“That picture was taken right before Melissa picked us up. I was tired and grateful for all that he had done. It was a completely platonic hug, nothing more. A thank-you.”
There was a light buzzing sound from the coffee table. Courtney slid over to glance at her phone. “It’s not me.” She eyed Juliette’s bag. Juliette pulled the phone out of the side pocket and stared at the screen.
Tyler Chase. She probably should have deleted his number. That would have been a smart move.
“I don’t have to answer it.”
Courtney folded her arms over her chest. “Yes you do. Clearly he wants to talk to you more than he does me.”
The phone buzzed again and Juliette was tempted to hit decline.
But Courtney’s voice lashed out at her. “Answer it,” she demanded. “Now.”
Juliette swiped the screen and raised the phone to her ear.
Chapter 16: Spin City
The voice that greeted Juliette was filled with worry. “I just got a zillion text messages about a photo that’s leaked to the press.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m staring at it now.” Juliette locked eyes with Courtney.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know how that got out there.”
“Yeah, well it isn’t your fault. You were just trying to be nice. The snitch who took the photo didn’t know that.”
He hesitated and Juliette struggled to fill the silence. She needed to clue him in without tipping off Courtney that this whole story was just an act.
“Don’t worry, I already explained everything to Courtney.”
“You’ve talked with Courtney?” His voice was steady.
“I’m sitting right beside her actually. We’re stuffing campaign mailers.”
“Wait. What?”
“Senator Chase, don’t apologize. I know I asked you to keep all this between us. I didn’t want people treating me differently because of my diabetes. But Courtney deserved to know the truth.”
“So she knows?” Tyler asked.
“About the diabetes, yes. And though she’s a bit upset about not knowing you stayed with me at the motel, I think she understands. Maybe you should talk to her though…”
“Yeah. Can you put her on?”
She handed the phone to Courtney, who took it reluctantly.
Then Juliette grabbed her glass of iced tea and headed for the kitchen. She wanted to at least give Tyler and Courtney the illusion of privacy, even if she couldn’t afford to be clueless about their conversation. She needed to be certain Courtney bought the story. She needed to keep the mark’s trust. So she stood beside the island, drinking tea and merely pretending she was invisible.
Their conversation was brief and Courtney didn’t give anything away. After a few nods and uh-huhs, she hung up and turned to Juliette.
“Tyler is on his way over.”
What? That was not what she wanted. She needed to stay as far away from the senator as possible. It was hard enough keeping this charade up without his presence.
“I think I should go.”
Courtney gave a half protest but it wasn’t enough to be authentic. So she gathered her belongings and headed for the door.
Juliette was down in the first floor lobby when she spotted him. Tyler ran up to her, blocking her path. “You’re leaving?”
“Of course I’m leaving. Your girlfriend is about two heartbeats away from discovering what a lying, cheating man-whore you are.”
“Don’t you think we should talk?”
“No. I’m done talking. Talking is what gets us in trouble.”
“That’s not true,” he said. “Fucking is what gets us in trouble.”
Juliette flailed her arms at him. “Say that a little louder. I don’t think the entire first floor heard you.”
Tyler took hold of her coat and steered her to the alcove past the elevator bay.
“We need to talk.”
“No we don’t. I already explained to Courtney what happened.”
“And you don’t think you should explain that to me as well, since I apparently was there?”
Juliette gave in. “What do you want to know?”
“Tell me everything you told Courtney.”
She shrugged. “I already did. I told her that I have diabetes. That my sugar dropped and I got sick without my insulin. That you deposited me at the motel, scrounged up some food, and insisted I rest. I told her that I made you swear to keep my secret and that the photo was nothing more than me thanking you for being an absolute gentleman.”
“But you don’t have diabetes. What if she checks?”
Juliette raised the side of her shirt a second time. “I was diagnosed as a child. The scars are from years of injections.
Ty reached out to touch her stomach but she flinched at the movement. His hand froze in midair. “Those weren’t there the other day.”
“Are you sure? It’s not like we had the lights on.”
He frowned. “I’m sure. I have a photographic memory. Which means I have a very clear picture of what your body looks like naked and those were not there.”
“So I embellished a little. Be grateful. These scars sell the story. It’s not the greatest explanation, sure. It can’t help with the smear on your political career, but it gives you some room to work things out with Courtney.”
“How many times do I have to tell you I don’t want to work things out?”
Juliette winced at the horrifying thought of Ty confessing everything to Courtney. What if he broke up with her? Juliette would never be able to regain her trust.
Juliette punched him hard in the shoulder.
“Oww. What the hell?” He pulled away from her. His eyes were flaming with anger.
She raised a hand again but didn’t strike.
“You listen to me, Tyler Chase. You are going to go upstairs and apologize to your girlfriend. Do whatever you have to do to make it up to her. I’ve given you an in, but you have to pull the trigger.” Juliette stepped closer. “I don’t want to hear any more nonsense about breaking up with her. Because even if you do, this thing between us,” she pointed at Ty and then herself, “it is never going to happen.”
