Page 15 of Bad Reputation

“Fat chance.” I slide out of the booth, ready to go.

Forest talks about needing to order some more cases of whiskey while we walk out of the restaurant, but I’m not really paying attention.

Because of course Forest is right. Way more right than he knows. I really ripped out Emma’s heart and trampled over it, because I knew Asher would find out.

And I couldn’t risk losing my best friend.

But if Asher were suddenly erased, just gone? I would be on my knees, pleading with Emma to take me back.

I sigh and follow Forest out into the bright light of midday.

6

Emma

Itouch up my lipstick in the mirror of my bedroom at my parents’ house, staring at my reflection. I’m wearing a gorgeous baby pink minidress, accented with a diamond necklace and earrings. My hair is in a braided updo, with a couple of pieces of hair strategically left hanging down in the front.

All that I’d need to add is a tiara, and I would be a perfect princess…

I sigh. My parents would love it if I dated someone who was royalty. They would rub it in the faces of their society friends at every opportunity.

That’s the way the Alderisis were. They had raised me and Asher to be their prize jewels, and they were not above using pressure if they really needed us to shine.

Of course, Asher stopped accepting their money and their weird rich people guilt trips a long time ago. If only I could do the same… but I can’t, at least until law school is over.

If Asher were here, he would make a joke about how dressed up I was. He’d make me laugh, at least.

Too bad Asher is kind of on my list of least favorite humans right now. Well, that and there’s the fact that he wouldn’t be caught dead celebrating my parents tonight.

There’s a knock on my door, and my mom opens it. The sound of voices and piano music reach my ears; the party must have started.

“Are you ready, Emmaline?”

I turn and look at my mother, who is wearing a silver sequined gown. She’s also absolutely dripping with diamonds. I force a smile at her and grab my clutch.

“I am. Happy anniversary, by the way.”

My mother bows her head for a moment, her version of accepting the compliment. “Come, your father is waiting.”

I leave behind my bedroom, still as pink and pristine as ever, and walk down the hall with my mother. The sounds of talking and the clattering of glassware grow louder as we approach the main staircase.

I let my mother go first, placing my left hand on the bannister, my heels clicking against the marble underfoot. We smoothly descend the stairs in perfectly synchronized movements, a lifetime of practice in plain view for everyone to see.

As we reach the bottom of the stairs, they open up into a sort of rotunda, which feeds into what my mother calls theentertaining floor. A game room, a huge dining room, a living room type area with big verandah doors thrown wide open. There is even a kitchen tucked away in the back, to prepare food for parties like this one.

The fact that my parents even have a floor just for entertaining guests is beyond snooty. I repress a sigh, preparing myself for a whole night of talking to people who take my parents’ wealth in stride.

“Leslie, there you are!” a woman in a red evening dress says. “Oh, you had little Emma come home from college! That’s wonderful.”

“Karen,” my mother says, greeting her with a nod.

I slip on my mask, smiling benevolently. My mother greets Karen, and Karen gives me a quick peck on the cheek.

“Karen, I have to settle my daughter in for moment.” My mother’s gaze flicks to me. “She’s hardly ever at home. Isn’t that right, Emmaline?”

I smile. “It is.”

“Come find me after that,” Karen says. She leans in conspiratorially. “You won’t believe what I heard about Megan Denning. D-I-V-O-R-C-E.”