by Vivian Wood
“Zip me up?” she asked when he appeared behind her. She felt Sean’s hand on her hip as he gripped the zipper and pulled. She thought briefly that she should suck in her stomach and wondered if he gauged the bulk of her flesh with his hand, but brushed those thoughts away. Instead, she kept her head lowered and her hair pulled over her shoulder.
“There,” he said. He gave the collar a gentle tug. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks,” she said. It was hard to accept a compliment, to fight the urge to protest, but it was something she’d worked on for the past four weeks.
“Shall we?” he asked. She took his arm as he led her to the elevator.
When they arrived, ushered through the sleek minimalistic restaurant by a woman in a tight black outfit, everyone was already gathered at the table. “Harper,” Helena said, and rose with the elegance only a lifetime in the industry could ingrain into a person. “You look absolutely ravishing.” She kissed her on either cheek, and Harper nearly teared up at the miasma of familiar European perfume that clung close to Helena. It brought back good memories of time in the house, of racing to go-sees with Molly in her early days, and of strong black coffee before dawn at the little chipped table while Helena poured advice on her.
As Helena released her, Joon-ki slapped Sean on the back and approached her. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said. Harper raised her brows. “All good, of course,” he said.
“And I’ve heard so much about you,” Harper said. Joon-ki reached out a hand, but Harper pulled him close. He resisted for a moment, but quickly melted into her embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered into his ear. “For taking care of him, for everything.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he said.
“And who is this?” P asked as he snaked an arm around Harper’s waist and drank in Joon-ki’s slender figure. “I’m Philip, one ‘p,’” he told Joon-ki. “Although, I personally think two p’s are a lot more fun.”
“P,” Harper hissed at him. “Tone it down a little.”
Joon-ki gave him a polite smile and went back to Sean.
“Not gay?” P mouthed at her. She shook her head and he sighed. “Damn. Well, I took a shot.”
“Is that my dress?” Molly’s husky voice asked from behind her.
“Molly!” she said. “Actually, believe it or not, it’s mine. One of my few couture items that I didn’t accidentally on purpose forget to give back.”
“I’m not sure I believe you,” Molly said with a playful lilt. “But either way, it looks better on you than it ever would on me. As per usual.”
For the first time, Harper was aware of the cloying self-deprecation Molly gave off. And it’s not just her, Harper thought. It’s all of us, every model that’s been told we’re too fat, too thick, too ethnic, or too anything else. How had she not seen it for all these years? Sophia was right, the industry was in desperate need of a buoy, or preferably a life raft, for all these girls. Undoing the damage that they took daily required a first step. Maybe I really can be that step after all, she thought.
Molly was skirted on either side by more of Harper’s old roommates. One had the telltale busted blood vessels in her eyes of a recent purging session. The other had curated a maxi dress with careful cutouts to highlight what Harper was sure she considered hard work. Her ribs were highlighted in the accent lighting and although she was twenty-two at the oldest, her knees already crinkled at the crest from a complete lack of fat and muscle in the legs.
“Hey,” a low voice said from behind her. Harper felt a hand on her shoulder. “Good to know someone in the family loves sushi as much as I do.”
Harper spun around. “Connor! What are you doing here?” she asked. “Where’s Sam?” She craned her neck around the restaurant but didn’t see her.
“Just flew in for the party!” he said. “And I’m solo for now. Thus the same-day flight back. Sam’s going to have the baby any minute, but I didn’t want to miss out on the festivities. It’ll probably be the last adults-only soiree I can make in quite awhile. Sam sends her wishes. She’d loved to have come. I think not being able to indulge in sashimi would have done her in, though,” he said with a wink.
“Well, I’m glad you made it,” she said. “Are you going to get a chance to check out the property Sean found? It’s incredible, really.”
“I’m heading over after this,” he said. “Although I saw the virtual tour and the photos, so I already know it’s a fantastic find. Perfect for the company. And I’m excited you’ll be working from there, too. It’s good to have everyone in the same place. Sam’s following in your footsteps after her maternity leave.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, she wants to open her own events management company on the West Coast. With supplies in a storage facility, she doesn’t need that much overhead. At least not yet. But if she expands and brings on a lot of employees, who knows?”
“That’s great!” she said. Having Sam at the same building helped ease Harper’s nerves about her new position. Although she hadn’t asked, Sam had the look of someone who’d at least dabbled with modeling in the past. She might be a good sounding board as Harper got started. More importantly, she knew she’d be a good friend.
“I’d like to thank everyone for coming,” Sean said. The little group hushed as everyone found their seats. The waitstaff had snuck in between them to fill up small pots of warm sake. Seaweed salad rested on the small plates.
Harper smiled at Sean and he pulled her to his side. “Some of you know why I chose today for this little get-together.” She stiffened. Was he about to tell everybody that she was one month out of rehab? Harper knew she’d eventually tell everyone. It would be pivotal in her own narrative of how she came to be an eating disorder community educator, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready for that yet.
