Dirty Little Liars (7 page)

“Hey, are they talking about Tyler?”

They were talking about him, or at least that’s what it looked like with the sound off. Courtney reached for the remote and clicked the volume on. But all they managed to catch was, “We will have more on this story and what CNN learned about Senator Chase and his new mystery woman in a moment.”

Courtney sank down slowly into the couch like a deflated toy. “What did she just say?”

Juliette couldn’t speak. Even if she could find her voice, what would she say? It was insulting to deny the truth, especially if the news outlets were already broadcasting details of their relationship. It was probably all over every Twitter and Facebook account in America, certainly D.C.

This can’t be happening. We were careful. We broke it off.

But they weren’t careful. Not really. Any yahoo with a phone could have overheard their conversations or snapped a picture of the two of them together. In the car, at the TV studios. Or the motel…

“It’s probably nothing to worry about,” Juliette managed. But she was far from convincing.

A flashy musical beat accompanied Tyler’s picture on the TV screen. The blonde anchor was practically grinning as she reported the breaking news.

“CNN recently learned from an exclusive source that Senator Tyler Chase is not the faithful man he claims to be. The senator was caught embracing an unknown woman in the parking lot of the Dillwyn Motel. Our sources say Chase was passing through the small town of Dillwyn on a media tour to major news networks throughout the state of Virginia. This morning the following photo was sent to CNN from an anonymous source.”

A photo appeared in the middle of the screen. Juliette held her breath as she stared at her and Ty in the parking lot. It had to have been taken by Melissa. No one else knew where they were. She had hoped Courtney’s friend hadn’t spotted them together. But clearly she was wrong.

She waited for Courtney to say something but there was only silence. When she looked over at Courtney the expression on her face said it all. She was pissed. Beyond pissed.

“It’s not what you think,” Juliette said. Her instinct was simply to keep Courtney from strangling her. “That photo was taken out of context.”

“That’s you and Tyler, right?”

“Yes, but please believe me. Nothing happened.” Juliette didn’t know why she said it. It was just that every instinct in her was telling her to lie. Deny, deny, deny.

“You didn’t say Senator Chase was at the motel with you.”

Uh-oh. She was using Tyler’s full title. That was a bad sign. And what did she say? The truth was awful.

“Yes. Tyler was there. But it is not what you think.”

“Then tell me what I should think, because that picture raises a shit load of questions.”

Juliette couldn’t meet her eyes. They were fiery and dangerous as if they could rip her apart with one cold glare. She was prepared for this. She practiced the story a million times in her head. But now she struggled to get the words out. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe that the conversation would never come up, but she hadn’t expected a photo to make its way into the evidence piled against her.

“I have diabetes,” Juliette spat out. Please, God, let this work.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Courtney’s eyes scanned Juliette up and down, as if looking for a diabetes label branded on her skin.

“I’ve had it since I was a little girl. I take insulin shots twice a day.”

“I’ve never seen you take a shot.”

“That’s because I prefer to keep it quiet. People get uncomfortable when you pull out a needle and shoot up in front of them, even if it is for a completely legitimate reason.”

Juliette raised the corner of her shirt to reveal the tiny scar marks on her stomach. The marks were real, but they weren’t from insulin. Juliette used a sterile needle, saline solution, and makeup to create the effect of old marks on her skin. At the time she had been convinced she was just being overly paranoid. But now she was grateful she took the extra steps. The needle marks sold the idea of Juliette as a diabetic.

“So what does your diabetes have to do with the photo?”

“We got lost during the storm. The SUV was stuck in the mud and we abandoned the vehicle near the flooded-out road. It was a stupid mistake. Carrying insulin with you at all times is like the first thing they teach you when you’re diagnosed. But I left it in the cubby on the side of the passenger door.”

Courtney’s face softened, but only slightly.

“Tyler and I hiked to the motel, but it took hours. And with no food my blood sugar dropped. I got sick and was incredibly embarrassed. Ty was amazing. He got me a room and some hot food. He stayed by my side to make sure I was okay. He’s such a good guy, Courtney. He even promised to keep my secret.

