Dirty Little Liars (8 page)

“Thought you might find this useful.”

There was no signature. That was not good. The only person who might send her such an extravagant gift and leave the card unsigned would be Tyler Chase.

That’s it. You are so not going anywhere tonight.

Juliette dropped the dress back into the box and plodded over to the sofa.
Just watch some trashy TV show and blow off the whole damn thing.

That proved to be easier said than done. Every commercial break, Juliette found her eyes drifting back to the white box. She found herself imagining the dress and what it might feel like to get all glammed up.

It won’t hurt try it on. It doesn’t mean you have to attend.

No. She shoved the thoughts into the far corners of her mind.

A full episode of Grey’s Anatomy passed before she finally gave in. If Meredith Grey could have her McDreamy, she could damn well try on a dress from a mystery stranger.
Maybe it wasn’t from Tyler Chase at all.

Yeah right. She couldn’t even think that with a straight face.

Juliette grabbed the box and dashed into her bedroom before she gave herself time to abandon the idea. She stripped down to her panties and then undid the thin clasp. The gown was too thin and delicate to step into, especially with her curvy hips. So she carefully lifted it over her head and let it slink down around her body. She tugged gently until it lay crease-free against her like a second skin. When she turned to the full-length mirror on the back of her closet door her jaw dropped. Even barefoot and makeup free, with a tangle of unwashed hair, she looked amazing. The dark color brought out the richness of her skin. The deep v-cut showed off a mind-blowing amount of cleavage, and yet it was still tactful. And the diamond brooch, well, it sparkled and shined like it was the bow holding the entire dress together. She looked like a mouthwatering Christmas present, waiting to be unwrapped. And she loved it.

You can’t go to that ball. Only bad things will come of it.

Juliette cast aside the warning. She was nearly giddy at the thought of walking into the ballroom at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in this dress. It had nothing to do with seeing Tyler Chase’s reaction, she told herself. She just wanted to be seen. It was like the prom night she never had.

Juliette forced herself out of the dress and then began the frantic ritual of washing, waxing, and plucking to ensure her body was just as perfect as the dress she was donning. She sat at the vanity in her silk dressing gown and set her hair in hot curlers while singing along to the radio. While she waited for the curls to set she polished her nails, both fingers and toes, and then moved to her face. She did a deep smoky eye with silvers and grays that would accentuate the dark dress and a bold red lipstick. It was covered with a pale, shimmery powder that left her skin sparkling. An hour later she pulled out the curlers to reveal springy brown ringlets. She pulled the length of her hair into a loose knot and allowed the shorter curls to fall free around her face. And suddenly, she was ready for the Dress.

This time when she slipped into the gown she felt like royalty. Her body had been completely transformed and she was speechless at the finished product. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing herself in the person looking back at her. She looked like someone who donned the red carpet three times a week. Sure, she had spent hours to get the effect, but it was most definitely worth it.

Juliette stepped into a pair of simple black stiletto heels and grabbed a small clutch from the closet. She debated for a moment about taking a coat and after checking the weather decided to not take one would be foolish. It would be well after one when she made her way home and the temperatures would likely be in the forties. She was certain there would be a coat check anyway.

She grabbed her roommate’s black wool coat with the gray faux fur collar and headed out the door. To her surprise a single yellow cab was pulling up in front of her building and a middle-aged couple climbed out. The man, spotting her elegant dress, held the door open for her as she climbed in. She thanked him and then gave the driver her directions.

To the Kennedy Center be damned.

Chapter 18: Pop Quiz

By the time her cab got through the bevy of cars waiting to drop off their passengers, the Kennedy Center was swarming with D.C.’s elite. Juliette had to pinch herself before climbing out of the taxi. This was the real deal. U.S. senators, congressional lobbyists, the defense secretary; just thinking about the guest list made her dizzy.

She had to remind herself that she wasn’t here to network. Her target was still Courtney. The senator’s daughter was the only person she needed to impress tonight.

