The Scale (Martha's Way) (12 page)

“Keely,” she hushed her sister. Surprised she could be so
blunt about someone other than the man she was going to marry.

“Oh, please,” Keely said, dismissing her concern. “I’m in
love with Blake, but I’m not blind. There’s nothing wrong with window shopping.
I don’t intend to buy any of the material.”

“I’m not going to hook-up with Jason.”
At
least not again.
“So please
get that out of your pretty head.”

“I can ask him to show you around.”

Minka sighed.
“Keely, no.”
She
stressed the
no
in hopes her sister would
realize she was serious. “I don’t want Jason to show me around. I don’t want to
go out on a date with him. I can get my own date.” Even to her ears, the words
didn’t sound convincing.

“I know you can,” Keely agreed without a blink, “but not if
you keep all the hotties at arm’s length.”

She sat back in her chair and let out a heavy sigh. This
conversation was clearly one-sided.

Keely carefully watched her as if she actually had
interesting traits. Minka shifted her body uncomfortably. Until now, she never
realized her sister’s eyes poked such a hole in her soul.

“Minka, no one else can see your beauty until you start
seeing it yourself.”

I’m not beautiful,
Keely, you are.
She wanted to say, but instead Minka took one last bite of
her hard-boiled egg. They’d had conversations similar to this in the past, not
because she felt particularly close to Keely, but her sister always seemed to
feel the urge to bond.

The truth was Keely was the one who made everyone smile. She
was the one who could walk into a room and cause every head to turn. It was
something Minka had grown to accept. However, today as they sat outside of the
restaurant talking about the upcoming wedding and hooking up with Jason, Minka
couldn’t help but feel a little lost.

“We are twins. If I’m beautiful, so are you.”

She didn’t remind her sister they were only fraternal twins
with very little in common.

Keely rose to her feet and wrapped her light summer scarf
around her neck in a dramatic fashion, completely unaware of the two handsome
men sitting a few tables away gawking at her like hungry wildcats waiting to
strike their prey. Minka envied her sister’s ability to be oblivious to the
cataclysm she created in the world.

Digging into her purse, Minka pulled out her credit card to
pay the bill. She had insisted on paying for brunch and drinks. As she did so,
her fingers landed on a small sheet of paper.
Jason’s
numbers.
She pulled the paper out of her bag and looked intently at it. Light
blue eyes, strong firm lips with an inviting smile emerged before her. She
remembered his lips kissing her neck, her naked shoulders, and her back as she
leaned forward on the leather chair in his room with Jason standing behind her,
thrusting deep inside her.

Her pulse quickened as the memories of the previous night
came flooding back. Stung by its touch, she quickly dropped the paper back into
the darkness of the large purse.

She needed to forget him.

Chapter Eight

“I have yet to see a
scale that can tell you how enchanting your eyes are.”

Steve Maraboli

A little over one hour later, Minka pulled her car up the
winding driveway into the parking area of Martha’s Way and stepped out. Her heart
somersaulted when she spotted the black Jeep that belonged to Jason. She
glanced at her watch and hoped he was out with Blake. She wasn’t ready to see
him. Squaring her shoulders, she followed her sister through the elegantly
decorated shrubs to the inside. A part of her wanted to rush, but she slowed
her steps and took in the sheer beauty of the inn.

Surrounded by a lush green line, the inn was hidden in the
pastoral town of West Tisbury on seven acres of spacious, immaculate lawns.
Martha’s Way was known as one of the most romantic retreats on Martha’s
Vineyard. She understood why this place was special to Blake and her sister; it
offered tranquility and seclusion. This was their spot. Whenever Blake
returned, he’d stayed here with her sister. It was here he had proposed. It all
made sense.

She ignored the way her heart dropped at having to invade a
place that meant so much to Blake and her sister and entered the front door and
foyer. She surveyed the room, appreciating the English country décor accented
by warm colors. It was elegant yet comfortably decorated with mahogany leather
furnishings and several cozy
sitting
areas for reading, listening to music, or just relaxing by the fireplace.