“That picture was taken right before Melissa picked us up. I was tired and grateful for all that he had done. It was a completely platonic hug, nothing more. A thank-you.”

There was a light buzzing sound from the coffee table. Courtney slid over to glance at her phone. “It’s not me.” She eyed Juliette’s bag. Juliette pulled the phone out of the side pocket and stared at the screen.

Tyler Chase. She probably should have deleted his number. That would have been a smart move.

“I don’t have to answer it.”

Courtney folded her arms over her chest. “Yes you do. Clearly he wants to talk to you more than he does me.”

The phone buzzed again and Juliette was tempted to hit decline.

But Courtney’s voice lashed out at her. “Answer it,” she demanded. “Now.”

Juliette swiped the screen and raised the phone to her ear.

Chapter 16: Spin City

The voice that greeted Juliette was filled with worry. “I just got a zillion text messages about a photo that’s leaked to the press.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m staring at it now.” Juliette locked eyes with Courtney.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know how that got out there.”

“Yeah, well it isn’t your fault. You were just trying to be nice. The snitch who took the photo didn’t know that.”

He hesitated and Juliette struggled to fill the silence. She needed to clue him in without tipping off Courtney that this whole story was just an act.

“Don’t worry, I already explained everything to Courtney.”

“You’ve talked with Courtney?” His voice was steady.

“I’m sitting right beside her actually. We’re stuffing campaign mailers.”

“Wait. What?”

“Senator Chase, don’t apologize. I know I asked you to keep all this between us. I didn’t want people treating me differently because of my diabetes. But Courtney deserved to know the truth.”

“So she knows?” Tyler asked.

“About the diabetes, yes. And though she’s a bit upset about not knowing you stayed with me at the motel, I think she understands. Maybe you should talk to her though…”

“Yeah. Can you put her on?”

She handed the phone to Courtney, who took it reluctantly.

Then Juliette grabbed her glass of iced tea and headed for the kitchen. She wanted to at least give Tyler and Courtney the illusion of privacy, even if she couldn’t afford to be clueless about their conversation. She needed to be certain Courtney bought the story. She needed to keep the mark’s trust. So she stood beside the island, drinking tea and merely pretending she was invisible.

Their conversation was brief and Courtney didn’t give anything away. After a few nods and uh-huhs, she hung up and turned to Juliette.

“Tyler is on his way over.”

What?
That was not what she wanted. She needed to stay as far away from the senator as possible. It was hard enough keeping this charade up without his presence.

“I think I should go.”

Courtney gave a half protest but it wasn’t enough to be authentic. So she gathered her belongings and headed for the door.

Juliette was down in the first floor lobby when she spotted him. Tyler ran up to her, blocking her path. “You’re leaving?”

“Of course I’m leaving. Your girlfriend is about two heartbeats away from discovering what a lying, cheating man-whore you are.”

“Don’t you think we should talk?”

“No. I’m done talking. Talking is what gets us in trouble.”

“That’s not true,” he said. “Fucking is what gets us in trouble.”

Juliette flailed her arms at him. “Say that a little louder. I don’t think the entire first floor heard you.”

Tyler took hold of her coat and steered her to the alcove past the elevator bay.

“We need to talk.”

“No we don’t. I already explained to Courtney what happened.”

“And you don’t think you should explain that to me as well, since I apparently was there?”

Juliette gave in. “What do you want to know?”

“Tell me everything you told Courtney.”

She shrugged. “I already did. I told her that I have diabetes. That my sugar dropped and I got sick without my insulin. That you deposited me at the motel, scrounged up some food, and insisted I rest. I told her that I made you swear to keep my secret and that the photo was nothing more than me thanking you for being an absolute gentleman.”

“But you don’t have diabetes. What if she checks?”

Juliette raised the side of her shirt a second time. “I was diagnosed as a child. The scars are from years of injections.

