Nailed - Opal Carew Page 0,43
for you. Hair, makeup. Everything. I’m sure she could do it tomorrow afternoon.”
She just stared at him, flabbergasted. Wasn’t there anything he liked about the way she looked?
* * *
“What do you mean, you’re married?”
River bit her lip as she stared at Tia’s shocked expression.
“It was pretty fast.”
“Fast? I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone. The last guy you went out with was…” Tia’s eyes widened. “Nooo! It’s not the billionaire? That guy from your past?”
River bit back the retort that it hadn’t been a date. She was supposed to be selling this to Tia.
“But you said…” Tia shook her head. “I mean, I thought you hated him.”
“I did. For a long time. But when I went back to talk to him like you suggested, he explained what happened back in college.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t his fault. His friends were responsible for the whole thing, and neither of us knew.”
Tia’s eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t he tell you that in college?” she asked doubtfully.
“I left school after what happened—I mean, it was the end of the school year anyway, but I didn’t go back—and he didn’t know how to find me, so we were never able to talk things out. But he said he never forgot me and he finally realized he was in love with me.” That last part was how River wished things had happened. “Then when he saw my Kickstarter campaign, he used that to get in touch with me again. And although I was really angry at him, I never forgot that night with him, and what it was like. When he explained what really happened…” She shrugged. “Well, you know what they say about love and hate being two sides of the same coin.”
“Okay, I know I was a little inebriated when you told me the story of what happened between you two,” Tia said, looking a little more convinced, “but I remember you saying he was your first. And that he was perfect. But then you said something about it all being a lie.”
“Well, that’s because he … uh … went out with me on a bet.” The oversimplified summary sounded weak. But there was no way she’d tell Tia about the rest of the humiliation.
“He slept with you on a bet? Oh, that’s harsh.”
River nodded. “The fact that he didn’t really want to be with me … really hurt … you know?”
Tia patted her hand. “Of course. He seemed so nice, but any man who would do that…”
Oh, no, this was going in the wrong direction.
“No, he said that sleeping with me wasn’t part of the bet.” And part of her clung to the belief that that was really true. “That he had already started falling for me by that point and really wanted to be with me.”
“And you believe that’s true?”
River gazed straight at Tia and summoned her most convincing voice. “Yes, I do. Would I have married him otherwise?”
“Okay. As long as you’re sure, I’m happy for you.”
They gazed at each other a little longer and a smile blossomed on Tia’s face.
“Oh, God, River. You’re really married,” Tia said in awe, and then she grabbed her and hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you.” She eased off on the tight hug and sat back. “Now let me see the ring.”
Tia grabbed River’s hand and stared at the glittering diamond.
“Oh, my God, it’s huge! You lucky girl.” Tia’s smile glowed. “So tell me about the wedding.”
“We did a quick trip to Vegas.”
“You went to Vegas?” The pitch of Tia’s voice had increased a notch. “And you didn’t invite me? I’ve never been and I’ve always wanted to go.”
River squeezed Tia’s hand. “Oh, Tia, I wanted you there. I’ll make it up to you somehow.”
* * *
After spending the afternoon with Maggie, Kane’s personal shopper, River returned to the penthouse with a ton of bags. The doorman insisted on bringing them to the apartment for her, so she grabbed just a couple of the bags and walked to the elevator while he arranged for the rest.
As the elevator glided upward, she glanced at her reflection in the mirrored walls, not quite recognizing herself. Maggie had taken her to a salon and the stylist had dyed her hair, so now rather than the deep burgundy color, her hair was done in a trendy tortoiseshell ombré, with her natural dark brown mixed with multiple golden tones, deeper at the roots and lighter at the ends. They’d left her hair long, but