She hums in contentment as she continues to float with her eyes closed, face tipped up toward the sky. There’s not a stitch of makeup left on her face, and she’s without a doubt the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
She finally peeks one eye open while tilting her head toward me. “I think I like this version of you.”
“And what version is that, Nikki?”
“The one that acts like he’s no longer mad at the world… or me.”
9
Nikki
Wrong thing to say.
Clearly, whatever spell Antonio and I were under for the past few hours has run out, and I’m back to being public enemy number one.
After he untangles my legs from their death grip on his body, he guides me over to the shallow end and leaves me there, but not before mumbling over his shoulder that I need to text him before I go back to our room since he’ll be in the shower. The shower that’s visible from 80 percent of the bungalow. A real voyeur’s dream. Not ideal for a couple of people who don’t even know how to be nice to each other.
God, this is so annoying. I can’t believe I got my hopes up.
To be honest, I’m more upset at myself for thinking that Antonio and I could actually be in each other’s company for long periods of time and have… fun? No, that’s not true. I know that I could spend endless hours with him and never be bored, andthat’sa sobering thought. Especially since most of my relationships have been with men who were easy to forget. But not Antonio.Never Antonio.
A part of me wonders if it would do any good to come clean and tell him the truth I’ve been holding on to for years. Just let it all out and see if it’ll change anything. But that thought alone terrifies me. He already struggles with thinking the worst of me. What would happen if I confirmed the worst truth about myself?
That I’m a liar.
But why bother admitting something that he’s probably never thought twice about? I mean, this is Antonio we’re talking about. Playboy extraordinaire. Relationship repellent in human form. What good would it do to expose my soul to a man who couldn’t care less even if he tried? It would only risk putting Amelia in a weird spot, especially while she’s on the road to recovery and sleeping happily in Evan’s arms. Then I’d potentially have to extricate myself from all future family gatherings. Because at the end of the day, the people I’ve spent almost a decade celebrating every holiday with are his family, not mine.
It seems obvious to me that the right move is to just keep my mouth shut and go along to get along. Nothing is at risk this way.
Yet why do I have this niggling urge to shout the truth from the rooftops?
* * *
I’m freshly showered with a towel wrapped tightly around my damp body. There’s no real privacy in this mirrored-wall bathroom emporium. So the system that Antonio and I (though he just grunted, so I suppose it was mostly me) have worked out, is that one of us stays out on the patio area while the other showers. Afterward, I have to walk downstairs in a towel and dress in the massive walk-in closet. Shouldn’t be a big deal, especially since we’ve been in bathing suits around each other all day. But when I caught sight of Antonio with a low-slung towel around his waist on his way to the closet, it almost sent me to an early grave.
Now that I’ve closed the door to the closet, I drop the towel and quickly put on my undies. I text Antonio the all-clear to move around the room just as I get another incoming call from my mother. I already declined two of her calls while sitting poolside. Today is not the day for us to chat. The second she gets wind of my fancy vacation, she’ll incessantly pump me for information… or worse, an invitation. I press the red button and stay on task as I move around the closet.
Curiosity has finally gotten to me, so I decide to open the massive suitcase that was packed by personal shoppers. Once I finally have it open, I can’t help but laugh. Both sides are neatly packed and tucked in with tissue paper, and a black envelope with my name in white calligraphy lies in the center. I shake my head before opening it.
Nikki,
We have taken Amelia’s suggestions and curated looks for your tropical vacation. We hope that we have provided everything you need. Please use the undergarments in the ivory box when you wear the Oscar de la Renta gown intended for New Year’s Eve. It completes the look and will keep you secured in your gown.
Happy New Year!
Maribel & The Bergdorf Goodman Team
What the hell?
I start pulling at tissue paper like a kid on Christmas morning. My mouth drops open at the piles of luxurious fabrics and patterns. I’ve never seen so much beautiful fashion in one place. I could weep!
I stay on task and pull out the ivory box and, surprise, surprise, more tissue paper. Once I finally get my hands on lacy material, I pull it out and freeze.
These are not your mama’s undies. Oh no. This is some kind of nude lacy bodysuit corset type of situation, with averydeep v cut. It is one sexy number, and I’m turned on just looking at it in my hands. I quickly check the label and see that it’s my size but look at the bra cup, then down to my boobs, and wonder how I’m supposed to squeeze these puppies into them. But that’s an issue for future Nikki.
For now, I stay on task, and that means not peeking at the mysterious garment bag that houses the gown. If I go down that road, there is no stopping me from putting it on now and parading around the room in it. For tonight, I need to hurry up and get dressed so we can make it to the dinner reservations that Kelsey informed me of as I was leaving the pool.
I pull out a deep blue slip dress that has a swoop neckline. It’s so buttery soft and perfect for my newly tanned skin.