Ty reached out to touch her stomach but she flinched at the movement. His hand froze in midair. “Those weren’t there the other day.”

“Are you sure? It’s not like we had the lights on.”

He frowned. “I’m sure. I have a photographic memory. Which means I have a very clear picture of what your body looks like naked and those were not there.”

“So I embellished a little. Be grateful. These scars sell the story. It’s not the greatest explanation, sure. It can’t help with the smear on your political career, but it gives you some room to work things out with Courtney.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I don’t want to work things out?”

Juliette winced at the horrifying thought of Ty confessing everything to Courtney. What if he broke up with her? Juliette would never be able to regain her trust.

Juliette punched him hard in the shoulder.

“Oww. What the hell?” He pulled away from her. His eyes were flaming with anger.

She raised a hand again but didn’t strike.

“You listen to me, Tyler Chase. You are going to go upstairs and apologize to your girlfriend. Do whatever you have to do to make it up to her. I’ve given you an in, but you have to pull the trigger.” Juliette stepped closer. “I don’t want to hear any more nonsense about breaking up with her. Because even if you do, this thing between us,” she pointed at Ty and then herself, “it is never going to happen.”

“Whatever it takes?”

“
Whatever it takes
.”

Chapter 17: The Mystery Date

Twenty-four hours passed without hide nor hair from Courtney and Ty. Juliette was on edge. Ty hadn’t called her, which she had explicitly demanded he do in order to update her on what had happened.

Then this afternoon her cell phone pinged. It was a text from Courtney.

Sorry about yesterday. Hope to see you at the fundraiser tonight. Black tie only!

Yikes. In the mess of everything she had forgotten about the black and white charity ball at the Kennedy Center. And she didn’t even have a dress. She had meant to get one the day before but with all the commotion the shopping had quietly fallen off her list. Now she stared at the text message wondering if Courtney was serious. Was this a sign that Courtney and Ty had made up? Had she really bought the story about the low blood sugar?

Juliette paced the living room, back and forth, at least ten times before tossing the phone on the couch where she could no longer see it. She didn’t have time to question Courtney’s intentions. Her job was to make nice with the girl and right now she was failing miserably. Juliette would take any white flag peace offering she could get, in hopes that she could get this job back on track.

There was a knock at the door. Juliette set the phone on the counter. She wasn’t expecting company. Hell, it was one o’clock in the afternoon and she hadn’t even showered and dressed yet. She ran a hand through her chestnut hair in a desperate attempt to smooth down the tangles.

This time she checked the peephole before opening the door. Only no one was there. At least not that she could see.

Maybe it was a prank? Or it could have been someone at her neighbor’s door. Though she hadn’t heard anyone greet any guests and welcome them in.

Juliette lifted the chain lock and cracked open the door so that she could take a peek. Yep. The hall was definitely deserted. She started to close the door again when she spotted a black and white box on her doorstep with a lavish silver bow.

Juliette knelt down and picked up the box. There was no card or note to tell her who it was from. The box itself was light, and when she shook it she could hear the soft rustle of the contents inside.

Juliette stepped back into her apartment, closing and locking the door behind her. She headed over to her dining room table. Carefully she untied the ribbon, split open the tape holding the lid in place, and lifted the top up to reveal a swath of red and white tissue paper. Beneath the first layer of paper was a shimmering black fabric.

She lifted the thin straps of a gown, revealing the most stunningly simple and yet gorgeous couture dress she had ever seen. The fabric was thin and smooth with a metallic sheen that would cling nicely to the curves of her body. The bodice had a plunging neckline that dipped to a few inches above the waist and was secured with a large antique diamond brooch. The item of jewelry alone was worth more than fifty thousand dollars.

Juliette turned back to the box and searched for a card. This gift was too much. She’d have to return it immediately. But who could have sent it? Only a handful of people knew she was planning on attending the charity ball. She had been added as a last-minute guest of Courtney Anderson.

Juliette spotted something red stuck between the folds of tissue paper. She reached for the envelope, ripped it open and skimmed the simple white note card inside.