Page 14 of An Epic Voyage (The Epic Beauty Salon Files #1)

Indy feigned surprise. “Oh? How is he?”

“Better now, but he was a big baby last night. He was miserable, so he wanted everyone around him to feel the same.”

Kinda like how Jinger treated others.

“Tilt your head back,” Indy instructed. She placed cooling patches over the bags that included a rapid reduction serum.

“That feels good,” Jinger cooed.

“It should work quickly to reduce the puffiness.”

Jinger eyed Indy speculatively. “So, Indigo, you and Griffin are dating? That was quick.”

Her eyes snapped to Jordy, who tried but failed to look innocent. She frowned at him.

“No, we’re not. I simply ran into him as I was exploring the yacht, and we decided to get a drink.”

“I’d like to run into him,” Jordy mumbled, “naked.”

She shot him a quelling glare.

“I think you two should get together,” Jinger decided. “You make a cute couple, and when you work for me, you’ll get to see him all the time.”

Jinger might’ve thought she was being smooth, but it wouldn’t work. “Let’s take those patches off.” When she removed them, the swelling was gone.

Jinger peered into the mirror and probed her face. “It’s like the bags were never there. Indigo, you are incredible.”

“Nah, that would be Proderm, the company that makes the patches.”

“No, it’s all you. I was out late at a movie launch one night and had bags the next morning. Pammy tried foundation to disguise them. I looked like a pufferfish. I should’ve fired her on the spot,” she groused.

Indy applied Jinger’s heavy makeup and fixed her hair in a casual style for the day. Jinger raved about her skills while Jordy dressed her in a halter top and denim shorts over a yellow bikini.

Jinger stood in front of the full-length mirror and admired herself. Indy realized this must be a daily ritual.

“Look at me. I’m so gorgeous. The most beautiful woman in the world.”

Indy didn’t dare glance at Jordy.

Jinger clapped her hands together. “We will have such a good time tonight at dinner, Indigo.”

“Excuse me?”

“Didn’t Griffin tell you? You two will be joining Benny and me for drinks and dinner in Benny’s private dining room.

“Oh, we couldn’t—”

“Nonsense. Griffin has already accepted. You’ll get me ready first, and then you can take care of yourself.

You might want to wear makeup, a nice dress, you know, actually make an effort with your appearance.

Men appreciate women who take the time to look good for them.

” She clapped her hands again. “Okay, I’ll see you later. ”

She flounced out of the room before Indigo could cuff her upside the head.

Jordy pretended to call after her. “Uh, hello? What am I, chopped liver?” He shook his head. “I’ve never been invited to eat with them before.”

“Well, you’re welcome to go in my place.”

“Oh, no. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of one of her colossal hissy fits. When I say they aren’t pretty, I’m completely understating them.”

While she wasn’t happy to have to spend more time with Psycho Jinger and Handsy Van Houten, she was looking forward to sampling the food of his world-renowned chef. And being with Griffin.

Jordy stroked his chin with his index finger and thumb as he studied Indigo. His eyes brightened and he snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it.”

Before she could ask what it was, he disappeared. A few seconds later, he returned with a gown. “This will look amazing on you. Take off your sundress. You can leave on your undergarments for now.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m about five inches taller and thirty cup sizes smaller than Jinger.”

Jordy pursed his lips. “Trust me.”

He was the expert. She removed her clothes and allowed him to drape the blue-violet fabric over her head.

Jordy worked with the material and then nodded.

He turned her toward the mirror. Indy stared in shock.

It was a little big in the bust, but otherwise, it fit perfectly.

The sleeveless halter dress fastened around her neck and crisscrossed over her back.

She would have to remove her bra and possibly her panties so they didn’t show.

“You are worth every penny they pay you.”

“I am,” he agreed. “I’m also taking a page out of your book and quitting when we get back from the island.”

Indigo turned to face him. “No one deserves to be subjected to her verbal abuse. It’s borderline criminal. Plus, your talent is being wasted on her. It needs to be shared with the world.”

“Thanks. You are good for the ego. I’ve already made more money from this gig than I ever thought possible. I have enough to open the boutique I’ve planned for years.”

“Good for you! You’re doing the right thing for your peace of mind. By the way, I’d love to own a Jordy Crier original design.”

“I’ll create one especially for you. Now, take that dress off. I need to make a few tweaks. I’ll have it ready for you tonight.”

Indigo removed the garment and handed it to Jordy.

Then she redressed and hugged him before gathering her kit and heading to her suite.

She turned the corner and ground to a halt.

Benedict Van Houten opened her door and entered her room uninvited.

Thank goodness she’d gotten rid of the glass he’d used last night in case he was suspicious.

She made a quick U-turn and retreated to the salon to deposit her kit.

Staying wasn’t an option since he might look for her there next.

It was a vast boat, but not so big that she could avoid him forever.

Her best bet was to be around other people.

The only problem was that there were no other passengers on the boat besides the staff and security personnel.

Not that Indy was afraid to be alone with Van Houten because she wasn’t.

Very little frightened her. She’d grown up in foster care and learned toughness and grit at a young age.

Her fear was what she would do to him if he made a move on her.

Her job was to find the nuke, and if she got kicked off the boat, she wouldn’t have a chance to search the island.

With that thought in mind, she might have to endure Van Houten’s advances, as much as it made her skin crawl. Darn it, she was going to have to suck it up and be nice to Jinger. He couldn’t hit on her if his girlfriend was around. She hoped.

The sky swirled with dark gray clouds when she stepped onto the deck.

Strong winds whipped her hair around her face, and she tried to hold it back with a hand.

It had to be a harbinger of the brewing storm.

If it turned their way, Indigo hoped they would make it to the island first. If they abandoned the plan and changed course, she wasn’t sure when she would get the chance to go back.

Pammy was supposedly sick with food poisoning, but that didn’t last forever.

She didn’t want Van Houten to sell the nuke before she found it.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, might die.

That meant she might have to pretend to want the job Jinger was offering.

Indy found a secluded spot and called Evangeline.

“Hey, Indy. Jackson is here too. How’s it going?”

“Slow.” She told them about the boat being constantly monitored with security cameras.

“That makes searching tough,” Evangeline agreed. “You’ll need to be prepared that the island will be the same way.”

“I thought about that.” She didn’t know what to do about it yet, but she’d cross that bridge when she came to it.

“If it’s on the boat, it’s most likely with his luggage,” Jackson postulated. “He’ll need a way to move it if it’s not already on his island.”

“About that, how does the hurricane look?”

“Bad.” Jackson gave her the latest weather update. “All signs point to it turning your way.”

She gazed at the heavens. “The sky is looking ominous.”

“Indigo, I know you, and you’ll want to finish the job, but do not put yourself in danger,” Evangeline warned.

“That’s an order,” Jackson tacked on. “If it gets bad, we will get you out of there.”

Not without the nuke, but she would tell them what they wanted to hear. “Got it.”