Page 69 of Bitter Heat

She couldn’t resist checking her email three more times. Nothing from Roth. By the time she sent the second load of packages to the hotel, she was high on retail and eager for more. Desperate for more distractions, she caught a cab to Madison Avenue. The chances of being recognized in this area were higher since her father had a building on this block. She crossed the street to avoid her family’s hotel and continued on to the designer shops. Several shop workers recognized her and went out of their way to cater to her. She found some gifts for her sisters before she turned off Madison Avenue and slipped into Black Jade, a high-end boutique.

“Jasmine?”

She stopped in the entrance and pulled off her sunglasses. “Dai?”

Daiyu Wu was the daughter of one of China’s largest automakers and a fashion designer who had made a splash during Fashion Week while she was still in college. They had grown up in the same circles and attended the same college for a short time before Dai went off to Paris to pursue fashion. Jasmine heard from her sisters that Dai had opened up this boutique but hadn’t been able to visit until now.

The small woman threw herself at Jasmine and gave her a bone-crushing hug.

“Oh my gosh! How are you?” Dai asked.

Before she could answer, Dai pulled back and gripped both of her hands.

“I’m sorry about your father.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

“I’ve taken some time for myself.”

Dai nodded thoughtfully and then switched her attention to Jasmine’s clothes. Without preamble, she spread the coat wide.

“Is this retail?” Dai asked.

“Yes.”

Dai’s lip curled. “You’re wearingretail?”

“Yes,” she drawled. “I live in the country most of the time. I don’t need custom pieces.”

“Your father wouldn’t approve,” Dai said.

She snickered. “Probably not.”

“You can do better than this,” Dai said, tugging on her shirt.

She slapped her hand. “Hey! I like this outfit, and I got catcalled three times on the way here.”

“You can rock it, but this…” She tugged on the hem of the skirt. “If it was just an inch longer, it would look better, and if I took it in here”—she pinched the sides and then smacked her butt—“your ass would look amazing.”

Apparently, age hadn’t toned down Dai’s outrageous personality. “Seriously, Dai?”

“Listen to me. Haven’t you heard I’m a genius? It was in this month’sVogue, page thirty-six.”

“Congratulations. What are you doing in your store? I didn’t think you’d actually be here.”

“I had a celebrity request, so I came in. I’m going into the wedding market. Did you see?” Dai pushed her toward the mannequin in the middle of the store and gestured to the dress on display. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

“It is,” she agreed.

The ethereal wedding gown was a mix of traditional and modern and fit for a princess. Knowing Dai, it was hand stitched, one of a kind, and cost a fortune. The dreamy tulle skirt rustled as a customer entered the store, bringing a cold breeze in with her.

“You’ve done well for yourself. I’m proud of you,” she said.

“And you? What are you up to?” Dai asked.

She hesitated. Although Dai was a friend, she was also a notorious gossip and thrived on drama. Telling her about her books would be tantamount to putting an article in the newspaper. Like everyone in the billionaire’s circle, Dai was well-acquainted with her and Roth’s past and would figure out who the series was based on in a snap.

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