by India Lee
“Listen, Gem,” Leah said. “Don’t get me wrong. Damian maybe an old, longtime friend of ours, but that doesn’t stop him from being crazy attractive. Like, oh my God cream of the crop one percent hot. I know we all don’t quite look at him that way because we’ve pretty much grown up together, but that doesn’t stop him from being a total sex god and you’re kidding yourself if you think otherwise. But…” Leah sat up straight, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder as she leaned towards Gemma. “I think it’s possible that your reaction to him the other day may be because you’re not getting any from Corey. Or because you’re not even interested in getting any with Corey. So… why are you dragging this on? Dump his ass. And don’t dick around about it anymore. The next time you see him, a breakup is going to happen. Got it?”
~
Gemma sat beside Corey, quiet as she stared at their legs sitting side by side on the park bench. She had never had a breakup like this one. It felt a little like a high school breakup – not that either of her high school breakups had been like this. Maybe it was just the fact that she had prepared her speech and delivered it without pause like a well-researched presentation, citing everything that had been on her mind – no chemistry, no spark, no sign of things getting better.
At least Leah would be proud.
As little investment as she had in Corey, Gemma still felt badly. He had sat quietly through it all, nodding as he took in every word she said. At least he did make it easier by not looking totally shocked by what she had to say, though a slight frown did wrinkle his handsome face.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed,” he said quietly, finally breaking the silence. “I do like you a lot.”
“I like you too… but I’m not sure that’s enough. Do you know what I mean?” Gemma asked, really hoping he understood. The words sounded kind of awful said aloud. Thankfully, he nodded, his frown turning into a slight pout.
“I just really love your drive. I love that you’re so young and successful and everything you have is something you made for yourself.”
“Well, I did have a lot of help along the way,” Gemma shrugged.
“I’m sure you did,” he replied. “But we both know that I probably had even more help along the way and look at where I am. I’d be so much happier if I had achieved even a tenth of what you’ve done.” His eyes were a little wet as he bit his lip. Gemma would feel bad if she weren’t so uncomfortable. She had kind of brushed Corey off as another one of Manhattan’s billionaire heirs, happy to be living off of his parents and running around doing nothing.
“People can’t help you until you know what you want to do,” Gemma said. “You have plenty of time to figure it out.”
“I don’t know why I thought that being with you was what would do it.” Corey looked up at her, a faint smile on his lips. “I guess I was hoping your attitude about life would rub off on me a bit.”
“You were using me?” Gemma teased, a hand flying over her heart in mock horror. Corey laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her that same quick squeeze he had always done. Now that they weren’t an item, she found the gesture sweet rather than cheesy.
“We’ll stay friends, right?” Corey asked. “I mean, I haven’t stayed friends with any of my exes, but none of our relationships ended this peacefully.”
“Really?” Gemma raised an eyebrow. She could hardly imagine the perpetually even-tempered Corey in a heated breakup. He almost seemed like the type to handle a breakup through paperwork or something.
“My last relationship was in college,” Corey explained. “Her name was Melissa. We were together for three years before it ended with lots of yelling, lots of tears, lots of alcohol, and me running away to New Zealand for three months.”
“What?” Gemma laughed. “That’s pretty dramatic.”
“She literally made me jump off a bridge,” Corey laughed. Gemma paused at his words, suddenly recalling her impromptu solo trip to Croatia, and that dive off the cliff. She looked up at Corey for an explanation. “The first thing I did when I got there was bungee jump, just to get all the bad energy out of me. And I think they calculated my weight wrong or something because my head dipped into the water and I was pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to. But it was nice. Because it was like being washed of her.”
“That’s crazy,” Gemma exhaled, blinking away her own memory. It was strange that she and Corey had never had these types of conversations while they were technically in a relationship, but she was glad to learn this of him at all.
“I’ve heard,” Corey began. “That you did something similar after breaking up with Tyler.”
