by Ashley Woods
Anthony guzzled two shots and then turned his body toward her, pushing her into the cushions, and began kissing her. They were locked together for a few minutes when Anthony suddenly remembered where they were and straightened both of them back up.
They laughed and held onto each other’s hands tightly. The tray of shots was empty. His friends were now pushing back their chairs.
“We are going to some bars up north. We want to stay out late and see some more action.” One of them added, “You two coming with?”
Anthony said, “Maybe I’ll catch up with you later.” He stood up and shook their hands.
He turned back to Kristen. Leaning down, he offered her his arm.
“Well, we can end this meeting the proper way and I’ll give you a call...”
Kristen looked at him like she was afraid to lose him.
“Or, we can get a balcony pool suite here and enjoy this beautiful tropical night together. No obligation. We can just relax.”
Kristen instantly knew this was right for her and she just wanted to be with him. It felt like they had already been together for a long time.
She remained quietly seated, while he walked over to the front desk. He then came back for her and held his arm snuggly over her shoulders. He seemed to walk for her as they went down the hallway, and then up the stairs to their room.
The suite was cozy with a large bed that was arrayed with a plush comforter and ruffled pillows. Anthony walked over to the French balcony doors and dramatically opened them.
“Oh, what a gorgeous sky, Kristen. Go out there and look at it.”
A warm and floral wind swirled playfully through the room. The moon was softly peeking out through the Royal Palms, and it was so romantic. Kristen walked outside, gazing below at the tranquil pool.
Anthony came silently from behind, slowly swaying her in front of him.
“You are so beautiful Kristen, I know this will be our night.”
He pulled her tightly against him, rubbing and kissing inside her shoulder, and slowly down her skin.
“Oh, Anthony, that feels so good.”
As they melted into one, Anthony brought his head down to meet her lips. He was so wonderful…
When Kristen awoke hours later, Anthony was still holding her and smiling sweetly. It was almost check-out time.
Anthony took her hand, “Wow, that was a wonderful night. I am so glad that I met you.”
As they headed to the lobby, Anthony gave the valet the tickets for both of their cars, and they were swiftly brought to the front. He had a fantastic black Ferrari! He embraced her, pushing against her car door, and gave her a long kiss. She lowered herself into the car, and he kissed her again through the open window.
“Give me your phone.” Kristen reached into her purse and handed it to him with no questions. He dialed his number into it, and she could hear his phone buzzing in his suit coat.
He patted his pocket, “There, now we both have each other’s number. I will call you later today before I head out to New York. I am in the middle of a business deal and I need to be on the mark.” He stood in the driveway and waved as she drove off.
Kristen spent most of her day being lazy. As promised, Anthony called her that afternoon. They had a wonderful time talking and were as comfortable as old friends. When they finished, he promised to call her again after he returned from his trip. He was leaving in an hour.
Kristen was in a great mood for the next two days., and she wondered if Anthony was going to turn into an actual boyfriend. That was until Monday afternoon, when she saw the Palm Beach Daily News.
She had turned to the society section, and on the front page was Anthony twirling a countess at a gala that had been held on Saturday night, when he was supposedly in New York. She was a raven-haired beauty and was drenched in emeralds.
Kristen felt a knot growing in her stomach. She was angry that she had been treated just like she feared, like a “one-night stand”. It was her fault. She knew she should not have slept with him right away.
She lamented, “Why can’t I find the right man? Why is this always so hard?”
Later that day, Anthony phoned her, and she chose not to answer. He left her a voicemail, but she was too depressed to listen to it.
An hour later the phone rang again. Again, it was Anthony! This time she wanted to talk to him., and she was too excited to think about the other woman. There was a lot of static on the line, and Kristen was having great difficulty trying to understand him.
“I’m on my boat,” he told her, cupping his hand over the phone. Kristen could hear the wind hollowing out his voice.
“Well, it’s the perfect day for that, wish I was there.”
“I’ll take you out tomorrow, ever snorkel?”
She did not want to tell him that she was too afraid of sharks, “Just in a swimming pool.”
“Well, I am going to take you to an amazing spot. You will love it. You can swim fast, can’t you?”
“Yeah, I swim pretty well.”
Anthony laughed, “In that case, I am going to bring you over to my house tonight, and I will chase you around the pool.
The wind was getting too strong for him to talk further, and she could barely hear him say, “I will call you later.” Kristen never thought to challenge him about his New York trip, and just said good bye.
Anthony arrived at Kristen’s in the early evening for their date. His nose was very sunburned from his boat. He swept her up and lapped her face.
“Ooh yuk, she giggled.
Anthony was extra enthusiastic, “So, are you ready to go swimming with me?”
Kristen asked, “If we are in your pool, I don’t need a suit? Right?”
He laughed, “You need one for where we are going.”
Kristen questioned him, “Where is that?”
“We’re popping over to the Bahamas for the night. Go grab your bikini and your passport.”
She excitedly ran to find them, and her purse. When she returned, Anthony grabbed her and pulled her out to a limo.
