Kate was stunned and looked at David.
She didn’t know what to think about the gossip, about the Girards, about any of it. “This is going to be an interesting night.”
“The Girards are hosting the party, and a lot of nice people will be there. And Brandy may be a flake, but she is nice. However, there’s a small group that you’ll probably want to avoid. Our goal is to meet Nelly’s girlfriend.”
Jay snapped his fingers. “That’s right, he’s bringing the mystery date.” David felt Jay pat him on the back. “He’s going to need our sage advice, Padre. He’s got a big night ahead of him, our little guy.”
Annie slapped Jay. “Leave him alone. He doesn’t need the whole team telling him how to take this girl to bed.”
“Why would the whole team know this?” Kate asked.
David could see she was appalled, probably because she was the topic of a similar conversation once upon a time.
David wrapped his arm around her shoulder when they got to the front door. “Jack wasn’t exactly discreet. It got around.”
“That poor girl,” Kate said. “She’s walking in here totally unaware that her sex life has been discussed?”
Jay waved his hand. “Oh, no sex life to discuss. She’s a virgin.”
Shock crossed Kate’s face, and all David could do was shake his head. Yeah, he was going to hear about this later.
*
David rang the doorbell, which was a series of discordant chimes, and Kate wished she’d just gotten David to stay in. Nerves balled in her stomach as she listened to the clickty-clack of high heels from inside the house.
Annie leaned in. “Just a warning. Her voice…”
But it was too late. The door flew open and the sound that emerged was like nails on a blackboard with a helium chaser. “Hi! Oh. My. God. I am soooo glad you could come.”
The four of them stepped into the giant house, and Kate felt like she’d walked into a sterile white box. The house was open on the inside, like a great atrium. Wrought iron stairs went from level to level and railings surrounded the open walkways, off of which there were numerous rooms. She guessed the couple had no children because everything was pristine.
She looked at Brandy Girard and took in the whole package. She was ultra-thin, artificially blonde, and artificially tanned. Her blue eyes twinkled happily, but there was definitely an edge to what Kate saw. She knew Brandy’s type—she’d taught them for years—they were all about appearances. Kate guessed she was being carefully assessed. The overly bright smile was the final piece. Kate wondered if Brandy Girard’s teeth would have looked normal size if her face wasn’t so drawn. Kate understood some women were naturally thin, but Brandy looked like she was starving. Diamonds hung from her ears, another was around her neck, and Kate got a glimpse of her massive ring. Words to describe Brandy? Superficial, entitled, and, she guessed, really, really hungry.
David made the introduction and Brandy lunged forward, grabbing Kate’s hand with both of hers. “It is such a pleasure to have you here, Kate. I can’t believe you came to our party.”
David helped her off with her coat and Kate put on her best smile. “Thank you so much for having us. What an interesting home you have.”
“Oh, thank you.” Brandy hadn’t stopped smiling yet. And her voice, it was more than the shrill quality, a sing-songy cadence that was almost childlike. “It’s our dream house. We worked with a wonderful German architect. It was important to us to have something truly unique.”
“You certainly succeeded there.” It was the ugliest thing she’d ever seen.
Kate was vaguely aware that she was introduced to Bas Girard, who seemed like a nice man, but Brandy was a fascinating study. She was wearing pencil thin jeans, impossibly high, studded, Louboutin peep-toe pumps, and a ruffled silk halter top. Everything was high-end, and if she had any boobs to speak of Kate might have thought she was a walking, talking Barbie doll.
“I just love your dress,” Brandy said as she reached out and touched Kate’s shoulder. “Is that a silk and wool blend?”
Kate looked down at her dress. A very simple, sleeveless design with bit of flounce just above her knee, it was a dark, rich brown that shimmered a bit in the light. She didn’t remember if it was silk and wool, it might have been.
Kate shrugged. “I don’t remember.”
“And your shoes are gorgeous. Manolos?”
Kate looked at her feet. “Ah, no, actually, but they are great knock-offs, aren’t they?”
Brandy recoiled a little at the term “knock-off”. Wondering if the girl would ask about her undies, Kate could at least tell her that tonight she was wearing La Perla.
People were milling around, and she didn’t like the kind of attention she was attracting. The men were checking her out, but the women were guarded and she could almost understand it. In this world of gorgeous men and big money, newcomers were definitely on probation. Kate stepped into the sunken living room and let her eyes take in the crowd. Her own fame didn’t make her immune to the scrutiny. She’d have to prove herself. What she found odd about the whole situation was that it was the single women, the ones who weren’t with one of the players, who were the most suspicious. And angry. Wow, did they look pissed.
He must have seen them, too, because suddenly David had his hand protectively on her back, and she felt steadier knowing he wouldn’t leave her side until she relaxed.
She saw Amanda Blauvelt, who’d definitely started to bloom since they’d met at the obstetrician’s office a few weeks earlier. Kate was a little jealous as she saw Amanda’s husband hand her something to drink and gently place his hand on her growing belly. It was a sweet gesture, one his young wife returned with a kiss on his cheek. Okay, she liked Amanda Blauvelt, and she liked her better when Amanda looked in her direction and smiled.
Her eyes returned to Brandy and her equally thin pack of bottle-blondes, and she saw them looking at Amanda and sneering. Kate had taught high school long enough to spot the mean girls a mile away. She flashed a look at David and smiled.
“Be right back.” He shook his head, knowing Kate was walking right into the middle of the fray, but that he didn’t try to stop her. She’d been the wife of a rising academic, so cocktail parties like this were nothing. She glided over to the group of young women, who were still watching Amanda with her husband. “This is quite a party, Brandy.”
“Oh, thank you! You’re so sweet.” Brandy flashed her best toothy smile and Kate reciprocated.
She introduced Kate to the group and they engaged her in some simple conversation. She tried to find some common ground, but they weren’t giving her too much of their consideration. Kate discovered that the women she was standing with weren’t connected to anyone other than Brandy.
Finally, one of them looked back at Amanda. “I wonder how long it will be before Mark gets tired of that fat cow and steps out on her.”
Kate felt herself flush, but kept her temper in check. She glanced over at the couple who were obviously in love. “I don’t think so, he looks devoted.”
One of the girls rolled her eyes. “I would be disgusted with myself if I was that fat.”
“She’s pregnant, she’s not fat.” Wow. Did women actually talk this way about other women?
“Same thing.” Changing the subject, because they could see Kate didn’t get it, Jack Nelson was the next topic. “So Nelly should be here with his new girl soon. I wish I’d known he was looking, I’d do him if he needed someone.”
“Apparently she’s some geek who goes to Penn.”
“Maybe he likes her,” Kate said. The looks went from impatient to annoyed, and finally, one of them answered.
“Look, Kate,” the girl said her name with a lovely snarl. “You obviously need to be brought up to speed on all this, but I can tell you even the man you’re with will throw you over in a heartbeat if he gets bored or you don’t give him what he wants. He’s done it before.”
A friend of Chelsea’s, perhaps, and it forced Kate to ask a question even though she already knew the answer. “If you have such a low opinion of all these men, why are you so interested in them?”