“Whatever it takes?”
“Whatever it takes.”
Chapter 17: The Mystery Date
Twenty-four hours passed without hide nor hair from Courtney and Ty. Juliette was on edge. Ty hadn’t called her, which she had explicitly demanded he do in order to update her on what had happened.
Then this afternoon her cell phone pinged. It was a text from Courtney.
Sorry about yesterday. Hope to see you at the fundraiser tonight. Black tie only!
Yikes. In the mess of everything she had forgotten about the black and white charity ball at the Kennedy Center. And she didn’t even have a dress. She had meant to get one the day before but with all the commotion the shopping had quietly fallen off her list. Now she stared at the text message wondering if Courtney was serious. Was this a sign that Courtney and Ty had made up? Had she really bought the story about the low blood sugar?
Juliette paced the living room, back and forth, at least ten times before tossing the phone on the couch where she could no longer see it. She didn’t have time to question Courtney’s intentions. Her job was to make nice with the girl and right now she was failing miserably. Juliette would take any white flag peace offering she could get, in hopes that she could get this job back on track.
There was a knock at the door. Juliette set the phone on the counter. She wasn’t expecting company. Hell, it was one o’clock in the afternoon and she hadn’t even showered and dressed yet. She ran a hand through her chestnut hair in a desperate attempt to smooth down the tangles.
This time she checked the peephole before opening the door. Only no one was there. At least not that she could see.
Maybe it was a prank? Or it could have been someone at her neighbor’s door. Though she hadn’t heard anyone greet any guests and welcome them in.
Juliette lifted
the chain lock and cracked open the door so that she could take a peek. Yep. The hall was definitely deserted. She started to close the door again when she spotted a black and white box on her doorstep with a lavish silver bow.
Juliette knelt down and picked up the box. There was no card or note to tell her who it was from. The box itself was light, and when she shook it she could hear the soft rustle of the contents inside.
Juliette stepped back into her apartment, closing and locking the door behind her. She headed over to her dining room table. Carefully she untied the ribbon, split open the tape holding the lid in place, and lifted the top up to reveal a swath of red and white tissue paper. Beneath the first layer of paper was a shimmering black fabric.
She lifted the thin straps of a gown, revealing the most stunningly simple and yet gorgeous couture dress she had ever seen. The fabric was thin and smooth with a metallic sheen that would cling nicely to the curves of her body. The bodice had a plunging neckline that dipped to a few inches above the waist and was secured with a large antique diamond brooch. The item of jewelry alone was worth more than fifty thousand dollars.
Juliette turned back to the box and searched for a card. This gift was too much. She’d have to return it immediately. But who could have sent it? Only a handful of people knew she was planning on attending the charity ball. She had been added as a last-minute guest of Courtney Anderson.
Juliette spotted something red stuck between the folds of tissue paper. She reached for the envelope, ripped it open and skimmed the simple white note card inside.
“Thought you might find this useful.”
There was no signature. That was not good. The only person who might send her such an extravagant gift and leave the card unsigned would be Tyler Chase.
That’s it. You are so not going anywhere tonight.
Juliette dropped the dress back into the box and plodded over to the sofa. Just watch some trashy TV show and blow off the whole damn thing.
That proved to be easier said than done. Every commercial break, Juliette found her eyes drifting back to the white box. She found herself imagining the dress and what it might feel like to get all glammed up.
It won’t hurt try it on. It doesn’t mean you have to attend.
No. She shoved the thoughts into the far corners of her mind.
A full episode of Grey’s Anatomy passed before she finally gave in. If Meredith Grey could have her McDreamy, she could damn well try on a dress from a mystery stranger. Maybe it wasn’t from Tyler Chase at all.
Yeah right. She couldn’t even think that with a straight face.
Juliette grabbed the box and dashed into her bedroom before she gave herself time to abandon the idea. She stripped down to her panties and then undid the thin clasp. The gown was too thin and delicate to step into, especially with her curvy hips. So she carefully lifted it over her head and let it slink down around her body. She tugged gently until it lay crease-free against her like a second skin. When she turned to the full-length mirror on the back of her closet door her jaw dropped. Even barefoot and makeup free, with a tangle of unwashed hair, she looked amazing. The dark color brought out the richness of her skin. The deep v-cut showed off a mind-blowing amount of cleavage, and yet it was still tactful. And the diamond brooch, well, it sparkled and shined like it was the bow holding the entire dress together. She looked like a mouthwatering Christmas present, waiting to be unwrapped. And she loved it.
You can’t go to that ball. Only bad things will come of it.
Juliette cast aside the warning. She was nearly giddy at the thought of walking into the ballroom at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in this dress. It had nothing to do with seeing Tyler Chase’s reaction, she told herself. She just wanted to be seen. It was like the prom night she never had.