Minka came to a halt. In the large room Jason stood next to
Claire, the very pretty Asian/African-American singer. Claire raised her face
to look at him as she laughed and touched his arm. The act looked intimate, as
if they’d known each other for ages and shared a secret.

As if sensing her presence, his gaze drifted from Claire’s
face to hers. The hunger she’d witnessed this morning was still visible in his
eyes. Off-guard, she took a step back and bumped into her sister. He smiled,
letting her know he was aware of the effect he had on her.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she murmured.

Her sister dismissed the apology. Within seconds Keely and
Claire were hugging. The two women spoke with such excitement over each other
Minka felt out of place. The idea to walk away and give them some time to catch
up dawned on her.

“I’m going to give Minka a quick tour,” Jason spoke,
interrupting the two women.

“No, I don’t need…” she started to say. The last thing Minka
wanted was to be alone with Jason.

“Oh,” Keely interjected with glee, “that’s a wonderful idea,
Jason. Thank you. I don’t know why my sister chose not to stay here. This place
is so beautiful.”

Claire, who was just as warm and filled with love as Keely, walked
past her friend to pull Minka into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry I hogged your
sister.”

“It’s okay,” she managed to say.

She took Minka’s hands and pulled her along with her.
“Jason, why don’t you be a darling and go make yourself useful in the kitchen.
We’re going to try on some wedding gowns upstairs.”

For a moment, it looked as though Jason was going to argue
with Claire’s suggestion but then he shrugged and walked past them. “Oh yes, I
forgot you’re here for a purpose,” he teased.

Claire let out a soft laugh, mockingly hitting his arm. “You
get to see my beautiful face for three full days.”

Minka noted an air of familiarity between the two and she
tried to focus her attention on something else in the room. She had no chance
competing with someone who looked like Claire.

He leaned in and gave the singer a hug. “I’m glad you’re
back on The Vineyard no matter the circumstances or however brief.”

The warmth in his voice sent a slight chill through Minka.
She shifted her weight and tried to appear the closeness shared between the two
didn’t bother her. From over Claire’s shoulder, Jason’s gaze found hers and
held it. It wasn’t until he released the other woman and stepped back did he
release his hold on her as well.

“We must go to our favorite spot in Oak Bluffs tonight for
your birthday. What do you say?” Claire said with her high-wattage smile.

Jason stopped by the doorway. “I think it’s a brilliant
idea. I haven’t been to Origins in ages. I’ll gather the gang. We were waiting
for you to arrive.”

A shadow crossed Claire’s pretty face, but she smiled and it
passed. “It would be nice to see everyone.”

Minka picked up a magazine and pretended to focus her
attention on the words. To her misfortune, she somehow managed to pick up a
French magazine. She kept her focus on the unrecognized words, aware of his unwavering
gaze on her the whole time.

“Minka, what about you?
Should I
count you in for the night?” Jason asked from across the room.

She shook her head. “I’m afraid I have something to do.”

“No, you don’t,” Keely interjected. “You’re not staying in
your hotel room like you did last night.”

His lips pulled into that sexy, crooked smile, daring her to
contest Keely’s words. Minka clutched the glossy magazine tighter, holding it
as a shield to hide her uneasiness.

“You’re coming with us,” Keely continued. “Jason, you’re not
bringing a date, are you?”

He shook his head.

“Perfect,” Keely exclaimed. “You can be Minka’s date for the
night.”

She closed the magazine and shot her sister a deadly glare
then turned her attention to Jason. He leaned on one side of the door, a wide
grin on his face, clearly amused. “You’re free to bring whomever you want. I
apologize for my sister imposing on you.”

He looked her over from head to toe, then gradually came to
rest on her breasts. Her bra-free nipples hardened under his gaze. Minka
silently cursed him for having the ability to awaken her senses with just his
eyes.

“Not imposing,” he responded, “I’m looking forward to it. I
think we’ll have a good time together,
n’est-ce-pas
?”
He glanced at Claire and Keely. “Claire, I will call you with the final plans
and time. I’ll have drinks sent to the suite for you ladies. Enjoy your wedding
gown fitting frenzy.”

