my head, fully aware that it costs more than my rent. “I can’t wear that.”
“C’mon, Stella, it’ll look amazing on you! I’m too short to pull it off, anyway. It needs your legs to do it justice.”