Juliette forced herself out of the dress and then began the frantic ritual of washing, waxing, and plucking to ensure her body was just as perfect as the dress she was donning. She sat at the vanity in her silk dressing gown and set her hair in hot curlers while singing along to the radio. While she waited for the curls to set she polished her nails, both fingers and toes, and then moved to her face. She did a deep smoky eye with silvers and grays that would accentuate the dark dress and a bold red lipstick. It was covered with a pale, shimmery powder that left her skin sparkling. An hour later she pulled out the curlers to reveal springy brown ringlets. She pulled the length of her hair into a loose knot and allowed the shorter curls to fall free around her face. And suddenly, she was ready for the Dress.
This time when she slipped into the gown she felt like royalty. Her body had been completely transformed and she was speechless at the finished product. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing herself in the person looking back at her. She looked like someone who donned the red carpet three times a week. Sure, she had spent hours to get the effect, but it was most definitely worth it.
Juliette stepped into a pair of simple black stiletto heels and grabbed a small clutch from the closet. She debated for a moment about taking a coat and after checking the weather decided to not take one would be foolish. It would be well after one when she made her way home and the temperatures would likely be in the forties. She was certain there would be a coat check anyway.
She grabbed her roommate’s black wool coat with the gray faux fur collar and headed out the door. To her surprise a single yellow cab was pulling up in front of her building and a middle-aged couple climbed out. The man, spotting her elegant dress, held the door open for her as she climbed in. She thanked him and then gave the driver her directions.
To the Kennedy Center be damned.
Chapter 18: Pop Quiz
By the time her cab got through the bevy of cars waiting to drop off their passengers, the Kennedy Center was swarming with D.C.’s elite. Juliette had to pinch herself before climbing out of the taxi. This was the real deal. U.S. senators, congressional lobbyists, the defense secretary; just thinking about the guest list made her dizzy.
She had to remind herself that she wasn’t here to network. Her target was still Courtney. The senator’s daughter was the only person she needed to impress tonight.
At the steps of the entrance she hesitated. What if someone recognizes you from the picture on the news? What if your presence raises even more suspicions?
But that was silly. The photo only showed her from behind; no one had seen her face. Melissa, thank God, hadn’t bothered to release a name with the papers, at least not yet. So there was no way anyone except for Courtney could even know it was her. And if Courtney was okay with her being here, that’s all that mattered.
“Can I help you?” a voice asked her.
Juliette turned and saw Dean Covington smiling back her. He raised a hand before she could ask him any questions. “I’m here on official Covington and Crawford business. The governor is a very important client.”
He took Juliette’s left arm and escorted her inside. “I trust your new job is going well?”
Juliette nodded.
“Good. I was starting to worry you might not show tonight.”
Her face flushed red. Did Covington suspect she was the mystery girl in the photo?
“Don’t be embarrassed, darling. I hear Senator Chase can be quite charming when he wants to be. Just stick to the assignment and you’ll be fine.” He spun Juliette around to face the coat check before whisking her out of the heavy wool coat and handing over his own jacket along with a twenty-dollar bill. He informed the attendant to keep the change then placed the small white ticket in his tux pocket.
“Now go,” he said. “Go grace the room with you stunningly beautiful presence.”
Juliette gave a cautious smile and stepped toward the entrance of the hall. She hesitated, turned back to Covington, then realized he had vanished. The man had impeccable timing, she would give him that.
Juliette trudged up the glittering stairs and entered the ballroom. She was breathless. The space had been transformed into a mag
ical silver and white wonderland. There wasn’t a corner of the room that had been left untouched—from the large trees with twinkling white lights and silver globes hanging from the willowy branches to the mirrored tabletops and black-and-white skirted chairs gathered at each table. The dance floor was in the dead center of the room and had a series of sequined balls that sent lights twinkling and twirling over the crowd. A small orchestra was playing on a makeshift stage at the end of the room. Everywhere she turned there were servers with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. She resisted the urge to take a glass.
She spotted Governor Anderson in a crowd of businessmen and politicians, but not his daughter. Then, as she was making her way to the cash bar, she spotted him. Senator Tyler Chase was standing on the other side of the dance floor. Staring at her and her stunning black dress. Juliette wanted to turn away, to run and hide from that unmasked look in his eyes. But she was paralyzed by his gaze. And as he moved closer to her, she realized with regret that she wanted him.
“You look amazing,” he said.
“It’s mostly the dress.”
“No,” he argued. “It’s not.”
His gaze moved from her shimmering shoulders to the round curve of her breasts to the large diamond brooch centered at her waist.
He started to reach for it but froze as if only then realizing what he was about to do.
“It’s great isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” he muttered.
Juliette couldn’t make out the expression on his face. She thought he had sent the dress, but he was staring at the brooch as if in shock. As if he hadn’t expected her to show up wearing it.
“It looks like an antique. Maybe something from the 1920’s. What do you think?” She tested her theory further.
Dirty Little Liars Page 6