“No, we weren’t broken up,” Gemma said. But I guess we might as well have been. “I was just going through some things…”
“I think we actually do have a lot in common,” Corey laughed, looking boyish as he brought his long legs up onto the bench. “But I agree maybe we weren’t meant to be any more than friends. No matter how gorgeous you are.” He reached a hand over, playfully tousling Gemma’s hair.
“I think most people are having a hard time understanding why we don’t work. But I don’t think the reason is that easy to explain. It’s just a feeling.”
Corey nodded. “You know, I was actually just so happy to be with someone that didn’t make me crazy the way that Melissa did,” he said. “And I was thinking, maybe this is just what a healthy relationship is like. That we’re just two people who make sense together and provide each other company. And maybe, everything I heard about you in the past and everything I knew about your relationship with Tyler and my relationship with Melissa… maybe all those things were in the past because we’ve matured and we’ve grown up and know better. But you’re right about the fact that there should be this intangible something more. I mean, not that I’m saying we should be like our last relationships where there was so much of that something that we were driven to run away and jump off of high places. But I’m thinking, maybe a little crazy is still necessary.” He paused after his long speech, peering self-consciously at Gemma. “I mean… don’t you agree?”
She studied him, considering his theory. “Actually, I think I do.”
Chapter 4
“Oh my God, I want that hat,” Zoe said, kneeling in front of an open box sitting in the middle of Gemma’s studio. Gemma walked over, looking down at her own creation, wrapped up and ready to be shipped to its new owner. It was a headpiece commissioned by a nameless buyer at an address she didn’t recognize. The request was just for, Something creative to go with a white satin gown being worn to the Gotham Ball. For this particular client, she had opted to make something similar to the feather and pearl Balenciaga dress that she had worn as Queen Bee, years ago. She made a circular satin cap with a short mesh veil meant to hang over one eye. Small white pearls studded the veil and a spray of white feathers fanned out from where it attached to the cap. Atop the base of the feathers was an intricate, antique pewter broach that she had found at the Brooklyn Flea.
“It doesn’t even match the dress I made you,” Gemma replied. “And it’s being sent out tonight to its rightful owner.”
“Who’s the lucky girl?”
“I don’t know,” Gemma shrugged. “I actually got a lot of accessories orders from people I didn’t know, which is really exciting.”
“Seriously, you’re on your way,” Zoe said. “Fuck the haters.”
“I wasn’t even thinking about them until you brought it up.”
“Oh,” Zoe winced. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Gemma laughed. “Now let’s get you fitted for your gown.” She pulled the cover she had thrown over it in order to debut it with fanfare. Gemma delighted in the gleeful gasp that escaped Zoe’s throat as she jumped up and down. She had designed the gown to reflect Zoe’s personality – fun and vibrant, but with a dark, sensual twist. It was a floor length gown, a form-fitting jersey material of a rich, dark blue that was almost black. The neckline was a braided halter strap that wra
pped around the neck and twisted underneath the bust and ended in a knot that hung low on the back. It was a hand-woven collection of many luxurious fabrics, the bright, multi-colored silks popping against the base. Below the knot, Gemma let the twisted fabrics of the braid unravel and dance down the back of the dress, creating a prismatic train of wispy silk.
Zoe had already torn her clothes off and was standing excitedly in her underwear. Gemma smiled, happy to have met her friend’s expectations but even happier to know that she had exceeded them. She helped Zoe step into the dress, pulling up the hidden zipper at her hip.
“You fucking genius,” Zoe laughed, truly impressed as she twirled in front of the mirror. She sighed happily, admiring the colorful silks that wrapped around her body as she did so.
“Thank you,” Gemma said, feeling giddy. “You don’t know how relieved I am that you like it.”
“How could I not?” Zoe asked. “How could anyone not like this?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We should wait until the day after the ball and make sure I didn’t land you on any worst-dressed lists.”
