Capturing Connie

Connie 6

I'm in a ballroom surrounded by drop dead gorgeous models sporting wedding dresses, and for the first time ever, I don't feel frustrated. Normally I'd be silently seething at the fact that Kevin hadn't asked me to marry him, and wondering if others were asking themselves the same thing.

But tonight, I feel anything but frustrated. I feel proud. These models are picture perfect and every single one of them is sporting Crystal Clears latest makeup line. That I worked very closely on. This night was going even better because I hadn't run into Kevin and his side tramp all evening either.

For once I'm grateful of her existence, because it means she'll be all over him and keep him from being all over me. The way she had talked to Steven the other day had left me fuming and oddly uncomfortable. She acted as if he was supposed to be under her spell and that when he wasn't, she had something over him. He hadn't given any indication of stress, other than the tired look he had when he left the office that evening, though it could have been work issues. Still, there was something about their relationship that made me uneasy. And that conversation after our lunch meeting made the feeling take root.

My skin grows warm and I'm glad my skin isn't fair, otherwise I'd be red as a cherry. I still can't believe what he did to me. What I did to him. It feels so unreal and dreamy and scandalous.

I noticed I hadn't seen much of him since that day, and to be honest, it was probably for the best. I needed to process exactly what happened. And remind myself this was not a relationship, and not going to end up as one either. We were just having casual sex. Rough, deliciously naughty sex that made my sex throb just thinking about it.

"Stars, this is amazing."

I turn to see that Rose is standing beside me, clutching an ever-present cocktail in her hand, with a gleeful and wistful look on her gorgeous face. I'm envious of both of my sisters' good looks. I know for a fact I didn't get the "good looks gene" with my curly brown hair, average height and boringly slim body. Whereas Stevonnie has all of this wavy, chocolate-brown hair that she on occasion braids into a long silky braid. And then there's angel-faced Rose, who everyone thinks looks like she walked straight out of a Love Your Curves magazine.

I've always felt like I couldn't measure up.

"It's alright." I say taking a quick glance around for Steven.

It's nice having her here tonight. She's been talking to Father lately, trying to get back into his good graces. Stevonnie is out of town so he decided Rose could come in her place, IF she behaved. Which basically meant I was on babysitting duty for the night. No one had asked me to, but I knew what was expected of me.

"It's wonderful." She sips from her glass, her hazel eyes scanning the room. "All of these pretty girls in wedding dresses makes me want to settle down."

I almost choke on my cocktail. She can't be serious. "What-what do you mean?"

"I've just been thinking is all."

I blink in shock, never expecting my sister filled with wanderlust for adventure to want to 'settle down'. Did Father have something to do with this?

"You're kidding." I say increduously. Rose gives me a dangerous look and I quickly rephrase, not wanting her to be discouraged by my reaction or cause a scene. "No, I'm just proud of you. I never thought you'd want to get married or settle down."

"Well, not like you would've been if you'd married that asshole you were dating."

I gape at my older sister, wondering how she heard about it. We talked maybe a couple of weeks ago, right before Kevin and I split.