Glass Half Full

CHAPTER FOUR

After getting dressed in my bathing suit, I lounge next to the pool, sun bathing.

I adjust my blue bikini and matching waist beads so I don't get strange tan lines. I lay on my stomach, covering my face with my hat, when I see the feet of Miles walk by.

"Miles, wait!" I throw out my arm in front of his legs.

"Daph, careful, I almost fell in," He crouched down next to me and I lift my hat up.

"Whatcha need?"

What I really wanted, was to talk to him. I hadn't seen him since lockdown and I had wondered what he had been up to.

My gaze instead lands on the suntan lotion and an idea pops into my head.

"I think I'm getting a little burnt—will you help me?" He smiles wide and nods his head.

"Daph, you shouldn't be out in this harsh sun; your dark skin doesn't need it. But, anything for my little star," he grabs the bottle and squirts some onto his hand before helping me rub it onto my back.

I furrow my brows at his strange comment, but the cold reminder sent from the freezing lotion cautions me to keep my facial expressions monitored around Miles.

"So, have you thought about my proposal?" He continues rubbing in the lotion on my arm.

I suck in a breath and hold it, trying to figure out what to say.

"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it." I actually have thought about it—a lot.

"Like I said; I really need someone next to me when I launch Klear. I need you, Daphne."

I don't say anything and look down.

"Well just keep thinking about it. I can't do this alone." He finishes rubbing the cream in before walking away, leaving me with his words.

I know when he says "think about it" he really means "think about what your life could look like if I drop you." Miles has the power to blackball me from every source in New York, LA, even to fucking London, if I don't follow his every whim.

This decision is way bigger than deciding to audition for a role in a movie or not—this will determine the rest of my future as a model and actress.

Who knows what will happen if I marry Miles?

I look away from the ground when I hear Birdie say something about going for a swim.

Just then, Whiskey emerges from the water, splashing around. My eyes are immediately drawn to her, and I can't seem to take them off.

She slowly walks out of the pool, wringing her hair out and wiping her face of the water.

I'm not sure if it's because I had a kombucha drink earlier, but in the light from the sun, Whiskey looks angelic. Her effortless beauty stuns me every time.

How can someone be so beautiful?

Whiskey looks over and I realize I'm caught. I smile sheepishly and look away for a moment, before finding my gaze go right back to her.

She smiles at me when she sees me looking for the second time, and walks past me and over to where Duke and Miles are sitting.

Before she reaches them, she turns around and makes a "come hither" motion with her finger, guiding me towards her and the men.

I pick up my things—only consisting of my sunglasses, the hat on my head, the suntan lotion I had Miles use on me, and my towel—and follow the dripping Whiskey like a lost dog.