“Actually, a lot of events pointed to this date,” Sean said. “And I won’t bore you with all the details. I would like to say that on this date last year, I … well, I wasn’t anywhere close to being the person I am now. I was a mess. A lot of you know that, and if you didn’t, well, now you do.”
Harper squeezed his hand, grateful she wouldn’t have to field awkward questions right away.
“I was having a particularly rough day. Or night, I should say. And—not even Harper knows this story—but I was walking home. It was almost sunrise, and I’d been out all night. I couldn’t find my car and I was stubborn as hell—”
“Was?” Connor asked, but gave Sean a smile.
“Okay, still am,” Sean conceded. “But I was hellbent on walking home, all twelve miles of it, from some bar or club on the other side of town. And I passed some little shrine set up near a Catholic church. It was temporary, I don’t know if it was for a special event or what. But it was a Celtic display, and it just looked so out of place. So beautiful. I stopped, which was rare back then. I pretty much had tunnel vision for anything that was pure self-destruction. And there she was. Two of them, actually. Figures of these two girls with fire-red hair. In the most beautiful handwriting, there was the description of red-haired women considered sacred to the goddesses of war. That image, it always stayed with me. I believe it was the first time I even thought about fighting back against all the demons inside me. I just … I didn’t know she was real. Not until I met Harper.”
“Aw!” Molly said, her puppy eyes huge with love.
“And today?” Sean said. “In front of all of you, the people we care about the most, I’d like to propose a toast.” Sean lifted up his water glass that clinked with ice and handed Harper the small tumbler of sake. “Together, we’ve overcome a lot,” he said, and he turned to her. “More than I imagine other couples manage in their first few months together. But it’s been through the strength of our mutual love, support and sometimes flat out dogged determination that we made it through.”
“Cheers,” Harper said. The sounds of glasses kissing filled the air.
As Harper let the sweet, thick liquid make its way down her throat, Sea
n took her glass and set it on the table. “Harper, I couldn’t have made it here without you,” he said. “That’s why …”
Sean pulled a black box out of his jacket pocket as he dropped to one knee. Harper was briefly aware of the excited murmurs at the table, but soon everything except Sean faded away as her heart began to soar.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she said. Warm tears of joy pricked at her eyes. “Oh my god,” she said. “I didn’t know—”
Sean opened the box to reveal a large princess-cut diamond nestled in a halo band. He slid the ring onto her finger, a rose gold that complemented the dainty collar that hugged her neck. As he rose to his feet and pulled her to his chest, she felt a wholeness she didn’t even know she’d missed. She was full, complete. And with him she knew, beyond any doubts, that she would always be happy.
Rock Me
Chapter One
Serena Woods stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, relieved that her eyes didn't give away the pounding that was happening behind them. She would have splashed some water on her face, but her mother surely would have had some kind of adverse medical reaction if she so much as thought of smudging her carefully applied makeup. Perhaps a heart attack, or maybe a stroke.
Serena probably should have eaten more than just the bite-sized appetizer at dinner, but with her mother sitting right next to her, it just hadn't been possible to dig into the main course. Let alone with the gusto the poor salmon had deserved.
So here she was, in the tiny designer dress selected and purchased by her mother, with another fierce headache that was undoubtedly due to her mother's obsession over the past few weeks with making sure Serena fit into her dress tonight without a hitch.
Serena sighed and finished washing her hands, then headed out into the ballroom where the charity event was in full swing. Not that her treacherous thoughts would have ever made it into words, but she seriously hated being dragged along like a show pony. Her mother always insisted on looking like a perfect little family. The only reason most people even donated to these charities was solely for optics, not because they actually cared or were passionate about the causes.
Serena fully supported the causes, but she hated the events themselves. The only upside for her was watching the guests arrive, taking in the beautiful designer attire and silently evaluating whether or not she thought each designer would approve.
Tonight's event was in support of a local social services agency her parents had supported for several years. Serena and her sister had even done some volunteer work for the agency back in high school, and it made Serena happy to see that this year's attendance numbers had shattered the previous year's record. Apparently some famous band had recorded their own music video for a new song, saving a sizable amount of money in the process. The band had then donated all of the proceeds to the foundation.
Plans had been made for the video to be premiered later tonight, and some of the band members were even rumored to be making an appearance. Serena didn't know who they were even though her mother had mentioned the name on their way to the gala, but it hadn't seemed familiar. All the same, she was grateful for what they had done for the foundation. The increased interest in the event was undoubtedly due to the band, so whoever they were, they were going to make many underprivileged and homeless children very, very happy.
Serena made her way across the ballroom as her blue eyes darted back and forth, seeking out her parents. She couldn't wait to leave. Her headache was getting worse, and she really just wanted to get home, take some aspirin, and maybe call Bryan.
Bryan. Butterflies in her stomach started fluttering at the thought of her fiancé and what tomorrow might hold for them. They had been dating for about eighteen months when he had popped the question roughly six months ago. It hadn't been entirely unexpected, as he had really been starting to come into his own at the exclusive law firm that employed him. A shiny new wife was the next step in the plan.
