Fake Bride Wanted by Holly Rayner

Author:Holly Rayner [Rayner, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-06-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Shelby

I spend the rest of the morning and into the afternoon catching up on work from my laptop in the hotel room. At four, a Vermaak intern knocks on my door and offers to help me relocate to a new hotel.

Forty-five minutes later, I find myself in a penthouse suite in one of the fanciest sections of Amsterdam.

I’ve never stayed anywhere so luxurious. My suite has multiple rooms: a bedroom, kitchen, sitting area, gym, and a massive bathroom. Each room is so immaculately designed that for the first five minutes, I just walk from room to room, turning slow circles.

“Can I put your suitcases here?” the intern asks.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I say, not bothering to look at where he is depositing my luggage. I’m too distracted by the beauty all around me.

The sitting room is designed in shades of blue. A painting that’s hanging above a grand fireplace is larger than any I’ve seen in my life before, not counting museums. It’s a combination of a Renaissance-era portrait and contemporary art. The image is just of a woman’s torso and sleeve, and the material of her dress is created with intricate, swirling strokes. The result is both classic and cutting-edge at the same time.

I wander into the bathroom for the second time.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” the intern calls from the sitting room.

“No, I think I’m all set!” My voice echoes in the expansive space.

The entire bathroom is made of marble, and the space is as big as my bedroom at home—I’m not kidding. A massive bath with glistening, golden jets invites me for a soak. A mirror above the sink reflects my awestruck reflection.

The intern calls out goodbye, and I hear the door close.

I’m alone.

It’s nearly five. I have an hour until Julian picks me up, and I can’t resist turning the knobs of the bathtub so that water pours out. I’ll just take a quick soak.

There’s silky, aloe-infused bubble bath in a basket by the tub, and I pour some in and then start up the jets. I light candles, play music on my phone, and relax for a bit longer than I planned on.

It’s simply divine.

Once out of the bath, I polish my aloe-nourished skin with cocoa butter, and then dry my hair. The conditioner I’ve just used has saturated it with moisture, and I’m pleased at how shiny it looks as I straighten out my curls with a flat-iron.

Next, I sift through my suitcase for a suitable outfit. It’s either more business attire or a black dress that I brought along on a whim. I choose the little black dress.

Lastly, I work on makeup. I’ve been going with a minimal look lately—sticking to neutral tones and barely-there highlights. But now, I choose to apply dark, smoky eyes.

I’m feeling bold. My mother’s words have been stirring around inside of me, and as I lean forward, applying mascara, I look into my eyes. Am I ready to put myself out there like this?

I finish up my makeup and then step back.

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