At the steps of the entrance she hesitated.
What if someone recognizes you from the picture on the news? What if your presence raises even more suspicions?

But that was silly. The photo only showed her from behind; no one had seen her face. Melissa, thank God, hadn’t bothered to release a name with the papers, at least not yet. So there was no way anyone except for Courtney could even know it was her. And if Courtney was okay with her being here, that’s all that mattered.

“Can I help you?” a voice asked her.

Juliette turned and saw Dean Covington smiling back her. He raised a hand before she could ask him any questions. “I’m here on official Covington and Crawford business. The governor is a very important client.”

He took Juliette’s left arm and escorted her inside. “I trust your new job is going well?”

Juliette nodded.

“Good. I was starting to worry you might not show tonight.”

Her face flushed red. Did Covington suspect she was the mystery girl in the photo?

“Don’t be embarrassed, darling. I hear Senator Chase can be quite charming when he wants to be. Just stick to the assignment and you’ll be fine.” He spun Juliette around to face the coat check before whisking her out of the heavy wool coat and handing over his own jacket along with a twenty-dollar bill. He informed the attendant to keep the change then placed the small white ticket in his tux pocket.

“Now go,” he said. “Go grace the room with you stunningly beautiful presence.”

Juliette gave a cautious smile and stepped toward the entrance of the hall. She hesitated, turned back to Covington, then realized he had vanished. The man had impeccable timing, she would give him that.

Juliette trudged up the glittering stairs and entered the ballroom. She was breathless. The space had been transformed into a magical silver and white wonderland. There wasn’t a corner of the room that had been left untouched—from the large trees with twinkling white lights and silver globes hanging from the willowy branches to the mirrored tabletops and black-and-white skirted chairs gathered at each table. The dance floor was in the dead center of the room and had a series of sequined balls that sent lights twinkling and twirling over the crowd. A small orchestra was playing on a makeshift stage at the end of the room. Everywhere she turned there were servers with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. She resisted the urge to take a glass.

She spotted Governor Anderson in a crowd of businessmen and politicians, but not his daughter. Then, as she was making her way to the cash bar, she spotted him. Senator Tyler Chase was standing on the other side of the dance floor. Staring at her and her stunning black dress. Juliette wanted to turn away, to run and hide from that unmasked look in his eyes. But she was paralyzed by his gaze. And as he moved closer to her, she realized with regret that she wanted him.

“You look amazing,” he said.

“It’s mostly the dress.”

“No,” he argued. “It’s not.”

His gaze moved from her shimmering shoulders to the round curve of her breasts to the large diamond brooch centered at her waist.

He started to reach for it but froze as if only then realizing what he was about to do.

“It’s great isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he muttered.

Juliette couldn’t make out the expression on his face. She thought he had sent the dress, but he was staring at the brooch as if in shock. As if he hadn’t expected her to show up wearing it.

“It looks like an antique. Maybe something from the 1920’s. What do you think?” She tested her theory further.

Ty shook his head. “It looks familiar,” he muttered. “But honestly, I have no idea.”

He was lying, she could tell. His eyes were drawn to the jewelry as if it was calling out to him.

“Oh look,” Courtney purred. “It’s my two favorite people.”

Courtney gave Ty a chaste kiss on the cheek before turning to Juliette and taking in the dress.

“Wow,” she said unenthusiastically. “That dress is really something.”

“It was a gift,” Juliette said and Ty’s brow line darkened. Okay, so maybe he hadn’t been the one to send her the dress and the unsigned note. But who else could it have been? Courtney?

Courtney gave her one last look before dismissing her completely. Instead, she leaned into Ty’s chest and whispered something in his ear. “Daddy says it’s time,” was all Juliette caught.
What could that possibly mean?

Ty nodded and let Courtney drag him over to her father, who was in deep conversation with the small orchestra.

The song they were playing faded to silence as Governor Anderson stepped on stage and took the mic. Courtney and Tyler followed him.

