“And who is this?” Omar asked, gesturing at Ashley while Sebastian gave the other woman a kiss on the cheek.
Ashley felt a twinge of fear. Omar was obviously a good friend. Would Sebastian lie to spare her embarrassment? Why would he do that? Yes, he’d made her a promise, but his friend was going to be more important than a temporary mistress.
She didn’t trust Sebastian. She had to get in front of this before he showed just how little power she had in this arrangement. Ashley thrust out her hand to Omar. “I’m Ashley.”
Sebastian wrapped a proprietary arm around her waist as his friend shook her hand. “Omar and I grew up in the same neighborhood before he became a football star.”
Ashley nodded as she tried to fit this new information in with what she knew about Sebastian. She didn’t expect him to value friendships from his old world. She had seen a few self-made men who had discarded old friends while in pursuit of making strategic alliances. Sebastian wasn’t as ruthless or driven as she thought.
“And this is my wife, Crystal,” Omar introduced the blonde.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Ashley said as she greeted Omar’s wife. The woman was beautiful, but Ashley recognized the subtle signs of multiple cosmetic surgeries. Most of the women she knew while growing up had the same unlined forehead, puffy lips and enhanced breasts.
“I like your dress,” Crystal said as the two men started speaking to each other in Spanish.
“Thank you,” Ashley said as she pulled at the short hem. She was still uncomfortable in it, but it wasn’t as revealing as Crystal’s. Most of the women in the club wore dresses that were staying on their bodies with little more than double-sided tape and a prayer.
Crystal gave a cursory glance over her outfit as if she was adding up the price. “Who are you wearing?”
Who? Oh, right. She remembered this part of the social world that she used to belong to. It was all about getting the designer bag or dress that no one else had. She had once been like that until her world came crashing down. “I forgot to ask about the designer.”
Crystal shook her head as if she couldn’t believe Ashley would forget such an important detail. “So how did you two meet?”
Ashley glanced at Sebastian, but he was involved in an animated conversation with his friend. She hadn’t come up with a cover story but she knew she had to be very careful. It was best to keep it as close to the truth as possible. “I met him a month ago. We immediately hit it off.”
“I’m surprised,” Crystal said as she studied Ashley, as if she was cataloging all of her flaws and shortcomings. “You’re not really his type.”
“What is his type?” Ashley asked reluctantly, not entirely sure if she wanted the answer.
Crystal gave a laugh of disbelief. “You don’t know?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know who Sebastian truly was until it was too late.”
“How is that possible? He’s in the news all the time. From the financial page to the gossip column. Have you been living under a rock?”
“More like a deserted island.”
Crystal frowned as if she wasn’t sure Ashley’s comments was a joke or the truth. “Well, I would say Sebastian’s women are more...”
“Blonde?” Ashley supplied wearily. “Curvaceous? Vacuous?”
“Accomplished,” Crystal corrected her.
Ashley’s muscles stiffened. That hurt. She wasn’t proud of where she was in her life. She had fallen in status and wealth. Her world had become smaller and she was no match for Sebastian. But she had achieved more than she thought was possible. She had taken care of the families on Inez Key. She maintained her island home with nothing more than ingenuity and hard work. Her most important accomplishment had been becoming a woman who was nothing like her mother.
Ashley was proud that she hadn’t broken under the heavy burden placed on her five years ago, but she wasn’t going to share that. Not with Crystal or anyone at the nightclub. They would belittle it. Dismiss it. Sneer at her. She remembered this world. All the guests cared about was being noticed. They would never understand that her greatest achievement was creating a peaceful life hidden from the spotlight.