She had accepted his proposal eagerly, despite the fact that with his increasing success, the more arrogant and flashy he had become. She figured it was just a phase he was going through, and that once they were married next year, he would settle down again. He'd been working so hard, he'd been unable to attend the gala with her tonight.
She felt he'd been very patient with her, considering they had been dating just under two years and they hadn't yet consummated their relationship. Tomorrow, however, they would be spending the whole day together, with her staying over at his place for the first time. She hoped that wouldn't be the only thing she would be doing for the first time...
“Serena,” her mother's voice rang out just ahead of her. “Where have you been? I would like you to meet Dr. and Mrs. Kent. They're on the board for the foundation.” Clearly these people were important to her mother, as her usually narrowed eyes were now wide with excitement. Serena turned to face a kind-looking elderly couple. “Nice to meet you,” she said as she extended her hand politely. “Serena Woods.” They muttered pleasantries as she turned her attention back to her mother. “Mom, I know it's still early, but my head is killing me, so I'm just going to head home.”
Her mother's narrowed eyes moved firmly back into place at her statement, but obviously she didn't want to cause a scene in front of the Kents, so she simply nodded and air-kissed her cheek as she mumbled, “Feel better, sweetheart. We'll see you in the morning.” Her dad just nodded goodbye, engrossed in his conversation with the good Dr. Kent.
She didn't see her sister, so she decided to head out without saying goodbye. Knowing her sister, she was probably off in some corner making out with the next Mr. Right. And her sister wouldn't have wanted to risk their mother's wrath getting caught doing something so very inappropriate in a public place, so she doubted her sister would be easy to find.
She had ridden here with her family, so she'd have to hail a cab outside the hotel to get home, which was actually kind of an exciting thought for her.
She was so lost in thought at the prospect that she made a wrong turn somewhere, and was now on a balcony on what she figured was the completely wrong side of the hotel. Damn. She looked around for a map denoting her current position, but there were none to be found. There was, however, a man on the balcony with his back to her, although he had started turning around as soon as she had stumbled onto the balcony.
Holy hell. She may have been engaged, but she wasn't blind, and the man that stood in front of her was by far the most handsome person she had ever set eyes on. He had long, curly dark hair that fell to his shoulders, and although she couldn't make out the color of his eyes in the low light, she could feel them piercing her own. His full lips were set in a thin line. He was wearing a dark suit that looked custom tailored, with tattoos on one hand, winding into the sleeve of his shirt. He seemed to be taking her in, drawing her in with a magnetic field that made every hair on her body stand on end, and her stomach feel warm. Well, this was awkward. And definitely not something she felt she should be experiencing with a man who wasn't her fiancé.
“Excuse me, I didn't mean to interrupt. I must have made a wrong turn from the fundraiser.” At that, she turned without waiting for him to say anything in return, and hurriedly made her way down the hallway, her face burning with humiliation.
Chapter Two
“Where to, miss?” the cabbie asked once she was settled in the backseat. Her first thought was home, but then she realized her parents were likely to stay at the gala for another few hours given how early it was still. A little thrill ran through her as she stammered out Bryan's address instead.
His new apartment was in a modern building not too far away, and she knew the doorman plus the security code to get in, so she figured she would surprise him when he got home from work. Maybe she would even cook dinner for him, to give him a taste of what it would be like after they got married. Then, she thought shyly with a blush, maybe she would give him a taste of something else. Bryan had never gone down on her before, b
ut from what Mary – her best friend – kept telling her, it was quite the experience. Her sex clenched at the thought, still riled up by the encounter she'd had with the extremely hot guy before leaving the fundraiser.
Yes, this is a good idea, she quietly convinced herself. Surely he'd love the surprise. Maybe it's too intrusive, the loud voice of her self-doubt piped up in her head. She mulled it over. No, if he's tired when he gets home, or if he gets angry when he finds me there, she thought, I'll just apologize and leave.
Her mind firmly made up just as the cabbie slowed down outside the building, she paid the fare and greeted the doorman as she swept by him and into the stately white lobby. With its sleek modern lines and impersonal mirrored aluminum finishes, it wasn't exactly the kind of building she'd imagined she'd move into one day, but it wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination.
The elevator made a low digital ding as it arrived to carry her up to her future apartment. Another little thrill ran through her. This was the wildest thing she'd ever done. Sad, she knew, but that didn't make it any less true.
Her parents were really protective. So at twenty-two, Serena found herself still living at home and working in her family's company with her mother still pretty much controlling every aspect of her life. Not much room for wild adventures there, she thought ruefully.
The elevator carried her straight up to his floor and deposited her there with another soft chime. She headed to his apartment, punching in the security code her had given her not even a week ago so she could bring in his dry cleaning one afternoon.
His apartment wasn't huge, although it felt spacious due to clever architecture. It was a one-bedroom with an open concept dining room that blended seamlessly into a living room and kitchen, with a balcony off to one side. Rent was pricey in this part of town. Bryan had opted for this place over a cozy three-bedroom place she had preferred, making the argument that it was closer to his office, with a great address, and therefore was a better investment.