“No Kitty Kat, blue is not your color, itwashes your face out.”
Oh, no way, I’m not letting her play thisgame with me.Again. “That’s what you said about blush, and green, andgray, and purple. Apparently, every color washes me out, and if that’s thecase, then this color will just have to wash me out too, because I’m buyingthis dress.”
Olivia tries taking the dress from me. “Idon’t think so. This is more my color.”
What the hell? She wants this dress forherself. “You want this dress?” I try yanking the dress away, but she digs herclaws in.
“Blue is my color.”
“Well, now blue is my color.”
“Kitty Kat, I’m the one who brought youshopping.”
Are you freaking kidding me? This morningshe looked like a real New Jersey housewife with her velour pants and sparklyshirt. She’d still be holed up feeling sorry for herself if it wasn’t for me.
“Ladies.” Juliet interjects. “I have thisdress in both your sizes.”
“As if.” I jest.
“Back off.” Olivia snarls.
“I saw it first.” Okay, now I’m startingto sound like a ten-year-old.
“This dress will make you look fat.” Shesmirks.
I suck in a breath, “How—dare,” I seeLuke come out of the woodwork, taking long strides towards us.
Olivia grabs the tag. “This dress istwenty-two thousand dollars.”
I let go of the dress like it’s burnedme, and it may have with that kind of price tag. I don’t care that Cole saysthere’s no limit to my spending, I have limits and I just hit mine. Oliviastumbles back a step. “Your right Olivia, this dress will look better on you.Blue is your color. I’ll find something else.”
She straightens up, holding the dress inone hand and smoothing her hair with the other. “It’s always best to see thingsmy way.” She turns on her heels and walks back into the dressing room with herblue dress for the gala.
My mouth drops open, and my eyes narrow.Not even a thank you. She knows she got me with the price. If that was evenreally the price. Now I want to know for sure. I stalk back the way Oliviawent, but I’m stopped with a hand on my shoulder.
“Is everything okay?” Luke turns mearound so I’m looking at him. I take a deep breath in through my nose. Itdidn’t take her long to get back to her old self. I know this because she hasme all riled up, ready to do my own pouncing.
“Yep, everything’s great. Olivia is backto herself. Can’t say I missed her though. But cat fight averted.” I laughonce, but it’s not that funny. “Thanks Luke.” He smiles at me and then retreatsto wherever he’s been watching. I look through the rest of the racks but Idon’t find one thing I like.
“How about this one?” Juliet holds up adeep red chiffon dress.
“That’s beautiful.”
“It’s one the other Mrs. Holt discarded.”
“Well I love it.”
Juliet smiles. “Let me help you try iton.”
I sit back in the Escalade, ready to bedone with Olivia for the day. I forgot how exhausting it is to be around her,especially without someone as a buffer. “I made us an appointment at TheEmpress spa.” Olivia asserts matter-of-factly
My teeth grate together. “Thanks, but Ithink I will just head back to the Upper House.”
Olivia looks me over. “Kate, you looksickly; you need the spa more than I do. Those nails, that skin, and darling,your hair is as limp as…well, it’s bad. We’re going to the spa.”
I open my mouth to protest and she hasthe nerve to pinch my lips shut with her fingers. “Don’t argue. Haven’t youlearned yet that it doesn’t get you anywhere?”
“Well, thanks,” I mumble between mypinched lips. But no thank you. Olivia is wrong about one thing, arguing getsyou somewhere, just not anywhere good. I pull my phone out and see I have threemissed calls and seven text messages from Cole.
