Page 41 of An Epic Voyage

“Mr.Van Houten wanted to speak with you.I went to your room to get you but you weren’t there.I waited for over an hour.Where were you?”

“Sorry, Franklin, but what I do on my own time is nobody’s business but mine.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue, but she didn’t give him the opportunity.She moved past him and found Jinger, who looked tired, sullen, and a good ten years older than her actual age.Goodie.Indy would have to layer foundation on with a trowel.

Jinger was unnaturally silent.Indy tossed Jordy a questioning look.He held out his hands and shrugged.

Indigo didn’t want to get involved, but the red eyes made her ask, “Is everything okay, Jinger?”

Oops.Big mistake.Tears welled and spilled down Jinger’s cheeks.“I think Benny has grown tired of me!”

Indy recoiled.That wail would wake the dead back in Miami.

“He certainly seemed smitten with you last night.”A little white lie was necessary sometimes.

“He hasn’t wanted to have sex with me for two days.He’s usually a voracious lover.We make love three, sometimes four times a day.”

To borrow a well-used phrase from nineteen-eighties Valley girls:gag her with a spoon.Indigo could’ve lived happily the rest of her life without knowing that sordid detail about Benedict Van Houten’s sexual proclivities.

“He doesn’t love me anymore.”Jinger sobbed.

Indy was not good with tears.She’d never been a crier, nor were any of her friends.She wasn’t sure how to console Jinger.Telling her to get over it would not sit well, she was sure.She started to motion Jordy over, but he’d conveniently disappeared.Coward.

“I’m sure that’s not true, Jinger,” she cajoled.“Maybe he’s just distracted or something.”He did have an impending, important meeting with a deadly warlord, after all.

Jinger shook her head.“I can tell when a man’s interest has waned.”She wiped her nose and looked up at Indy with hope.“Make me so gorgeous he can’t resist me.”

Indy couldn’t suppress a wince.With eyes redder than a lobster, sallow skin, and a snot bubble, it would take someone with more skill than Indy to make her beautiful.The best she could hope for was presentable.

After discreetly handing Jinger a tissue, Indy went to work, squirting drops into her eyes to clear them and placing the cooling patches over the significant under-eye bags.While they did their job, she tamed Jinger’s brittle, over-processed hair into a sleek, straight ponytail with volume on the top.Then she applied the required excessive amount of makeup, topping it off with thick lashes that included subtle sparkles, knowing Jinger would appreciate them.She needed a little pick-me-up today.

“Oh, Indigo, you did it again.I’m stunning!”She turned this way and that.“Jordy, get in here and dress me.”

Indy frowned when the man quickly appeared.He had the audacity to wink at her.

She packed her supplies while Jinger dressed in a form-fitting top and a flowing skirt.She twirled in the mirror, her earlier melancholy nowhere to be seen.Indy ducked into the closet before Jinger repeated her mantra and doused herself with perfume.Jordy hurried after her.

“Where did you go?”she whispered harshly.“You left me alone with her.”

“Honey, better you than me.Besides, I’m immune to her tears by now.”

“Then you should’ve stayed and placated her.”

“You did a fine job by yourself.”

Indy peeked to make sure Jinger was gone, then grabbed the dress she’d borrowed.She tried to hand it to Jordy but he waved his hands.

“That’s yours to keep.”

“I couldn’t.”It was a designer label that she knew had to cost a fortune.

“She’ll never miss it.Besides, I altered it to fit you.I’d never be able to stuff her gargantuan boobage into it now.”

Indy chuckled.She did love it.“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.Call it hazard pay.”

Indy hugged him.“Thanks.I’ll think of you whenever I wear it.”