A Summer to Remember(8)
“They haven’t arrived yet but they should both be here soon. I think Autumn had to work today so we probably won’t see her until tomorrow at breakfast or maybe even lunch.”
Autumn was a buyer for wealthy people at an exclusive boutique in Stamford. She was very much in demand and was damn good at what she did. Everyone liked her because she was tall, lithe and blonde—a natural one, unlike me, though she did add highlights to make her already flaxen blonde hair platinum.
She also earned mucho dollars which came before anything else in life. The woman had grown up with money but Autumn had goals, despite her frivolous name, and one was to be a multi-millionaire before she turned thirty. At the pace she was going, she would more likely than not succeed at that goal and her other one in life which was to land a handsome, wealthy young man to marry. If he was famous, that was a definite bonus.
“And Savannah, what’s her excuse?” Talia wondered as we walked through the house and I showed her to her ostentatious suite. “Doesn’t she live in Manhattan too?”
“Um, yes, but that doesn’t mean we see a lot of one another. She is busy with her collections not to mention she’s in demand since the First Lady wore her gown to that event when the British Prime Minister and his wife attended that famous White House black-tie event. Savannah Becker is a hot name indeed and she can barely keep up with orders. She promised she would leave early but knowing her, if she waited till rush hour then she won’t make it here before tonight,” I explained before I threw open the double doors to her suite. “Voila!”
Talia turned my way before she smiled. “You see? That’s why I came here early…not to mention I did get to ogle your brother’s ass for a while. That man is so hot…why hasn’t he found anyone yet?”
I rolled my eyes because I didn’t have the least bit of interest in Jude’s personal life. “I have no clue. Maybe he’s just ultra picky and hasn’t found the right woman yet—who knows?”
Talia closed the double doors behind us and ushered me to the bed where I collapsed and laid down. My head spun a bit but only because I’d had several of my Belvedere and Perrier beverage concoctions but I had yet to eat anything yet.
“Listen, I couldn’t help but notice how much you were eyeing Paul downstairs. What’s going on between you two? I mean, doesn’t he have a girlfriend?”
I rolled my eyes and tried to go with the feeling of being perfectly drunk. It was satisfying and exhilarating at the same time. Yet something inside me told me this was no way to live. I was ruining myself and my chances at finding someone because I couldn’t manage to keep my panties on for longer than an hour around a hot, available guy.
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t a nympho by any stretch of the imagination and I didn’t need to have sex but if I could fill that hole so deep inside me for just a few hours then I was cool. I could function and furthermore, I could forget about what Kevin’s deception had cost me two years ago.
I slowly sat up on the bed and watched as my best friend’s face became serious and stone-cold sober. She wasn’t having any of my bullshit so I wouldn’t feed it to her under any circumstances.
“Yes, I was flirting with Paul...and yes, he has a perfect girlfriend but seriously, nothing would have happened between the two of us. You know that. I think that is the precise reason why Jude brought you up here. To make sure our relationship stays perfectly proper.”
“That’s not the only reason.” Talia looked toward the floor length mirror next to an immaculate and expensive wood vanity table. “Your brother suffers from double standards. He doesn’t want you boning his friends but he doesn’t mind doing it to yours.”
“I thought you already took Jude for a test drive,” I murmured in a guarded voice.
“I did but he certainly wouldn’t mind a repeat performance and that just can’t happen.” She began to study her perfect eyebrows as she said, “He went above and beyond the call of duty. Not only did he talk to my boss but he got me moved here for the summer. He said something about you two having an extra spare room at the loft? Apparently, he doesn’t think you should be left alone and along with all my work gigs, I’m stuck babysitting you.”
I desperately needed another Belvedere and Perrier concoction as I murmured, “Bastard.”
“Yeah, he told me about what happened between you and his actor friend. He can’t deal with you doing that again and the last thing he needs is you hanging off Paul like a cheap suit.”