Page 54 of Kept

“More like fucking magical,” I tell her. She gives me a smile that could light up half of Manhattan.

“Why, thank you,” she gives me a little bow. “I have to say, it’s been nice having you around. Getting to arrange surprises and girl stuff has been so much more fun.”

“You don’t normally do this?”

She shrugs. “I mean, I do whatever. The De Lucas have a lot of business projects, and I coordinate that. Reservations, errands, stuff like that. But in-house spa days and ballet lessons?” She giggles. “That’s a new one for me.”

I sip again on my smoothie, having run out of it at least three sips ago, but having trouble phrasing what I’m wanting to ask. “Does he—I mean is it normal, with the other women he is with…”

Marie smiles and takes the empty smoothie glass from me before I can take another useless, nervous sip. “Sarah,” she says softly, “so long as I have been here, I’ve never seen him do anything like this before.”

Her phone chirps.

“Oh, looks like Marco is on the way with Robert. Which reminds me, do you want me to have someone do your hair and makeup?” She winks at me.

“Umm, should I?”

She shrugs. “I would,” she waves her hands around the room. “Live a little!”

I laugh. “Okay, I guess yes then.”

“Perfect!” Marie pops up, and I half expect to see her disappear in a puff of smoke.

CHAPTER 27

Sarah

Rather than stay in my bath robe, I slip into a comfortable set of clean pajamas. Naturally, I hear Robert coming down the hallway long before he gets here. I poke my head out and wave him in.

He grabs me in a bear hug and spins me around.

I laugh. “Robert! It’s not like I’m living on the moon! We just saw each other.”

He sighs. “Yes, but you’re my best friend. You’re my person. Like if I had a body in the middle of the night and I needed someone to show up with a plan and a shovel, it’s you I would call to save me.” He pauses. “Although in light of recent events, I might call Marco about the body and you for the emotional support.”

We both laugh. “Call Marco? You guys besties now?”

He rolls his eyes. “No, but I find him slightly less annoying than I used to. Plus, I think Bella has a little crush on him.” Robert wiggles his eyebrows conspiratorially.

“Now,” he says, walking to the bed and sitting down on the edge, “what’s the plan, Stan?”

Shrugging, I tell him, “Hell if I know at this point. Something about a black-tie event and a dress. And a designer.”

“Oh, so I’m here for emotional support and commentary. This I can do.” He stretches and lies back on the bed, resting up on an elbow with one leg casually draped over the other. Then he seems to realize that he’s lying in our bed. He looks at me, slightly aghast. “You’ve had sex in this bed, haven’t you?”

Mortified, I feel my face flush.

Robert squeals. “About damned time you got that V card punched!” He raises an eyebrow and looks me up and down. “I’m surprised you can walk straight, honestly, because there is no way that man isn’t hung like a goddamned?—”

I hear a throat being cleared in the doorway. My mortification is complete when I find Marie standing there next to a slightly-built Asian woman with neatly styled grey hair and a fabric tape measurer draped around her delicate neck, accompanied by a much younger woman that looks like her clone, minus about forty years, holding a notebook and a tablet.

“Well then,” Marie says. “This is Mrs. Shin, and her daughter Michelle. Mrs. Shin is an incredibly talented seamstress.”

The trio enter the room. Mrs. Shin is a good six inches shorter than me, with slightly hunched shoulders and long, delicate fingers. She smiles at me and pats my hand instead of shaking it, almost like a grandmother would. I instantly like her. She chats with her daughter in another language, which I can’t pretend to identify.

Michelle translates. “My mother would like to take your measurements, and then we can all sit down and look at some options on the tablet. I’ll only highlight the options we have available today so that she can tailor them to fit you by tonight. In the future, my mother can make anything you’d ever need, though.”

“Oh, sure. Thank you.” I undress again, and the woman takes a detailed set of measurements while Michelle asks me about what styles I usually like, so she can pull ones that might work. Then I dress again, and Marie suggests we relocate to the cafe downstairs.

---