"You're broke," Sterling finished, putting me out of my misery.
A weak smile lifted my lips. "Basically. I need to get a job, but that's going to take some time to figure out. For now, I thought I could sell some of this stuff so I have a little cash."
Sterling's smile could have eclipsed the sun. Bouncing a little on the edge of her seat, she rubbed her hands together. "Parker, this is going to be a lot more than 'a little cash'. A lot more." She gave the pile of purses beside me a more careful assessment. "Have you sold anything before? Consignment or an online auction or anything?"
I shook my head. "Never. Have you?"
"Oh, yeah," she said with relish.
I raised my eyebrows. "Really? When? Why?"
Sterling let out a laugh, rolling her blue eyes to the ceiling. "After Dad died, Griffen cut me off. He told me to get a job if I wanted money because he'd give me room and board, but not another dime. I got the job at the Inn, but it wasn't a lot of money and I realized I didn't even like half of my clothes, so I figured out how to sell what I didn't want. You just lucked out. I know exactly what to do with this stuff to get you top dollar."
I sank back into the sofa in relief before a stab of guilt hit me. "I've been taking money from Griffen. Not a lot, but I didn't want to use Claudia's credit cards and–"
Sterling was already shaking her head. "No, Parker, it's not the same. I was pissed at Griffen at the time, but he was right. I needed to get my shit together. Griffen didn't cut me off because he cared about the money, he did it to shock me out of the mess I'd made of my life."
"I don't want to take his money," I said, Sterling's stark explanation making me feel less like a screw-up. We'd both messed up our lives, but if Sterling could come so far in only a few months, maybe there was hope for me, too.
"I know what you mean. And hey, maybe you'll find a job you like. I loved the Inn for a while, though I like working for Quinn. It's quiet. I like the quiet right now."
She stood and paced around the room, examining the shoes and purses with what I now realized was a practiced eye. After a minute, she straightened and turned to me. "First, we have to figure out what you want to keep. Once we have that worked out, we can start selling the rest of this."
"You'll help me? You don't mind?" I asked, the daunting task suddenly something to look forward to.
Sterling slid onto the sofa beside me, knocking a pile of purses to the floor. Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, surrounding me with her gardenia and lily scent, the same one my mother had worn, wreathing me in love.
"Of course, I don't mind. I was going to throw a party to celebrate you leaving the dick-head, but selling all this stuff is way better. It'll be a sister project."
I leaned my head into hers, my throat tight with emotion. A sister project was exactly what I needed. "Thanks, Sterling," I whispered into her hair.
"Anytime, babe," she whispered back, sitting up. With an avaricious gleam in her eye, she asked, "Did he give you any decent jewelry? Because I have a guy for that."
"That's what I went to New York for. I wasn't going to leave my jewelry for Tyler, but I don't know what to do with it. I sold a few pieces the last time I was there, so I could pay my lawyer, but I know I didn't get what they were worth."
"I've got you covered. Is there anything you want to keep?"
"I'm holding on to my ring to give back to Claudia–it was hers–as well as a few family pieces she should have, but the rest I don't care for. Tyler's taste was gaudier than mine."
Sterling rolled her eyes as she stood. "Not a surprise. So, is your closet empty?"
"Completely. Except for underwear and bras, that kind of thing. Where do we start?"
Sterling made a beeline for the mountain of dresses stacked on my bed. She flipped through the first few, checking the labels, before turning back to me. "Are all of them this quality? In terms of wear and designers?"
"Pretty much. The most worn dresses are the ones I wouldn't want to sell, anyway."
"Excellent." Propping her hands on her hips, Sterling raised her chin in my direction. "Strip off so you can try some of this stuff on." Not waiting for me to respond, she crossed the room and closed my door, flipping the lock. That was enough for me. I pulled my dress over my head, standing there in panties and a bra, and surveyed the pile along with Sterling.
She picked up the dress at the top of the pile, holding it up in front of herself. "This one?"
I didn't have to think. The cream silk cocktail dress was sedate, even for me. I shook my head. Sterling picked up the next and tossed it at me. Tags dangled from the neckline of the formal gown. Fashioned of wispy lengths of green and blue chiffon, with delicate silver threads woven throughout, it was a dress for a fairy princess. Cocking my head to the side, I took another look at the deep, rich colors, the bold decolletage.
No, not for a princess, this was the dress of a fairy queen. I'd bought it in Paris, years before, and had never worn it. Tyler had hated it, always demanding that I dress in a severely elegant style that provided the ideal background for his more colorful fashion sense. He wanted me to be admired, but not so much that I drew attention from him.
"Try this one on," Sterling ordered, reminding me of Griffen in her bossiness. "Why haven't you worn it? It's perfect for you." She scanned me from head to toe once I'd pulled the dress over my head. "I wish I was as tall as you. And as slender. I couldn't pull that off in a million years."
I laughed. "Maybe, but I'll never fill out a bra like you do."