“Good evening, ladies and gentleman. I’d like to thank you all for joining us this evening.” The governor paused at a soft round of applause. “This night is incredibly special to me. Not only do we have the opportunity to support the expansion efforts of an incredible charity that is near and dear to my family’s heart, but because I also have the opportunity to leak a bit of personal information with you tonight. Many of you know that I have been a very vocal supporter of Senator Chase and his re-election campaign.”

Anderson extended a long arm in Tyler’s direction and another handful of applause broke out.

“The Senator, like many of us, has officially been initiated into D.C. politics. Yesterday he became the subject of some very disturbing rumors. Rumors that I know wholeheartedly to be untrue. Many of us in this room have been the victim of libelous slander, false accusations, and half-truths thrown about by the media. So don’t take it personally, son. You have a calling to serve the greater good of this nation. God will not abandon you on your journey.” He smiled at Tyler and Ty nodded in response. Courtney reached out and took his hand in hers and gave it a tight squeeze. Standing on the stage, the three of them looked a bit like a campaign postcard. The almighty governor and his real-life Barbie and Ken.

Ty was practically glowing as he smiled back at Courtney and they shared a knowing look. Then he glanced out into the crowd, all smiles and dimples. His mask only lifted for a millisecond when his blue eyes met hers.

Juliette couldn’t look away, her eyes were locked on his as she listened to the governor ramble on.

“So tonight I am proud to give my five hundred closest friends an Anderson exclusive. Because I am not only celebrating Tyler Chase the candidate, but I am also celebrating a new son-in-law. Tyler, I am so thrilled to have such a fine young man and brilliant political mind joining my family and taking my daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Chapter 19: Whatever it Takes

The world stopped spinning.

At least that was what it felt like when Governor Anderson dropped his bombshell announcement. The clapping and cheering was muted beneath the racing of her own heart. Governor Anderson pulled Tyler into a tight embrace. Tyler gave the man a genuine hug before spinning around and pulling Courtney into an overly dramatic embrace. Tyler dipped his fiancée low and kissed her deep on the lips before standing again.

Juliette watched the two of them, laughing and grinning as if everything in the world was perfect, and wanted to throw up. Maybe it was perfect. Courtney was happy. Or at least she certainly seemed that way. And making it official meant that Tyler might actually have abandoned his pursuit of her. So what if her heart ached and her stomach clenched at the thought of the two of them married? This was what she wanted, for Ty to let go and move on.

But you never considered marriage.

That had been a stupid oversight on her part and now she was going to have to live with her mistake. But she couldn’t be happy tonight. Tonight she was going to be sick.

Juliette melted into the crowd, inching her way to the nearest exit. She would not pass out in front of five hundred D.C. elites. Nor would she throw up in this magnificent gown. She would be miserable and self-pitying in her own apartment behind closed doors, like every other decent person in this city.

Juliette marched through the entrance and down the steps, her eyes focused only on the coat check.

Crap. She didn’t have the ticket. Covington did.

“Leaving so soon?” he said, and she turned to find Covington standing in the alcove nearby. Talk about someone who had an unnerving way of showing up whenever you thought his name.

“I’m not feeling well. I think it was the champagne,” Juliette lied.

Covington nodded and reached into the suit pocket. He pulled out the white ticket stub and handed it to her.

“I have to admit. I had my doubts. But it looks like you’re managing all right with your assignment?” His voice rose as if asking a question instead of making a statement.

Juliette muttered, “Yes,” before handing the attendant the ticket for their coats.

Covington took a step closer and placed a single finger on the bottom of her chin. He tilted her head upward so that she had nowhere to look but his eyes, which were a stormy gray.

“You have a tendency to step into the shadows, hiding yourself away when you get nervous or scared. A good grifter knows that confidence is everything. Never let anyone make you feel as if you don’t belong. And even if you do feel that way, never, ever, show it.”

She nodded again and he frowned. “Yes, sir.” she said with more authority. “I hear what you’re saying.”