Page 35 of An Epic Voyage

“I’m fine, but we’ve been summoned to have dinner with Van Houten and Jinger tonight in his private dining room.”

She forced herself to release him.Her hand didn’t want to comply.“Oh, that.Yeah, Jinger told me.I got the impression I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“Same,” Griffin replied.“I’ll stop by your room around seven and escort you there.”

Her heart thumped as if it were a date, but it wasn’t.“See you then.”

With a wave, she continued to Jinger’s room.

Benedict’s assistant opened the door for her again.He really couldn’t get out of there quickly enough.As soon as he saw it was Indigo, he practically knocked her over to get away.

“Hello, Indigo,” Jinger said when she arrived.“Did you have a good day?”

“I did.Thanks for asking.”

Jinger held out her arms.“I’m your blank canvas.Paint me.”

Gross.That sounded vulgar.

Indy started with Jinger’s hair, piling it artfully on her head and arranging curly wisps to brush against her neck.

“So, Griffin.He’s one hot tamale,” Jinger cooed.“Have you touched his muscles?”

“Haveyou?”

Jinger mimicked fainting and waved a hand in front of her face.“Oh my, yes, and they’re rock-hard like granite.Honestly, I didn’t want to let him go.I told him I was going to have to get Benny into the gym.”

Indy scowled.Why had Jinger been feeling up Griffin?She ignored the stab of jealousy and applied cosmetics with a heavy hand.Jordy had shown Indy the dress Jinger would wear, so she used tones to complement the color.

Jinger prattled on the entire time, mostly talking about herself.It was an excruciatingly boring subject.Twice, Indy had to force herself not to yawn.It was especially hard since Jordy had fallen asleep behind Jinger’s back.

When Indy finished, she elbowed Jordy, startling him awake.He almost fell out of his chair.“You’ve got some drool here,” she told him, pointing to her chin.

He wiped his hand over his face and frowned at her when it came up dry.She smirked.

Jordy helped Jinger into the dress.Jinger stood in front of the full-length mirror and twirled before repeating her favorite mantra, “I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.I knew I had the potential to be so, and I was close, but you’ve made it happen, Indigo.”She clapped her hands in front of her chest.“Maybe tonight will be the night Benny finally proposes!Mrs.Jinger Van Houten.It sounds perfect, right?”

Oh,good grief, Indy hoped not.Getting through the dinner with that narcissist and her cheating beau would be hard enough.Having to listen to Jinger plan a wedding might well break her.

Jinger doused herself withLes Récoltes Majeures La Rosefrom Dior, with a price tag north of thirteen-hundred dollars a bottle.The only reason Indy knew that was because Jinger had bragged endlessly about Benny’s expensive gifts.

Then she was gone.

Jordy waved a hand in front of his face and pretended to gag.“That would smell good in small doses,” he groused.“Let’s get you ready for your date.”

“It’s not a date,” she corrected.

“Is so.Come on.”

“Jordy, I can put on my dress.You don’t work for me.”

“An artist must admire their creations.And for you, darling, it’s not work.”

She grabbed her kit while Jordy carried the dress to her suite.She hadn’t been inside since Van Houten’s impromptu visit earlier in the day.After carefully opening the door, she searched to make sure he hadn’t returned before stepping inside.What had he been doing here?Her secret agent’s mind went to bugs.Had he planted cameras to watch her?Surely not.

Indy checked her bags.They didn’t appear to be tampered with, so that was good.She pushed the thought aside and went about getting ready.Jordy chatted while she styled her hair and applied a tasteful amount of makeup, nothing near what she’d slathered on Jinger.Jordy’s alterations were perfect, and the dress fit beautifully.

“You are my new muse, Indigo Adair,” Jordy crowed as he used a steam iron to vanquish wrinkles.“Stand there while I get my phone.I’m adding you to my portfolio—wait, is that okay?”