The Devil's Intended-Love & Evil In Palm Beach

by Pamela Southwood

calmed down now and looked peacefully out the window holding her hand. He said “This might just be the second time we have been together, but I think this is going very well for us, I really enjoy your company. Kristen agreed with him. “I am loving this!”

   Anthony reserved one of the best suites at The Atlantis. It had an elaborate floor plan. They decided to stay for two days and spent most of the time inside walking around naked. They made love in every room and even on the balcony. 

   Late at night, they went out to one of the garden pools and swam in the humid darkness. Amid the night’s stillness they were under stars so close that Kristen reached up to touch them. She could almost feel their heat. The couple appeared to be falling hard for each other and Anthony never left her side.

   Kristen was feeling so strongly for Anthony that she thought she should confront him about the party on the jet ride back. She was not willing to let her feelings overtake her until she knew where she stood with him and what he felt for the Countess and others. She did not want to compete for him.

   She was blissfully lying back on the long window couch with his arms wrapped around her. They were getting ready to land when she finally mustered up the courage. “How is your Countess doing? Was she in New York with you last week?” Anthony was puzzled, and then looked resentful. He asked “What do you know about her?” Kristen said “I saw your pictures in the paper. I believe that was a party in Palm Beach, not up north.” Kristen was dismayed when Anthony stiffened and pulled himself away from her to sit farther down the couch. He quickly answered “Her date backed out at the very last minute. I delayed my trip to attend the party. She is an old friend.” Kristen said nothing. Anthony now turned on her. “You’re not going to really act like this and question me, are you? I had only just met you the night before.” Kristen looked even more distraught at his reaction. He continued “Maybe, this just isn’t the start of a healthy partnership. I don’t have the time for your insecurities, if you are that type of woman.”

   Instead of trying to act sorry for asking, Kristen said “Maybe you are right Anthony. I can meet plenty of playboys and you don’t need to be one of them.” She stood up and walked to the front section of the jet to sit near the pilot. Anthony grinned and waved when she reached behind her to pull the curtain across the aisle.

   When they landed Anthony helped her down the stairs. They were both very polite with each other. He gave her a peck on the cheek “I’ll give you a call.”

     Kristen went on with her week like nothing happened and she forced herself not to think about Anthony. Instead, she tried to lose herself in her childhood memories of Michael Hansen again. She could only see his face now, not Anthony's, and she fantasized about how handsome he was and what it would be like to have him with her right now. She knew that he would love her unconditionally and always be faithful to her. It was ingrained in his character.

     But, if Michael had ever thought about her in this manner, why didn’t he ever tell her? It had been a long time since her idyllic younger life on the North Shore. Michael obviously never saw Kristen in his future plans or he would have done something about it by now. He always seemed happy when he saw her. Why wouldn’t he pursue her?

     She decided it wasn’t healthy for her to keep day dreaming like this or to worry about her love life, so she planned to immerse herself into other activities. She spent an extraordinary length of time at the health club and began to attend various party committee meetings. She even made the big move to join the island’s chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her mother would have been overjoyed! Many of her mother’s friends were still members. Kristen was easily one of the youngest there and found the luncheons a bit boring.

   At one meeting, she had the great fortune to be seated next to Ariel Whitcomb. She was a top socialite in her seventies. She knew practically every person on the island. She invited Kristen to a very exclusive party being held at one of the local country clubs on Saturday night. Best of all, she did not need to have a date.

   When Kristen returned home she called up Melanie and convinced her to fly in that week-end with Linda and go to the party. Melanie thought it would be great time and booked their flight as soon as she hung up.

   Kristen spent the rest of the week preparing for the event. She needed a better tan and she hated spray-tans. So she drove over to the Breakers Hotel and lay on their private beach alongside a glistening assortment of the most perfect bodies on the planet. One had to adhere to the impossible standards when you were in Palm Beach. There was an invisible bar that was always raised just outside your grasp. It made you strive to be the best and reach higher. It was a different mentality from the life on the other side of the Intracoastal Bridge.

   On the exclusive island, there was always an international selection of women that were meticulously groomed, waxed, and manicured to compete with. It was cut-throat business when it came to looking for rich men. The women always had to be on their game or they wouldn’t get a second glance.

   Some of these ladies were the nastiest, materialistic, and vainest beings that were ever created by the Devil, or by a God, who most certainly was a female. But you would never see that side of them as they smiled sweetly standing by their man or someone else’s. What they didn’t have when it came to money, they had to make up for it tenfold with their appearance. They were the trophies and playmates of powerful men and were constantly in fear of being traded in for a newer and younger version. There was always a disproportionate ratio of plastic surgeons, stylists, and vitamin supplement gurus to the seasonal population.

   It was also the unspoken truth that if you did land one of these millionaires and he wanted a pre-nuptial; that it was advisable to secure a top attorney for yourself, and also get pregnant immediately. This was to ensure a lifetime income from alimony or at least child support to sponge off from.  

  Kristen felt she just needed to be herself. Usually, her sunny personality was enough to easily charm the men that she came across. Of course, she had her princess moments too, but she was relatively manageable when it came to her needs and expectations. And again, she was honestly in it for love.

   Now that she was getting older, Kristen felt more of a need to do the looking. She had no time to wait for her prince to just show up on her doorstep. She certainly did not envision her future being an old maid with cats, but it could happen since she was too picky about what she wanted.

   She thought about how she handled the situation with Anthony on his jet and determined that she should have never brought the subject up. She should have tried harder to develop the relationship with him and see where it would lead. She hoped she would have another chance with him.

   On Saturday afternoon Melanie called and let her know that they had landed. The girls planned to meet up and then follow each other over to the party. Kristen spent a few hours dressing and changing her mind. When she finally decided what to wear, she only had five minutes left before she was supposed to see them.

   The girls laughed when Kristen walked up. They were all wearing white outfits and looked like their mothers had dressed them alike. Kristen groaned and went back home to change while Melanie and Linda went back to the penthouse.

   They re-grouped an hour later in front of the country club as they had the valet take their cars.  It was one of the older clubs on the island and it was quite a step up to be invited to it. The girls walked in sync like runway models as they strode through the main lobby. Men walking past with their wives and dates couldn’t help turning their heads to look at them.

   The girls were worried that they were the only ones there on their own. As they walked through the banquet room doors they were relieved to see that there were single men everywhere!

   Linda giggled “Guess we’ll be finding ourselves some husbands tonight.” She tickled Melanie in the side and almost made her fall off her heels. As Melanie tried to regain her balance, a gorgeous man with short blonde
hair reached out his arm to help her.

   Kristen laughed “I guess she found hers.” The man smiled at Melanie and said with a heavy French accent “Please come sit with me. My group is over there.” Melanie began to walk with him and said “Sorry girls. Opportunity is knocking.”

   Linda and Kristen headed over to the open bar and were quickly joined by a small group of Swedish men vying to get their beverages and their attention. The women spent a short time accepting numerous after-dinner dance requests and business cards before they moved on to find Ariel and sit down at their table.

   They looked over to the right and saw that Melanie was very comfortable with her Frenchman near the front of the room. Linda said “Lucky girl. Guess she found herself someone in the upper ranks. Hope it works out for her.” Kristen and Linda sadly looked at each other and both knew what the other was thinking.

   They cheered up when three very handsome men walked up to the table. Ariel had obviously arranged to have them seated next to the girls. The man that was handpicked for Melanie stared down at her empty seat and looked puzzled.

   Kristen looked at the exceptionally dapper gentlemen and thought it was possible that Ariel had paid for them to be