double-sided tape and a prayer.
Crystal gave a cursory glance over her outfit as if she was adding up the price. “Who are you wearing?”
Who? Oh, right. She remembered this part of the social world that she used to belong to. It was all about getting the designer bag or dress that no one else had. She had once been like that until her world came crashing down. “I forgot to ask about the designer.”
Crystal shook her head as if she couldn’t believe Ashley would forget such an important detail. “So how did you two meet?”
Ashley glanced at Sebastian, but he was involved in an animated conversation with his friend. She hadn’t come up with a cover story but she knew she had to be very careful. It was best to keep it as close to the truth as possible. “I met him a month ago. We immediately hit it off.”
“I’m surprised,” Crystal said as she studied Ashley, as if she was cataloging all of her flaws and shortcomings. “You’re not really his type.”
“What is his type?” Ashley asked reluctantly, not entirely sure if she wanted the answer.
Crystal gave a laugh of disbelief. “You don’t know?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know who Sebastian truly was until it was too late.”
“How is that possible? He’s in the news all the time. From the financial page to the gossip column. Have you been living under a rock?”
“More like a deserted island.”
Crystal frowned as if she wasn’t sure Ashley’s comments was a joke or the truth. “Well, I would say Sebastian’s women are more...”
“Blonde?” Ashley supplied wearily. “Curvaceous? Vacuous?”
“Accomplished,” Crystal corrected her.
Ashley’s muscles stiffened. That hurt. She wasn’t proud of where she was in her life. She had fallen in status and wealth. Her world had become smaller and she was no match for Sebastian. But she had achieved more than she thought was possible. She had taken care of the families on Inez Key. She maintained her island home with nothing more than ingenuity and hard work. Her most important accomplishment had been becoming a woman who was nothing like her mother.
Ashley was proud that she hadn’t broken under the heavy burden placed on her five years ago, but she wasn’t going to share that. Not with Crystal or anyone at the nightclub. They would belittle it. Dismiss it. Sneer at her. She remembered this world. All the guests cared about was being noticed. They would never understand that her greatest achievement was creating a peaceful life hidden from the spotlight.
“Accomplished? You mean famous,” Ashley corrected.
Crystal shrugged. “They are the best in their fields or famous for their philanthropy and humanitarian efforts. He’s dated CEOs and pro athletes. Politicians and princesses.”
“I guess he doesn’t feel threatened by a woman’s achievements,” she said with a fixed smile. If this was true, what was he doing with her? She had struggled in school and dropped out of college in her first semester. She had no skills or special talents. No ambitions other than to build the strong and happy family life she’d never had.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Crystal continued, as if her words hadn’t pierced Ashley’s thin guard, “he’s had his share of supermodels and movie stars. He’s just not interested in a woman whose goal is to be a wife or a girlfriend.”
What about a mistress? Not that she strived for that job. She had been blackmailed into bed because she had no power or influential friends. Ashley bit the tip of her tongue in case she blurted out her thoughts.
Crystal tilted her head. “I feel like I’ve seen you before.”
Ashley stiffened. She remembered comments like that. It only took a few moments before they connected her with one of her father’s scandals. “I haven’t been in Miami for years.”
“Have you been in the news lately? I have to admit, I’m a bit of a news junkie,” Crystal said as she pressed her bejeweled hand over her impressive
Crystal gave a cursory glance over her outfit as if she was adding up the price. “Who are you wearing?”
Who? Oh, right. She remembered this part of the social world that she used to belong to. It was all about getting the designer bag or dress that no one else had. She had once been like that until her world came crashing down. “I forgot to ask about the designer.”
Crystal shook her head as if she couldn’t believe Ashley would forget such an important detail. “So how did you two meet?”
Ashley glanced at Sebastian, but he was involved in an animated conversation with his friend. She hadn’t come up with a cover story but she knew she had to be very careful. It was best to keep it as close to the truth as possible. “I met him a month ago. We immediately hit it off.”
“I’m surprised,” Crystal said as she studied Ashley, as if she was cataloging all of her flaws and shortcomings. “You’re not really his type.”
“What is his type?” Ashley asked reluctantly, not entirely sure if she wanted the answer.
Crystal gave a laugh of disbelief. “You don’t know?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know who Sebastian truly was until it was too late.”
“How is that possible? He’s in the news all the time. From the financial page to the gossip column. Have you been living under a rock?”
“More like a deserted island.”
Crystal frowned as if she wasn’t sure Ashley’s comments was a joke or the truth. “Well, I would say Sebastian’s women are more...”
“Blonde?” Ashley supplied wearily. “Curvaceous? Vacuous?”
“Accomplished,” Crystal corrected her.
Ashley’s muscles stiffened. That hurt. She wasn’t proud of where she was in her life. She had fallen in status and wealth. Her world had become smaller and she was no match for Sebastian. But she had achieved more than she thought was possible. She had taken care of the families on Inez Key. She maintained her island home with nothing more than ingenuity and hard work. Her most important accomplishment had been becoming a woman who was nothing like her mother.
Ashley was proud that she hadn’t broken under the heavy burden placed on her five years ago, but she wasn’t going to share that. Not with Crystal or anyone at the nightclub. They would belittle it. Dismiss it. Sneer at her. She remembered this world. All the guests cared about was being noticed. They would never understand that her greatest achievement was creating a peaceful life hidden from the spotlight.
“Accomplished? You mean famous,” Ashley corrected.
Crystal shrugged. “They are the best in their fields or famous for their philanthropy and humanitarian efforts. He’s dated CEOs and pro athletes. Politicians and princesses.”
“I guess he doesn’t feel threatened by a woman’s achievements,” she said with a fixed smile. If this was true, what was he doing with her? She had struggled in school and dropped out of college in her first semester. She had no skills or special talents. No ambitions other than to build the strong and happy family life she’d never had.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Crystal continued, as if her words hadn’t pierced Ashley’s thin guard, “he’s had his share of supermodels and movie stars. He’s just not interested in a woman whose goal is to be a wife or a girlfriend.”
What about a mistress? Not that she strived for that job. She had been blackmailed into bed because she had no power or influential friends. Ashley bit the tip of her tongue in case she blurted out her thoughts.
Crystal tilted her head. “I feel like I’ve seen you before.”
Ashley stiffened. She remembered comments like that. It only took a few moments before they connected her with one of her father’s scandals. “I haven’t been in Miami for years.”
“Have you been in the news lately? I have to admit, I’m a bit of a news junkie,” Crystal said as she pressed her bejeweled hand over her impressive
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