Fulfillment(115)

“Charlotte, are you ready? Your friends will be here in any minute.”

“Yes, Mum,” she called from her room. “I’m coming.”

Charlotte appeared at the top of the stairs dressed in a purple and blue Young Versace dress that Bryce had bought her with Clarissa’s help. At first I hadn’t known what to think of my now seven-year-old daughter in a designer label. But, the more I thought about it, the unshakeable feeling of hypocrisy bubbled in the pit of my stomach, so I shrugged my shoulders and let it go. Plus, she did look unbelievably sweet in the flowing pleated floral dress.

I beamed at her. “Look at you, Sweetheart. You look beautiful.”

“Like mother, like daughter,” Bryce said as he looked up from his newspaper at Charli. He was seated on the sofa next to me, bare footed and in jeans with his legs stretched out and resting on the coffee table—this now my new favourite sexy couch position of his.

Charlotte gracefully pranced down the stairs, a large smile covering her face. “Thank you. I love my new Versace dress,” she said in a posh voice, enunciating the word Versace. Oh God, I’ve created a little designer-Charli-monster.

As she twirled around the lounge room—making me laugh—the buzzer to the door sounded. The refined poise she had just displayed practically evaporated into thin air, a squealing, jumping noisy banshee replacing it.

I got up from my seated position next to Bryce and followed Charli to the door, opening it to find both Lil with her daughter, Jasmine, and Steph with her daughter, Katie.

“Come in,” I smiled.

Charli embraced both her friends with high pitched giggles and a lot of bouncing—lots and lots of bouncing. Steph and Lil remained in the foyer.

“You coming in?” I asked, confused.

Steph laughed sarcastically. “Nope, are you kidding? They’re all yours.”

“We are heading to shops. Have fun.” Lil twiddled her fingers in a faux wave then linked her arm with Steph’s as they skipped away.

“Bitches,” I called out jokingly. “We will have fun.”

As they skipped through the foyer, they passed Addison and her mum, Addison’s mum giving both Steph and Lil a strange look.

“Hello, Addison.”

“Hello, Mrs. Summers.”

“Come in, Sweetheart.”

Charli, Jasmine, and Katie noticed Addison and all squealed again. I cringed at the noise.

“I hope you have a set of ear muffs,” Addison’s mum said as she stuck her finger in her ear.

“We have a sound-proof room,” Bryce called out from his sexy sprawled out position on the couch.

‘Oh my’ I heard Addison’s mum say under her breath as she looked in his direction, then quickly covering her slip by answering his remark with a nervous stutter. “Even better.”

“Would you like to come in?” I asked.

“No, I won’t stay. I have a few things to do,” she said red-faced. “Addison, I’ll pick you up in the morning.”

Addison didn’t take any notice of her mum and just answered unfazed. “Okay, Mum.”

“Actually,” Bryce said as he strode in our direction. Fuck, he looks extremely hot today. Why does he look hotter than his normal hotty hotness? “Danny, my chauffer, will be dropping the girls off home tomorrow in the limousine, if that’s alright?” he asked with a charming tone that no sane woman could refuse.

All the girls screamed.

I licked my lips.

And Addison’s mum just stared.

“I think the girls would like a ride in the limo, wouldn’t you?” he asked them as he pulled me into his side.

“Yes,” they squealed.

“Mum!” Addison screeched, snapping her mother out of her Bryce-induced trance-like state.

“Yes. Yes, sorry. Yes, that is fine, sorry. Thank you. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She quickly kissed Addison on the forehead and hastily made her way out the door.

I closed it behind her and wrapped my arms around my man. “You do that on purpose.”

“What?”

“Hmmm,” I mumbled, while squinting my eyes at him.

He chuckled, leaned forward and kissed me on top of my head. All the girls sounded a long-winded ‘Oooooo’.

I laughed and rolled my eyes, prying his hands from around my waist. “Okay, you four, what will it be first: cupcake making or make-overs?”

“Make-overs,” the all screamed and clapped. And with perfect timing, the buzzer to the door sounded again. Bryce walked over and let in two of the hotel’s spa centre staff, who were both pushing a garment rack containing five fluffy robes and a case which I assumed contained many beauty make-over products.

“This is Bridget and Emily, Alexis. They will help make-over each and every one of you.”