“Oh please, who the hell cares what anyone else thinks? This is perfect.” Zoe turned to Gemma, her eyes glinting with what she could now see were tears. She rushed to Gemma, grabbing her face and planting a big kiss on her cheek. “I’m so proud of you, you fucking genius.” Gemma reached forward to hug Zoe, knowing she could trust her to be the one person who would truly be honest about her designs. She knew that her social circle was being particularly sensitive towards her about her new venture, even if she had technically switched industries for three years now. Even with the media attention being slower than what it had used to be, Gemma still found what presence they had to be an incredible nuisance in her life.
“I’m really happy you like it,” Gemma said. “And I hope all my other clients react the same way.”
“And what are you wearing?” Zoe asked. “Please tell me you finally got around to your own gown, because you only have three days to get it together.”
“I haven’t,” Gemma said unapologetically. “This all took a lot more work than I expected and I’m still borrowing Armand’s team to help me put everything together.”
“You can’t put all these beautiful gowns on all these other people and wear some other designer, can you?”
“I’m going to have something for myself, don’t worry,” Gemma replied. “I’ve just had a lot of other things on my mind lately, between the breakup with Corey and the R-rated thoughts I’ve been having about Damian.”
“Ha,” Zoe snorted. “I still find that so funny.”
“Why?”
“You make it seem so strange that you’d have R-rated thoughts about someone you’ve already been with,” Zoe shrugged. “But that man’s body is built something crazy these days so I get it.”
Gemma eyed Zoe. “Um,” she bit her lip, helping Zoe out of her gown and preparing a garment bag for it. “You know that Damian and I have never actually been together like that… right?”
“What do you mean?” Zoe furrowed her brows at Gemma as she pulled up her jeans.
“Damian and I dated back in the day, but we’ve never… had sex.”
Zoe froze mid-zip. “Wait, what…” she trailed off, looking skyward as she tried to put the pieces of her memory in chronological order. “Oh, dang. Because you dated him before that Lucas kid… and Lucas was your first and… holy shit, Gem.”
“What?”
“I don’t know why this whole time I just thought you guys had to have done it at some point.”
“Why does it matter?”
“Because it’s impossible that you didn’t!” Zoe exclaimed. “You guys haven’t done anything sexual together? I mean, how far did you two get?”
“We’ve… kissed. A lot. We were in high school and I was a virgin and he was too much of a gentleman to even suggest doing anything else.”
“How have you never done anything? With Damian? Do you see what that boy looks like?”
“We came close during his prom,” Gemma offered. “We got as far as getting each other undressed and then I chickened out. And we just slept in the same bed after that and that was it.”
“Oh my God, the poor boy!” Zoe burst out laughing. “Oh God, this explains so damned much. Basically, you’ve given that kid a six-year case of blue balls.”
“That’s not true,” Gemma argued. “We were never really like that. We loved each other, but it was just puppy love that never really became more because I guess it wasn’t supposed to.”
Zoe ignored her. “You know what you felt the other day when you were measuring him? Multiply that feeling by however many days is in six years and you’ve got what’s built up in Damian’s poor balls right now.”
“Oh my God, Zoe, stop! You know Damian’s not like that. You’re making him sound like some sort of sexually repressed monster right now.”
“No, he would’ve been a sexually repressed monster if he didn’t decide to quick-fix the problem by banging the Maxim Top 100 these past few years,” Zoe cackled, though her mouth immediately snapped shut when she noticed Gemma’s sudden look of distress. Her smile quickly faded and she hastily pulled on her shirt, making her way over to give Gemma a tight, apologetic hug. “Shit. Girl, you know that was a total joke, right? I don’t actually believe that he’s banged a hundred girls in the past few years.”
“No, I’m fine. I mean, he is probably with Azura and who knows how else he’s changed. He was a little more ‘hands-on’ than usual the other day. And he took a couple of shots at Corey, so I guess I don’t really know him anymore.”
Zoe brushed it all off, waving a hand in the air. “No, they probably really are all a bunch of rumors. Everyone thought he was dating Aubrey and they turned out to be just friends. And everyone thought you two were dating for awhile, but you guys are just friends.”
