The Price Of Scandal(96)

“Thanks, Dais,” I said, giving her a hug. The sequins on her dress bit into my skin, but the hug more than made up for the discomfort.

A long gong sounded.

“What the hell is that?” Cam asked.

“Doorbell,” Luna said, bopping cheerfully back toward the house.

“It’s probably the food,” Daisy called, flipping the sopping wet train of her dress over her arm. “I ordered a smorgasbord from the Village. Cuban, sushi, grilled cheese.”

Champagne and comfort food and a ruined six-thousand-dollar cocktail dress. That was Daisy. That was my friend.

“So, who set you up?” Daisy demanded as we trooped back to the terrace. “Was it Derek? He’s got the network for it obviously, but does he have the dastardly soul?”

“Honestly, I don’t have the mental capacity to work it out right now. Let’s just leave it for tomorrow.”

I knew.

That picture had proven a truth that I was unprepared for. It hurt too much to examine. If I could keep it in the dark for a few more hours, maybe then I’d be prepared to face it. Maybe then I would have a plan.

“Sweet Jesus, what the hell is this music?” Daisy complained. “Let me at the stereo.”

“Let me at the champagne. Damn girl, a case of Veuve Clicquot?” Cam swooned.

“Only the best for heartbreak.”

I excused myself and went inside. I needed to splash some cold water on my face, maybe check in with Jane. I hadn’t heard from her since she left to track down Nina, the girl who claimed the product I developed had permanently scarred her face.

It was too much. It was all too much.

I heard Luna’s voice coming from the front door.

“Listen, Derek. I appreciate the intensity of your emotion right now.”

My insides went to jelly. Derek was here. Fight or flight? I desperately wanted to do both. Instead, I ducked behind a pillar like a coward, out of sight but within eavesdropping distance.

“She’s not answering her phone, her texts. She’s not at her house.” He sounded desperate, and somehow his pain lessened mine just a bit.

“You obviously care deeply for her,” Luna continued. “But this isn’t the time to talk to her. You need to leave, and I want you to think about the part you played in all of this. Find out what lessons you can learn from this.”

She was giving Derek Price homework. It would have been laughable had I not been ready to cry or bash my forehead into the marble.

“Luna,” he said her name desperately. “I just need to see her. I need to know she’s all right.”

“I understand, but right now, my friends’ needs come first, and if you try to step a shiny loafer over this threshold, I’m going to have to junk punch you. And I really dislike violence.”

Luna was the friend that every woman in the world needed.

“Nothing happened. With Lita, I mean,” he said. “No matter what those pictures say, I’m Emily’s.”

I could hear Luna soften. “I know that. And I think deep down Emily does, too. But you can’t rush her through her pain.”

They were both silent for so long, I wanted to peek around the marble to see what was going on.

“You’ll take care of her then?” Derek asked, his voice rough.

“I will. Go take care of yourself.”

“Will you tell her that I… that I’m thinking about her?” he asked.

“Probably not,” she said cheerfully.

I peered around the column. Derek stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, shoulders slumped. He hung his head. “I just need to see her,” he said so softly I wasn’t sure those were his words.

He lifted his head, and those blue eyes zeroed in on me.

“Emily,” he rasped.

“Junk punch, Derek,” Luna reminded him, slapping a hand to his chest. “Don’t make me do it. I promise you, I will take care of her. She doesn’t need you right now.”

He was still staring at me. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. There was so much pain and frustration stirring the air between us.

“Tell me what to do.” He was saying it to me.

It took everything I had to turn my back and walk away.

It hurt. So much more than any of the rest of it. Derek Price held the key to my destruction.

“Here’s what you can do.” Luna’s voice carried. “We’re almost out of ice, and we’re moving on to the chilled champagne and mixed drink portion of the evening. You can leave two bags of ice at the front door. And you can go to Emily’s house since you’re so very good at breaking in and pack her an overnight bag. She’s staying here tonight,” she said firmly.

I stepped into the powder room and shut the door. Sagging against it, I closed my eyes, not sure if I wanted to laugh or cry. Derek looked as gutted as I felt. But was it because he’d lost the game or me?

I took my time washing my face. Letting cold water shock my skin.

When I stepped out of the powder room, Luna was lugging two bags of takeout in the direction of the terrace.

I took one of them from her. “Don’t you have a commercial ice maker in the catering kitchen?” I asked.

She feigned innocence. “Hmm, come to think of it, I do. And you already packed an overnight bag, didn’t you?”