“Come in,” I called.
Marcus poked his head in but froze awkwardly in the doorway. “Are you...decent?”
I pulled my bathrobe tighter around me, suddenly self-conscious now that he’d asked the question. Not that it made any sense. I had certainly been wearing far less last night when we—
“Yeah, come on in.”
He slipped inside and shut the door carefully behind him. Even though the gala was still about an hour off, he was already wearing an impeccably fitted tuxedo. It
hugged nicely around his chest and gave him that intimidating, towering appearance that men seemed so fond of. I spotted the diamond cufflinks and shook my head.
“What?” he asked nervously. “Do I have something on my—”
“No, you’re just...you look fine.” It was then that I noticed he was carrying a small parcel in his hands. “What’s that?”
“What? Oh.” He glanced down at it, then crossed over to where I was sitting at the vanity. “It’s for you. It’s...to go with your dress.”
He offered it silently and I opened it with trembling fingers. Gosh—why did everything have to get so complicated right before our big event? Why did I even wade into the water when I knew that dusk was prime hunting time for sharks? Why—why did he use so much tape?
My brow crinkled as I tried to open it. Marcus pursed his lips, and for the first time in what felt like ages, the tension lifted to allow room to breathe.
“You need some help?”
I grinned. “No, I got it. I think.” I ripped off the tape in a single fluid motion. When I lifted the lid, I gasped.
My eyes widened as a thousand beautiful diamonds twinkled back at me. Diamonds cut in long splinters, jagged shards that seemed to make no sense or pattern until he lifted them, and I realized it was a necklace. A necklace fit for the Ice Queen herself. My face paled, and I reached up to graze it with my fingers as he stepped behind me and fastened it on.
“It’s gorgeous!” I whispered as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. “Thank you! Oh my gosh!”
“Then you like it?”
“I love it!”
I didn’t quite recognize the girl staring back at me. Long gone was the poster child for “trying to make it in LA.” Gone was the pasty skin and pretty but uncertain features. She had been replaced with a completely different person.
This other girl was something else entirely. Something brand new.
“Is this a loaner?” I asked.
“No...this is for you.”
Marcus’ fingers grazed the back of my neck, and I glanced up to see him staring quietly back at me in the mirror. When our eyes met, he didn’t drop his gaze as I expected; he continued to stare—a quiet affection softening all of his features with a smile.
“I can’t—” I stammered, my eyes returning to the ice shards around my neck, “this is too much. Even for you.”
“Keep it, please.”
The fingers disappeared, leaving a trail of scorched skin in their wake. When he met my melancholy expression, the corners of his mouth turned up in an almost wistful smile.
“It’ll give you something to remember me by.”
He left before I could say a word. Left me standing there with a thousand diamond knives hanging around my neck. Left before he could see me cry. I knew none of this was real. But why was I getting so attached? I tried to stay distant. I knew who and what Marcus was all about. He was somebody no woman could tame. This was probably nothing more than a huge game to him. I had to stay strong and quit kissing him. This was all fake, I reminded myself. So it was vital that I keep all feelings out of this little arrangement. This was nothing more than an acting gig. Falling in love with your co-star was a big no-no.
I heard the gala starting before I even made it out of my bungalow. Sounds of Stravinsky floated in through the open window, and I knew it was time. Marcus was supposed to meet me there, so I took one final look in the mirror and headed outside alone. The path to the ballroom was paved with expensive couples. I followed along behind oversized clutches and clouds of cologne until I splintered off at the top of the grand staircase.
It was a fairy tale. And for the first time in my life, I fit right in.
Every eye in the room fastened onto me as I walked down the stairs. Floated was more like it. In any other circumstance, it would have been a surefire way to make me fall. But tonight, my world was so surreal that I felt like I was hovering above myself, watching me too.