“Well, let’s see. We’ve got a visit to the salon tomorrow. We’re going to plan out our hairstyles and makeup for the big day.”
“Oh, I hope you’ve got a good cosmetologist,” Macy said. “My complexion is so tricky for makeup.”
Macy was a redhead with a thorough sprinkling of freckles. She rarely wore anything but lip gloss. She was naturally quite pretty, though.
“I do!” Caitlyn spent the next few minutes regaling her friends with tales of the infamous Kevin Rhodes/Sassy Solo, the local drag queen who still saw the occasional cosmetology client on the side.
That led to old YouTube videos of makeup demonstrations by Kevin, followed by drag queen performances.
Reece loaded one on his phone and showed me the screen. “Damn. I’m not into guys, but that man is sexy in drag.”
I smirked. “Feeling curious?”
He tilted his head as the video continued to play. “Nah. Marisol gives me everything I need.”
“Smart man.”
“Lucky man,” he corrected, then leaned in and lowered his voice. “Between you and me, I’m pretty sure Christian wants to get lucky, too.”
“Doesn’t he always?” I muttered.
He winced. “That bad?”
“Worse,” I said darkly.
The personal assistant hadn’t been the first time he cheated. Not by a long shot. I was just too oblivious to notice for the first few months. I’d trusted him, even when people suggested I shouldn’t.
It wasn’t until I saw it with my own eyes that I knew I’d been in denial. I’d known, deep down, all along.
We finished up dinner, and I volunteered to handle the dishes.
“I’ll help,” Christian said brightly.
“I got it,” I said firmly. “Go spend time with your friends.”
“You’re my friend too,” he said. “Aren’t you?”
I picked up two plates and carried them into the kitchen. He followed, arms loaded with dishes.
I scraped away food scraps, then rinsed the plates and placed them in the dishwasher. Christian ferried the rest of the dishes into the kitchen while I worked.
“They’re haggling about sleeping arrangements,” he said. “I offered to get a hotel suite for everyone.”
“That was generous.”
“Unless…”
I didn’t look up. “What?”
“Well, I could sleep at your place. Then there’d be enough room for everyone else here.”
I laughed, the sound coming out a bit hoarse. “Never going to happen.”
“Never?” he asked softly.
I loaded the last of the silverware and closed the dishwasher. I turned to face him, eye to eye. “If that’s why you came, you’re wasting your time.”
“Because of this Silas guy?” he asked skeptically.
