Chapter 21 - The Bikini Showdown (2/2)
”What do you mean?” Claire says, but Gabriel doesn't answer her. He walks over to the DJ's booth and talks to the DJ, who of course knows who he is and who gladly gives the reins to him. The music dies. In a moment, Claire sees Gabriel holding a microphone. He taps at it tentatively, producing static feedback that screeches through the night air.
”May I have your attention, please,” Gabriel speaks to the mic. ”First of all, thank you for attending this little shindig of mine on short notice. Your presence here is resounding proof that Gabriel Tan—yours truly—has more friends than he can count on his fingers, contrary to what some people say.”
Laughter erupts. Claire looks at the crowd. Everyone seems to be hanging upon Gabriel's every word. Michelle at the center of the pool has that bemused look on her face, as though she expects Gabriel to say something in her favor.
Everyone looks at Michelle, who smiles and throws a ”you're such a loser” glance in Claire's general direction.
”But I have to say,” Gabriel continues, ”that despite her beautiful presence, there is absolutely nothing in the world who can compare with the incredibly, absolutely stunning beauty of my current and now-forever love of my life, the one, the only, the smartest, classiest woman I have ever encountered, please, you know her already, but still give a round of applause to Claire Monteverde!”
The spotlight turns to Claire, who appears like a deer in headlights. She almost chokes for this sudden attention. Claire looks around and she could see nothing beyond the glare of the floodlight. People clapped their hands, but she knows only because Gabriel told them to clap. These sheep have no minds of their own.
Claire doesn't know what to do. She just stands there, stunned, frozen like a statue.
”Claire is the beauty and brains behind a lot of major projects of TXCI Industries,” Gabriel says, fueled by booze. ”She speaks twenty languages, three of them acquired from helping indigenous tribes in the far-flung corners of Asia. She's a dog whisperer, horse whisperer, and all kinds of animals-whisperer. And she has that distinct charm that could only be matched by the world's loveliest women—”
Now, at this point, Claire starts to panic. Really panic. She knew Gabriel is somewhat insane, but she never realized he would be THIS crazy. What twenty languages, what major projects of TXCI Industries? She was just hired yesterday, for pete's sakes! Jesus Henry Christ! At the rate at which Gabriel is mouthing out one incredible bullshit after another, the likelihood that their pretend engagement is going to be unraveled is increasing by the minute.
Stop, you idiot, she wants to scream at him. But all eyes are on her, and everyone's staring at the smallest movement she makes. Claire closes her eyes and wishes she's not here, right now. But when she opens them again, she discovers to her horror that she's still there, Gabriel's still at the DJ booth without any sign of stopping his bullshit, and the crowd's still watching her, waiting for her to make a move.
”Come on, Claire, show them what you've got,” Gabriel says.
”What?” she mouths out in return, because honestly, Claire no longer knows what this man is up to.
Everybody gasps, even Claire. She tries to see through the glare of the light and catch a glimpse of Michelle, see how she reacted to Gabriel's words, but she couldn't.
”So please, Claire, I offer you this pool party. I hope you truly enjoy this. I apologize for any unwanted person who may be here, but—”
Claire doesn't wait for Gabriel to finish. In desperation—or for a complete lack of any other option—Claire does what her instinct tells her to do: she lets her fluffy bathrobe drop to the ground.
She stands there, in the glare of the spotlight, wearing the red, skimpy, incredibly sėxy two-piece bikini Miss Cassandra had so carefully chosen for her.
Then she closes her eyes and waits for shit to hit the fan.