“Hey, Jay,” Claire called, “sounds like you’re envious and
wish you were the one who was getting a beautiful bride.”

Jason threw his head back in laughter. Minka stared. His
face lit up with humor, emphasizing his handsome features. “Marriage and I
don’t mix, Claire. You know that.” With that, he walked out of the room.

Minka remained standing in the corner. The bond between
Jason and Claire troubled her. How did they know each other? She toyed with the
idea of asking Claire, but that would make it seem like she cared, which she
didn’t.

She was grateful when Keely suggested they make their way to
the suite. Minka fell behind them, listening to their continuous chatter. Keely
regurgitated the same information about her honeymoon photo shoot to Claire,
only her friend asked all the right questions. It made sense Claire would. The
two women lived in the same world.

If she felt like an intruder listening to Claire and Keely
talking, the feeling intensified the moment she entered Blake and Keely’s
suite. His scent smacked her in the face. And she automatically glanced at the
bed. The place her sister spent every night in Blake’s arms. Minka looked away and
focused her attention on the ottoman at the end of the bed where Blake’s jacket
was neatly laid. An ache to run her fingers over it rushed through her. Perhaps
if she was alone in the room, she would. She would pull it to her chest and
take in everything about Blake. The emptiness that Jason was able to erased last
night resurfaced.

Quietly, she stood and listened as the two women gushed over
honeymoon plans. She peeked at her sister.

“Jason has been so kind to provide some assistance. He
offered to let us stay at his place,” Keely explained before moving on to a
discussion about the wedding day and all the intricate details that needed to
be incorporated to truly capture the essence of Keely and Blake’s love for each
other.

The empty feeling inside she had embodied reemerged. Minka
needed air. She was about to make a dash for the door when Claire pulled them
both toward the three floor-length mirrors in the room. Minka figured Jason had
the additional mirrors brought to the room for the fitting.

“I love your sketches, Keely,” Claire said to her friend.
She retrieved three large gown-length garment bags. “I love the modern yet
vintage look that you have in mind. Totally suits you. I brought two dresses,
but I think I already know which one you’ll choose.”

“Did you bring a dress for Minka as well?”

Claire’s designs were for tall, lithe Hollywood starlets.
She fell in neither category.

“Most definitely,” Claire answered, “I brought an unfinished
piece here for you, Minka. Keely told me what she had in mind for the maid of honor
so I put something together. I hope you like it. But, if you don’t, I’m sure
Keely will let you wear whatever you want.”

Keely chuckled. “Both of you ladies have free range and can
wear whatever you want.”

Minka took a step closer to the black bag she assumed was
hers. “I’m sure it’ll be beautiful,” she responded, avoiding any eye contact
with Claire. She always felt Claire could see right through her.

Claire unzipped the two bags and carefully placed two gowns
on the bed. Minka took a few steps closer to the bed and joined the friends.

“I can’t see you in anything traditional,” Claire said to
Keely, who beamed at her friend. “But, I think this is the one,” she said with
a gentle smile. “Try it on.”

Her sister slipped her long, lean body into the first gown,
an ivory A-line dress with a swirl of delicate silk organza. Gossamer ruffles
floated vertically from the waist and seemed to have the potential to move
according to the bride’s steps. The sheer fabric created a dramatic effect to
the fitted, elegantly pleated, sweetheart bodice.

Keely stopped to study herself in the large mirrors. Gone
was her usual sophisticated elegant cool-as-a-cucumber air. Minka remained
still but Claire moved forward to stand behind Keely and twisted her friend’s
hair into a knot.

Claire was right. That was the dress. It embodied everything
her sister was—elegant, sexy, unique, and beautiful. She watched the two women
as they continued to study her sister’s reflection. They were transfixed by the
sight staring back at them. So was Minka. She was once again reminded of all
the reasons Blake had fallen in love with her sister.

“What do you think, Minka?” Keely’s voice interrupted her
thoughts. Minka forced a smile and came to stand by Claire.