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“I draw and … well, here’s our hostess, the woman of the hour.”
CHAPTER 27
FOLLOWING LUSTER’S LINE OFsight, Bree saw Frances Duchaine coming through the French doors and greeting several people on the terrace as dear friends. Bree had to admit that the fashion designer was a presence—tall, Pilates-slim, and devastatingly chic, with short auburn hair that set off the turquoise of her flowing gown.
Other people on the terrace sensed Duchaine’s arrival and turned to see her.
“‘Walk into my parlor,’ said the spider to the fly,” Luster said and laughed a little bitterly to himself.
“What do you mean by that?” Bree asked and sipped from her champagne.
“Frances is too energetic and charismatic for her own good. Always has been. But when she wants money, she can sure turn on the femininity and the charm. What do you do, Evelyn?”
“Whatever I want, whenever I want,” Bree said.
“Cheers to that,” Luster said, raising his glass. “Live local?”
“Newport Beach, California, but I’m considering a move east. Long Island.”
“Are you in desperate need of Lyme disease or something?”
Bree laughed. “No. Just a change.”
“Recently divorced?”
“Recently widowed,” Bree said, sticking to her cover story.
“I’m sorry,” Luster said.
“So am I.”
He ate one of his shrimp before saying, “How was business at Frances’s Fifth Avenue store?”
“You know, that’s funny—”
“Oh God, here she comes already,” Luster muttered, setting down his plate on a table as the fashion designer approached.
“Phil-lip,” Duchaine said in a throaty, ironic voice. “Nice sneaks. Anything creative coming out of that pencil these days?”
“Every moment of every day, darling,” Luster said. “Have you met Evelyn?”
The famous designer looked to Bree with all the force of her nature, blue-green eyes wide, beckoning, her face so … interesting. Bree found herself dazzled when the designer held out her hand and said, “Hello, Evelyn. I’m Frances Duchaine.”
“Evelyn Carlisle,” Bree said, feeling flustered as she briefly took Duchaine’s hand. “From Newport Beach.”
“You have great taste in dresses, Evelyn. It’s one of my favorites.”
“Thank you, I love it,” Bree said, then blurted out something she didn’t know if she believed. “And it’s a real honor to meet you.”
Duchaine put her hand over her heart. “Bless you for that, and I hope you help us with your paddle this evening.”
“That’s why I’m here,” Bree said.
“Excellent. Where did you get the dress? In our Santa Monica store?”
“Fifth Avenue.”
“Oh, that worked well, then,” Duchaine said, smiling and putting her hand gently on Bree’s forearm. “Nice to meet you, Evelyn, and please spend freely.”