Kristen protested, “No, I can’t go like this, I need to bring more things.”
“You don’t need anything, you look great, and we’re going now. My jet is already out of the hangar. I think this is going nicely for us, I really enjoy your company.”
Kristen agreed with him, “I am loving this!”
Anthony reserved one of the best suites at The Atlantis. Late that night, they went out to one of the garden pools and swam in the humid darkness. Amid the night’s stillness, they were under stars so close, that Kristen reached up to touch them. She could almost feel their heat. As each hour passed, it became evident that the couple appeared to be falling hard for each other, and Anthony never left her side.
Kristen was feeling so strongly for Anthony, that she thought she should now confront him about the party, on the jet ride back. She was not willing to let her feelings overtake her, until she knew where she stood with him, and what he felt for the Countess, and others.
She was blissfully lying back on the long window couch with his arms wrapped around her. They were getting ready to land, when she finally asked him.
“How is your Countess doing? Was she in New York with you last week?”
Anthony was puzzled, and then looked resentful. He asked, “What do you know about her?”
Kristen replied, “I saw your pictures in the paper. I believe that was a party in Palm Beach, not up north.”
She was dismayed when Anthony stiffened, and pulled himself away from her to sit farther down the couch.
He quickly answered, “Her date backed out at the very last minute. I delayed my trip to attend the party. She is an old friend.” Kristen said nothing.
Anthony now turned on her, “You’re not going to really act like this and question me, are you? I had only just met you the night before.”
Kristen looked even more distraught at his reaction. It seemed that he had a temper.
He continued,
“Maybe, this just isn’t the start of a healthy partnership. I don’t have the time for your insecurities, if you are that type of woman.”
Instead of trying to act sorry for asking, Kristen said, “Maybe you are right Anthony. I can meet plenty of playboys and you don’t need to be one of them.”
She stood up and walked to the front section of the jet to sit near the pilot. Anthony grinned and waved, when she reached behind her to pull the curtain across the aisle.
When they landed, Anthony helped her down the stairs, and they were both very polite with each other. He gave her a peck on the cheek, “I’ll give you a call.”
Kristen went on with her week, like nothing had happened, and she forced herself not to think about Anthony. To do this, she tried to lose herself in her childhood memories of Michael Hansen again.
She could only see his face now, not Anthony's, and she fantasized about how handsome he was, and what it would be like to have him with her right now. She knew that Michael would love her unconditionally, and always be faithful to her. It was ingrained in his character. He also did not easily anger, like Anthony.
It had been a long time since her idyllic younger life on the North Shore. Michael obviously never saw Kristen in his future plans, or he would have done something about it by now. Kristen wondered, Michael had always seemed happy when he saw her, so why wouldn’t he pursue her?
She then decided that it wasn’t healthy for her to keep day-dreaming like this. Instead, she planned to immerse herself into other activities.
She began to spend an extraordinary length of time at the health club and started to attend various party committee meetings. She even made the big move to join the island’s chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her mother would have been overjoyed! Many of her mother’s friends were members. Kristen was easily one of the youngest there and found the luncheons a bit boring.
At one meeting, she had the great fortune to be seated next to Ariel Whitcomb, a top socialite in her seventies. She knew practically every person on the island. She invited Kristen to a very exclusive party, being held at one of the local country clubs on Saturday night. Best of all, she did not need to have a date.
When Kristen returned home, she called up Melanie and convinced her to fly in that week-end and go to the party. Melanie thought it would be great time and booked her flight as soon as she hung up.
Kristen spent the rest of the week preparing for the event. She hated spray-tans, so she drove over to the Breakers Hotel and lay on their private beach, alongside a glistening assortment of the most perfect bodies on the planet.
One had to adhere to the impossible standards when you were in Palm Beach. There was an invisible bar that was always raised just outside your grasp. It made you strive to be the best and reach higher.
On this exclusive island, there was always an international selection of women that were meticulously groomed, waxed, and manicured, to compete with. It was cut-throat business when it came to looking for the men here. The women always had to be on their game, or they wouldn’t get a second glance.
Some of these ladies were the nastiest, materialistic, and vainest beings that were ever created by the Devil, or by a God; who most certainly was a female. But, you would never see that side of them, as they smiled sweetly standing by their man, or someone else’s.
What they didn’t have when it came to money, they had to make up for it tenfold with their appearance. They were the trophies and playmates of powerful men, and they were constantly in fear of being traded in for a newer, or younger version. On this island, there was always an abundance of plastic surgeons, stylists, and vitamin supplement gurus, to cater to the seasonal population.
It was also the unspoken truth, that if you did land one of these millionaires, and he wanted a pre-nuptial; that it was advisable to secure a top attorney for yourself, and to also get pregnant immediately. This was to ensure a lifetime income from alimony, or at least child support to sponge off.
