No doubt there would be a hefty tip for whoever pleased him the most. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as one of them fluttered past me, the sharp smell of expensive cologne in their wake.
August caught my gaze in the reflection of the mirror as he adjusted a plum-colored tie tightly around his throat. The jewel tone went nicely with his hazel green irises, bringing out the slight variation of color that sometimes went unnoticed by others.
Not by me, though.
I saw everything. All of him. I had since the very beginning.
His smile lit up the room when he saw me standing by the door, and in that moment I felt my belly alight with fire and an anxiety I hadn’t felt in a long time. It felt good. And right.
“You look happy this morning,” I said, stepping forward to stand behind him, watching his reflection in the mirror.
“I am,” he replied. “Had a bit of a rough start, but that’s all behind us now.” He turned around, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes as his hands reached for my waist.
“Anything I can help with?” I asked as his warm fingers dug into my skin.
“No, just a misunderstanding. Nothing you need to worry about. Besides, there’s something I wanted to tell you. We’ve been invited to the Hope Gala next weekend.”
My nose wrinkled in disappointment. “I thought those types of things weren’t really based on invite but rather on donation.” I quickly skimmed the room, seeing rows and rows of what appeared to be the same stuffy, boring pants and jackets over and over. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimmer, but my gaze was quickly brought back to August as he tugged on my chin.
“Oh, it is. And a hefty donation was made in our names.” He grinned. “But even though they say it’s for charity, they’re still pretty stingy on who they let through the door at one of these events. And I’ve been trying to get us in for weeks.”
“Why?” I asked, trying to remain positive. He seemed happy for the first time in weeks. I should be, too.
“Why?” he repeated, as if the answer were plainly written across his flawless face. “Why? Because, Everly. We’re one of them now. It’s only fitting they know it. Having this house, wearing the clothes and living the lifestyle isn’t enough. I want them to know who we are.”
The lighthearted mood I’d had when I’d entered his study finally fell to the floor. I’d hoped I would be the one to light his spirits and wash away his troubles, but someone had already beaten me to the punch.
Or something.
The one thing that had managed to weasel its way into our life without ever making a sound. It was sneakier than a mistress and more addictive than the priciest cocaine.
Money.
It was the one thing August worshiped now. Above God, and family.
And me.
Nothing brought him out of the darkness more than a new suit or a fancy pair of shoes. As I watched him turn back around, the attendants flocked back to him to show him everything they’d brought. His happy eyes met mine and he waved me toward the corner, where my stash was.
The glitz I’d seen out of the corner of my eye.
“Try something on, babe. Try it all on. Hell, take it all!” He laughed as he bent down to tie a pair of shoes that matched the jacket he’d just pulled on.
“Perfect,” he said, standing tall and broad in front of the mirror. “Just perfect,”
As I sulked back into the corner, my fingers skimming the fabric of the priceless designer gowns, I felt like the life we’d built together had become something less than perfect.
It was broken.
So very broken.
* * *
I blinked once, twice as Ryan’s familiar voice pushed through the haze. Traffic noise rung in my ears as the bright afternoon sun warmed my chilly cheeks.
“You ready to go?” he asked as he stepped out of the sporting goods store he’d been rummaging through. Looking around, I slowly returned to the present, the salty sea air reminding me of where I was and everything I’d accomplished and left behind since that moment I’d realized I’d been replaced in August’s gilded world.
Blinking back into reality, I quickly looked down the street. The man with the fancy shoes was gone, a ghost of the past, much like the memory I’d allowed to take over just now.
Turning back to the gentle man before me I smiled, snaking my arm through his as we stepped onto the street to continue our lazy stroll down the wharf.
“Ready,” I answered, resting my head on his shoulder.
Ready for what, I wasn’t certain. But I had a feeling that our idea of keeping the status quo was about to be obliterated.
Chapter Six
August
The next couple of weeks in the hospital became a whirlwind of activity as the doctors and nurses prepared for my release. Everything revolved around making sure I was healthy enough, both mentally and physically, to assimilate back into the real world.