Page 75 of One Golden Summer
Saffron braced at hearing Echo’s voice, momentarily pressing her eyes shut, not wanting to have to confront Pearl and Echo in one go. Saffron wished Kirsty was there, givinga you can do itsmile.
Before Saffron reopened her eyes, she prayed that the present circumstances were a bad dream and she’d wake in her bedroom in Sandy Cove. The sound of waves rolling in. Seagulls cawing. Children squealing in delight. And, she was tucked safely in her bed in Kirsty’s warm embrace.
Instead, the sound of glasses clinking and obnoxiously fake laughter invaded her ears and the sight of raven hair falling in waves around Echo’s shoulders, a faint constellation of freckles dusting her cheeks, and penetrating black eyes brought Saffron back to reality and she wanted to kick, punch, and scream.
Instead she said, “Glad you could make it on time,babe.”
Echo kissed Saffron’s cheek, ignoring the comment. “I swear you get lovelier every time I see you. But—” she glanced to Pearl and back to Saffron—“Why are you hiding at this table in the corner? This won’t do. Not at all.” She whirled about and an employee practically materialised from thin air. “We’re ready for our table.”
Pearl made a gasping sound, her hand clutching her throat.
Echo spun in her heels. “Are you dying?”
While Echo had a hand on Pearl’s shoulder, there was no hiding what her tone implied:You’d better be dying because you’re annoying the fuck out of me and sucking all the attention from me.
Oh Christ. Both of these women were embarrassingly terrible. Saffron’s insides went cold with the knowledge she’d let them into her life.
Pearl sputtered, letting lose a string of sounds that bore no resemblance to the English language all the while pointing at whatever was on her phone.
Echo met Saffron’s eye, silently asking,Can you believe this act?
In the beginning, one of the things Echo and Saffron had bonded over was their annoyance with Pearl. How ridiculously pushy and over-the-top Saffron’s agent could be. But when Saffron started to dig beneath Echo’s surface only to discover what the woman was truly like, there wasn’t much to be desired on that front. Echo was a petty person in pretty packaging used to being fawned over and her star had risen so high, she no longer had to disguise her controlling, bitchy nature.
Like showing up to lunch late to make a stunning entrance. Everything about Echo was staged. She was exactly like Saffron’s parents.
Wait. Saffron shook her head. What just happened? When the thought Echo was like her parents slammed through the walls around Saffron’s heart, she let out a yelp.
Echo focused on Saffron, wrapping an arm about her. “Are you okay, babe?”
Saffron tried to free herself from Echo’s grasp, but ended up being pulled closer, Echo placing Saffron’s head to her breast, stroking her hair with a tenderness Saffron knew the woman didn’t possess.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go.” Pearl hopped off her seat. “One of my client’s wrapped his Porsche around a palm tree in Beverly Hills and the story is about to break on TMZ. I have no doubt you two can work out the particulars.”
With that, Pearl fled the restaurant, and Echo slid into the empty bar stool, dismissing the poor server with a flick of the wrist. Reaching over, she held Saffron’s hand. “Tell me what’s troubling you, doll.”
“Why does everyone keep asking me to open up my heart only to ignore the words that come out? It’s like I don’t exist.”
“You haven’t told me a thing. You haven’t answered one of my calls or texts.” Echo painted on an Oscar-worthy worried and caring expression.
And Saffron noted her hand was still enveloped in the viper’s caress, which undoubtedly to the casual observer would appear to be affectionate. In the poor lighting, no one would notice Echo was crushing the hand she held to keep Saffron where she wanted it. At her mercy.
“Please release my hand,” Saffron said through gritted teeth.
Echo leaned forward. “What, baby? It’s loud in here.”
At least that much was true. It was loud in the bar, but Saffron took note of the surroundings with fresh eyes. Everyone had their attention and phones on theGirl Racerstars as if enjoying a live performance. Exactly what Echo wanted.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe I fell for this!” Saffron whipped her hand from Echo’s clutches and leaned back in the chair, folding her arms over her chest. “This was all a set up. Showing up late so Pearl could lay the groundwork, playing the bitch ordering me back to work and then you swooping in to save me while simultaneously Pearl hears about a client in dire straits.” Anger crashed through Saffron. “Every damn part of this evening was scripted to get us alone so we look like a couple for the whole world to see. The question is, why?” Saffron tapped a finger on her chin. “Knowing you, this is all about building a buzz for the nextGirl Racer. That’s why you demanded I do the podcast interviews. Did you plant all the questions that implied we’re a couple and reveal to the hosts behind the scenes that we are indeed an item, but we’re trying to keep it on the down low?” Saffron’s gaze swept the bar. “Is everyone here extras or paps you tipped off?”
Echo inclined her head just right for some of her hair to swish into place, and she batted those long, sensuous eyelashes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” In a much quieter voice, she added, “Do we need to get youmentalhelp?” The word mental had been mouthed.
“I think so because that’s the only explanation as to why I ever found you attractive.”
“Should we take this somewhere more private?”
“You can by all means. I’m going back to Sandy Cove without you and whatever this is.”
“You can’t,” Echo snapped, losing her famous composure.
