Page 55 of Fashionista's Playbook

“Hey Travis,” Claudia leaned between us and whispered. “There are two women at the door, without tickets to the event, who said your brother invited them.”

Travis’ shoulders hefted in a sigh and his gaze skirted the room. I didn’t see Vincent either.

“I’ll take care of it, okay?” I handed him my drink and let Claudia lead me toward the door.

“The doorman offered them an opportunity to purchase a ticket.” Claudia cut her eyes in a way that said they’d declined. “We usually have cameras, but not at this venue.” She explained as her heels clicked smartly on the marble floor of the entrance. “Earl, crack the door so Moriah can see if she knows these young women.”

“Mrs. Jones, I’m not even sure how they got this far. There’s security at the main door checking IDs.” The lumbering security guard pushed the door open a crack.

“It’s Kari Tatum.” A hum of excitement started in my chest and spread outward. I pushed it away because I wasn’t a vindictive person; I’d been on the receiving end of that stuff from my sister too many times.

But when Tatum’s gaze caught mine, smug and arrogant, I wasn’t being a nice girl anymore. “We didn’t invite her, though. I’ve seen her hang out with Vincent, but none of them are with us.”

Claudia’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t care if she’s the queen of England, she needs to buy a ticket.” When the guard chuckled, she flashed a sassy smile. “This is a charity event, not a social gathering for second-rate models.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Travis

Seemed like the bartender needed something to do. I ordered a highball and positioned myself at the end of the bar, partially hidden by a large potted plant. I could watch the crowd through its fronds—watch Moriah.

She was effortless, floating through the throng with a beaming smile. My mariposa, the splash of glittering green and gold amid the stuffed shirts and fat checkbooks. She didn’t even cower when DeSean and Clutch stopped her to chat.

A far cry from the way she’d flinched away from the guys when she first met them.

I squeezed the glass. Thinking back to people who had hurt her, made me want to do bad things. She glanced over to me, smiled, and all of that anger melted away.

“If you don’t take her home tonight, I might have to cut in.” DeSean strolled over, all boyish charm and good looks.

The opposite of me. Imagining her with a guy like DeSean, his always perfect designer suits, the weekly session in the barber’s chair for the clean fade, brought a burning jealousy.

I sliced my eyes at him over the rim of my glass. “You can try.”

DeSean chuckled and ordered a beer. “I don’t think I’ve got enough swagger to tear her away from you, Madera.”

I doubted that. DeSean’s catches weren’t the only thing smooth about him.

“I have to say though, your blonde Jessica Rabbit is working it for you tonight. She cast those baby blues at me, and I’m out a check with five digits in it.”

“Cheers to that.” I lifted my glass in salute just as a tinkling laugh skipped across the palm fronds I’d hid behind. It was filledwith fake sweetness, like the little pink packets on every diner table in America.

DeSean turned and responded first. The ease that had been in his voice evaporated. “Man, Ward, always an hour late. I see you filled your plus one.”

Garret Ward stood at the bar, Kari Tatum on his arm in a dress that was more skin than fabric.

“What’s up, brother? Some turnout!” Ward slapped me on the shoulder in an over animated greeting. “Hope you don’t mind, I stole your girl.”

Tatum was all but preening at Ward’s side. As if the entire thing was to make me jealous. It wouldn’t.

“I think you are mistaking me for my brother.” I took a long swallow, letting the bite of whiskey and tang of ginger soften my tongue before I said something I’d regret.

“About that. Where is Vinnie?” She crooned. But the syrupy tone didn’t reach her eyes. Beneath those expensive fake lashes was an edge of anger.

I hadn’t seen him or Bianca in more than an hour. “Not sure.”

Wasn’t my day to keep up with him.

She pushed her bottom lip out in a fake pout. “He was supposed to bring Lyrical and I tonight but ghosted us.”

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