“Ah. Yes, a good thing for you.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Maddie’s head shot up. “I am happy for them! That’s all there is!”
“And you somehow don’t feel you can be both relieved and happy?”
“I guess I can,” Maddie said, hating how defensive she sounded.
“You’re in a very odd mood, Madeleine. By the way, the first ball we’re attending together, have you had any further thoughts on what you’re going to wear?”
It sounded so casual, Maddie almost laughed. As if she hadn’t given Perry a detailed list on how she wanted him to make her over. “I thought I’d see Perry.”
“Excellent idea. He will be sure to have something acceptable.” Her eyes gleamed at the prospect.
“Did you have any thoughts?” Maddie asked, feeling cheeky. “About what I should wear?”
Elena froze. Her gaze was long and assessing.
Maddie waited for the lie to come, the flippant brush off, and then remembered it wasn’t going to come. Not tonight, not when this was the last night of their bet.
“Yes,” Elena said, not looking pleased about the admission. “A surprisingly long list of things I’d enjoy seeing you in. There,” she added, tossing her a small glare. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Why do you care what I look like? It’s just business, right?”
Elena seemed startled by the reminder. “That’s good to remember.” She placed her drink on a nearby table. “Don’t you think?” She gave Maddie a long look, as though Maddie had somehow been at fault, forcing Elena into thinking unbusinessy thoughts.
Wait a minute… That meant Elena had been having unbusinessy thoughts. Her heart swelled briefly, until her irritation kicked in. Elena’s comment was such a load of…
“Well, okay,” Maddie said. “We agree, it will all be about business.” She gave her a tiny smile and decided to press her luck. “But that won’t take away from the fact you were staring at my back for ages tonight.”
Elena’s cheeks grew pink. Her eyes narrowed. “Well.”
“Well?” Maddie supposed that was the equivalent of agreement in Elena’s world. Or not. It was so frustrating.
“You couldn’t resist asking about it, I suppose. Getting that out of me before the bet expired.”
Getting what out of her? Was Elena saying she was not as indifferent to Maddie as she seemed? Back stroking notwithstanding, of course. Maddie still wasn’t over that and probably never would be.
“So…you, ah, like me, then?” Maddie asked, desperate for some clarification. Because it was her last chance to ask, and Elena was confusing as hell with her cryptic answers.
“I could answer that, but then I would resent you for the temerity of the question. Do you really want me to resent you, Madeleine?” Elena’s voice turned to honey, and Maddie had to admire what a clever little trap that question was.
“You don’t play fair.”
“No, I suppose not.” She looked far too pleased with herself
Maddie sighed. There was a reason this woman ran a media empire, after all. She won at everything. On the other hand, a “no comment” about liking Maddie was way better than a denial.
They regarded each other.
“I suppose this is goodbye,” Maddie said. “Until our media events together, I mean.”
“Really, Madeleine.”
Elena said it as though Maddie was making a huge deal out of something meaningless. Seriously? She was half tempted to re-ask the earlier question about liking her and risk the resentment rather than put up with such condescension. Her jaw tightened.
Elena seemed to sense her raging mutiny. “So irritated at me,” she said with a knowing smile. “You don’t hide much with those accusing eyes.” Elena studied her for a few moments, and to Maddie’s shock, she realised she was openly admiring her this time.
It was just like before, in front of the mirror, only more. So much more. A thrill skittered down Maddie’s spine, as she felt the languid gaze shift and burn across her skin. She almost dropped her glass.
Elena leaned forward and whispered against the shell of her ear. “Madeleine, I have long admired beauty in all its forms. It comes with my job, running the world’s premier fashion magazine. Your unblemished, creamy skin, the way it dips and flows and glows with vitality? What lover of beautiful things could resist looking at it? Especially one as excellent at her job as I am.”
Elena gave her a rich, taunting smile that left Maddie rooted to the spot, as the high priestess of media straightened, turned, and headed towards the exit.
Maddie watched her leave and tried to swallow. She took in a shuddering breath and ran a trembling hand through her hair.
Elena had just called her beautiful. Oh, she’d dressed it up as business, but still.
Elena Bartell thought she was beautiful.
CHAPTER 29
Ivory
Maddie wasn’t feeling too beautiful. Elena might have declared her so at their last meeting, and Maddie had been dining out on that ever since, but right now, five weeks later, she was feeling like a hot, hideous mess. June 20 had whizzed around far too fast, and before she knew it, she’d answered a call to go to Style Sydney. Now here she was, being poked and prodded by Perry and judged by model standards. And failing.
The art director yanked and tugged and pinned and flattened her into an assortment of dresses, each more gorgeous than the last. None, however, were suited to her average-woman proportions. The proportions Véronique had admired so much. She was clearly in a minority.
“God,” Perry said, with a huff, “do you have to be so…” His hands made a curvy shape.