Kristen was glad that she was not like them, and felt she just needed to be herself. Usually, her sunny personality was enough to easily charm the men that she came across. Of course, she had her princess moments too, but she was relatively manageable when it came to her needs and expectations. And again, she was honestly in it for love.
Now that she was getting older, Kristen felt more of a need to do the looking. She had no time to wait for her prince to just show up on her doorstep. She certainly did not envision her future being an old maid with six cats, but it could happen, since she was too picky about what she wanted.
She thought about how she handled the situation with Anthony on his jet and determined that she should have never brought the subject up. She should have tried harder to develop the relationship with him and see where it would lead. She hoped she would have another chance with him.
On Saturday afternoon, Melanie called when she landed, to say she would meet her at the party, and that she was bringing her friend Kate.
Kristen spent a few hours dressing and changing her mind. When she finally decided what to wear, she only had five minutes left before she was supposed to be there.
The party was at one of the older clubs on the island, and it was quite a step up to be invited to it. Melanie and Kate were waiting outside the venue and laughed when Kristen walked up. They were all wearing white outfits and looked like their mothers had dressed them alike.
Kristen and Melanie groaned, and went back home to change. Kate lived a distance from the island; so, she was spared. She went inside for a cocktail and male company, while she awaited their return.
They two re-grouped in a half-hour, and slinked in sync like runway models, as they strode through the main lobby. Men walking past with their wives and dates, couldn’t help turning their heads to look at them.
The girls had worried that the place would be filled with couples. As they entered through the banquet room doors, they were relieved to see that there were single men everywhere! They instantly found Kate standing at the bar. Melanie walked up to her, and giggled,
“Guess we’ll be finding ourselves some husbands tonight.”
She tickled Kate in the side and almost made her fall off her heels. As Kate tried to regain her balance, a gorgeous man with short blonde hair reached out his arm to help her.
Kristen laughed, “I guess she found hers.”
The man smiled at Kate and said with a heavy French accent, “Please come sit with me. My group is over there.”
Kate began to walk with him, “Sorry girls. Opportunity is knocking. It’s my duty to my country.”
Melanie and Kristen headed over to another bar area which had chairs and were quickly joined by a small group of Swedish men vying to get their beverages, and their attention.
The women spent a short time accepting numerous after-dinner dance requests and business cards, before they moved on to find Ariel and their designated table.
As they sat, they looked over to the right, and saw that Kate was very comfortable with her Frenchman near the front of the room.
“Lucky girl. Guess she found herself someone in the upper ranks. Hope it works out for her.” Melanie remarked.
Kristen and Melanie sadly looked at each other, and both knew what the other was thinking. They cheered up when three very handsome men walked up to the table. Ariel had obviously arranged to have them seated next to the girls. The man that was handpicked for Kate, stared down at her empty seat and looked puzzled.
Kristen looked at the exceptionally dapper gentlemen, and thought it was possible that Ariel had paid for them to be their escorts. She was very wise when it came to throwing successful parties.
Escorts on the island were not for sex, they were social and dining necessities, for unattached and widowed women, in order for them to attend the parties. Kristen looked closer at their tuxedos. They were not cheap, but they also were not designer issue. They had that shiny rented look to them. She nudged Melanie and whispered.
/> The girls enjoyed their company and conversation during the elaborate dinner, but kept their eyes discreetly searching around the room for other viable choices. If they were truly escorts, then the men would understand.
After dessert, Kristen and Melanie graciously excused themselves, and slowly made their way to the far side of the room. They grabbed Kate by her arm as they walked past her and pulled her up.
Kristen held onto Kate as she wiggled, “Sorry Kate, you are going to have to suffer with the rest of us.”
The Frenchman stood up to protest her departure. His attempt was futile, and Kate just smiled at him and said good-bye.
The trio found another table near the dance floor and lowered themselves to sit. The Frenchman defiantly came right back to Kate and took her out on the floor for a dance. It was not long before Melanie was soon scooped up, and Kristen was left to sit by herself.
She looked around at what prospects were left, and saw Anthony standing over by the main bar, talking to a group of men. She turned her chair slightly to avoid looking straight at him.
He must have just arrived. She thought about inviting a man to dance to save face, but she remained still and confident. One of Ariel’s daughters, a girl self-titled with the name Kittens, saw her and sat down next to her. It was obvious that she had a few drinks in her.
They talked for a while, and then Kittens decided to give Kristen a short history of all the men in the room. She told her interesting facts about three of them, when Kristen stopped her, and subtly pointed toward Anthony.
“What about that one? Do you know anything about Anthony Fiore?”
Kittens sighed, “Oh yes, Anthony! Every girl in Palm Beach wants to know about him. But he is a true enigma and no one can get through to him. I have never seen him with an actual girlfriend. Though, I have heard rumors about some girl that broke his heart in New York. Then, I think she got killed somehow. That’s all I know.”
She took a sip of her cocktail, “He seems to date a lot, but usually just socially. I have never seen him on many second dates. I also know that he is not a member of my father’s club, which I think is very unusual, since he is one of the richer men on the island.”