“Yeah…” Gemma said, trailing off as her lips formed a pout. Zoe lifted an eyebrow.
“Do you not want to be just friends anymore?” she asked tentatively.
“I’m not sure,” Gemma replied. “My mind’s not very clear about him these days. I had to have Armand do his final fitting for him so I didn’t have to touch him again.”
“That’s hilarious, I’m sorry.”
“It’s kind of pathetic,” Gemma laughed. “Especially since I was dying to see what he would look like in the final product.”
“Why don’t you just ask him if he’s with Azura and if he’d like to get it on with you since that’s clearly long overdue.”
Gemma snorted. “You know I don’t have that in me. And that’s not the Gemma he knows. Besides, if he is with Azura, he would never do that to her. That much I can say I’m sure about him – that he’s still as loyal as he’s always been. Friend or boyfriend, that’s just the person he is. Maybe he has been with a ton of girls since Nicki, but I’m sure he was always loyal to them. All of them.” Gemma frowned at the thought of how many “all” entailed.
“Whatever, Gem, it’s just gonna be a girl’s night for us anyway,” Zoe said. Gavin was going to be in Chicago on the day of the ball and Corey had opted not to go at all, now that he and Gemma were broken up. For those reasons, Gemma and Zoe had planned on going as each other’s dates. “Just two besties at the Gotham Ball.”
“Yes, please,” Gemma said. “I could really use a day with no boys on the mind.”
~
As it was every year for the three decades of its existence, the long stretch of red carpet at the Gotham Ball was covered in haute couture and famous faces. Packed on the sidewalk across the street were locals and tourists alike, all snapping pictures of the arrivals.
Gemma had been to the event many times before, but it was the first time she would not only be wearing her own design, but seeing it on the figures of many others. She watched and delighted over watching her clients field questions from the press about who they were wearing. Marguerite looked stunning in her elegantly cu
t, emerald halter jumpsuit with the onyx-jeweled belt. Steffi, the governor’s fashion-forward daughter, wore a more daring design of a nude camisole under a silver, chain-link crocheted overlay that looked like high-fashion body armor. And on Clara was Gemma’s most revealing piece, much to the delight of all the men in attendance. At Clara’s request, the dress had a neckline that plunged to her navel and left her back completely bare. Gemma chose a light, bronze mesh and draped it over itself to make it opaque in all the right places. It gave Clara the appearance of a marble statue, which was the perfect way to offset just how much skin would flash as she walked down the red carpet.
Her heart fluttered every time she heard someone answer with “The Court” when asked whom they were wearing. Gemma even got a couple of surprises, as it seemed many of the accessories were ordered by people for their friends. When the mayor and his wife walked by, Gemma recognized her own printed silk scarf sitting in the mayor’s jacket pocket and another one of them draped over his wife’s shoulder.
With little time left to make anything too intricate, Gemma had opted for something simple for herself. She had chosen a pearly satin with just a hint of a pink hue, cutting and sewing it into a classic sheath that ended mid-thigh. Armand had brought home some trim that he had found on his trip, a thin ivory rope with one-foot fringes of iridescent mother-of-pearl beading. Gemma had taken just enough to attach two layers at the hem of her dress, allowing the long fringe to swing around her legs like a flapper as she walked.
“Gem, it’s that hat I wanted!” Zoe exclaimed, pointing down the grand stairwell of the museum that hosted the ball. Gemma lowered her drink, looking down to the beginning of the red carpet where a girl had just stepped out of a limousine.
“Do you know who she is?” Gemma asked, admiring her work atop the stranger. The girl looked about a year or two younger than Gemma with her white-blonde hair styled into a tight chignon. She wore a white satin dress like it had said in the job request, and it was rather plain despite being very flattering to her slim yet curvy figure. Gemma was happy to see her accessory had helped bring the dress to a different level. Suddenly, the cameras were all facing her, flashing with a fury that had yet to be seen.
