The Sweet Life #2: Lies and Omissions Francine Pascal (manga ereader txt) 📖

Jessica clicked off the phone.

“Is now a bad time?” Elizabeth asked her sister.

“What? No. I’ve got ten minutes before I have to hit the freeway. I went over there this morning and just came back to change. The models are still in prep mode. They’re not getting the body paint until tonight, and Katy has things under control.”

The body paint was the kicker for the show. It would look like all the models were wearing was green paint, but the giveaway would be the zippers and buttons that couldn’t be hidden…. except that the zippers and buttons were trompe l’oeil. The models really were naked.

Jessica’s eyes shone as she spoke about the MeanGreen gala, and Elizabeth saw that familiar spark whenever Jessica talked about work. It was like a whole other Jessica. Elizabeth was surprised but happy that her sister loved her work. It hadn’t seemed like that would ever happen.

“I’m glad you’re here, actually, because I didn’t get a chance to tell you I’m having dinner with Todd tonight,” Jessica said.

“He’s going to the gala?” Elizabeth sounded surprised.

“No, no. I’m meeting him after. At Le Bouchon.”

When she heard the name of the restaurant, the darling French bistro known for romantic, candlelit dinners, she felt a little twinge of something close to jealousy. “The bistro where he proposed?” Elizabeth asked. She knew that because Jessica had told her. Sometimes, Elizabeth wanted to believe that she truly was fine with Jessica and Todd as a couple, and yet there were moments like these when she was reminded she might not ever be completely fine.

She could tell herself all she wanted that Jessica taking Todd turned out to be a life changer for her. It had made Bruce possible, but sometimes, she wondered, would she ever, truly forget the way it had happened?

“Yes. Our place.” Jessica was beaming, her eyes brimming with excitement. Elizabeth realized it wasn’t just the MeanGreen gala that had brought the color back into her sister’s face.

“What’s your plan?”

“What do you mean?” Jessica tried to sound innocent.

“Don’t play coy. I know you have a plan. You always do.”

Jessica shrugged. “Well, you know what we’ve been fighting about. You know how Todd feels about me working. So, I’ve come to a decision.” Jessica took a deep breath. “I’m going to quit my job.”

Elizabeth just stared. She couldn’t have been more surprised than if Jessica had told her she planned to join NASA’s space program to Mars.

“I’m sorry—did you say quit?”

“Todd doesn’t like me working, and he can support us all, so I’m going to tell him tonight that I’m going to stop working. I’m going to be there for him and Jake—one hundred percent. That way, he will see how much I love him and how much I’m willing to give up for him, and, well, how can he say no to an offer like that? Don’t you think it’s perfect, Lizzie?”

No, Elizabeth did not think it was perfect. It was about as far from perfect as you could get. Jessica had only just found this career where she was not only a valuable member of a team but was also supremely competent. Elizabeth thought of the magic her sister had worked with Bruce’s PR nightmare, and she knew it wasn’t just a fluke. Jessica had serious talent. To give that all up for Todd? Was she crazy?

“Have you thought about…” Elizabeth began softly, trying to figure out a way to say what she thought needed to be said without upsetting her sister.

“How I’m going to do it?” Jessica cut her off, eager to tell her all about her plans. “I’m going to resign tonight, right after the gala. By the time I meet Todd for dinner, I’ll be able to tell him it’s already done.”

“Are you sure you want to do that today? You could wait.”

“Why wait? My mind is made up. I’m doing it tonight.”

Elizabeth thought Jessica was making a huge mistake, but as she looked at her sister’s face, her twin, and saw the happiness and hope there, she knew she wouldn’t be the one to burst that bubble. Besides, when Jessica had a plan it was almost impossible to derail her. And Elizabeth could be wrong.

Not to mention, Elizabeth didn’t trust her own motives. She did want Jessica and Todd back together for Jake’s sake and for everyone, really, but maybe part of her…Well, maybe a very small part of her hoped they wouldn’t. The smartest thing would be to stay out of it, she decided.

Jessica failed to notice the doubt on her sister’s face. She was busy scooping up a spare lipstick and compact and sliding them into her clutch. “But here I am going on about Todd. Did you find out anything about the lying skank who is accusing Bruce?”

Elizabeth flinched at the harshness with which her sister dismissed Robin Platt’s claims. If she knew how scared and sincere the girl really seemed, she doubted Jessica would be so heartless.

Elizabeth remembered the girl’s shabby place and the fear in her eyes when she’d talked about Bruce nearly raping her.

Elizabeth didn’t know what to think or whom to believe anymore.

And as much as she tried to forget, all she could think of was how Robin seemed to know such private things about Elizabeth that only Bruce could have told her. Plus, there was the little tidbit about him saying that the sex with her was boring. It was hurtful, horrible actually, and it tapped right into Elizabeth’s lack of confidence, her fear that she was just the way she looked tonight—dreary and dull, the boring, do-gooder sister, plain old Elizabeth, without any of the sparkle and excitement of her fabulous sister.

Standing in her jeans next to Jessica’s sequins and platform stilettos only seemed to underline this point.

“Um…No, nothing more…but…” Elizabeth couldn’t meet her sister’s gaze. She didn’t like lying to her about Robin, but she wasn’t ready to tell her or anyone else what she’d found, either.

“But what?” Jessica’s radar was