Her thoughts often bubbled up out of order. She'd envision herself suntanning on a beach, then imagine what she'd do when she got home, then contemplate who to take with her to the beach. It made it hard when she first started giving makeup tutorials because she'd want to start by explaining the finished result instead of walking fans through it step by step.

Goldie viewed this trip to the Maldives like one of her makeup tutorials. She'd supposed at first that it was meant to be a girls' vacay but then Aiden called and that made her realize a girls' trip didn't quite fit and she needed to start with the foundation. Her brand. Her future. Right now, with Lucre on the horizon, so much could go wrong. Every EpiGold had to work in her favor. Every post she made needed to boost her numbers.

A plan formed. She forced her way through it step by step.

The night before leaving, she called Ashley and cancelled on her. "I'm sorry babe. I love you so, so, much, but it's my parents' wedding anniversary next month and I decided to bring them along instead. As a gift. I'd add you on, but the resort said it's too late."

Ashley's voice quivered as she told Goldie she understood. Of course, she felt disappointed, but there'd be other trips to the Maldives. Goldie assured her that was correct. The matter seemed closed, but then Ashley decided to do the math. "You said you have reservations for five and with Jasper there's only four of you. If Tiara and Gretchen can't go, then who else are you taking?"

"I can't go without my assistant. Who else is going to keep me organized, Ashley? Not you. No offense but I've seen your shoe closet. Besides the old people will be with us so it's not going to be a huge party or anything. You'll have more fun staying in LA. You can see that, right? Oh my God, I'll be so sad if you don't forgive me!"

A part of her was sad, with or without Ashley's forgiveness. The disjointed thoughts that kept sleep away, scenarios that ended before they began, glimpses of a future she imagined—Ashley didn't factor in as a significant player. The problem wasn't that she didn't care about Ashley, it was that she did care, but voted her off the island anyways because these sorts of sacrifices were necessary evils.

She made Paul drive her and her mother and Bailey Boo to the airport. Jasper and Tam were already waiting for them, Jasper with his duffle bag, Tam with a sad little grey suitcase. Poor Tam. So smart and pretty, but she'd had a terrible childhood and now it fell on Goldie to make her part of her plan. It was perfect, really. Tam didn't have to understand, she just had to go along.

Hand on her shoulder, she guided Tam into the jet. "Well? What do you think? Can you imagine ever flying on a regular airplane after this?" A dozen coffee-colored leather chairs set in pairs led back to an L-shaped couch. All were accented with rich gold and red velvet pillows, an added touch of luxury Tam had, at Goldie's behest, requested the airline include. An attendant with a smile as crisp and white as her shirt stood near the couch, ready to meet any demands her party might have.

"You know what I can imagine?" Jasper pushed past them, still carrying his duffle bag, "The amount of carbon this plane is about to put into the atmosphere."

"Don't pay attention to him, Tamara. He likes to spoil my fun however he can." She motioned her assistant to a nearby seat and sat opposite of her. "Besides, I'm super conscientious about the environment as he's well aware. I make a huge donation to save whales every time I fly, which is more than he'll ever do. So, you see? You don't have to feel guilty. I don't."

Not a lot of guilt. Not for that. There was always something to feel bad about. Broken promises and unbroken promises. Guilt over carbon pollution didn't fit into her plan. It didn't have a place, past, present, or future, and therefore, she pledged to help save endangered species so the consequences of her actions didn't have to matter much. It felt good, too. She'd seen killer whales in the Puget Sound on a recent trip and they were adorable.

"I guess I don't..." Tam looked around the cabin, her gaze locking onto Jasper before returning it to Goldie. "It's fine, Goldie. I'm grateful you're including me on this trip."

"Oh my god, I can't believe you didn't realize you were coming from the beginning. That's totally my fault! I'm terrible." She took her lipstick out of her purse to reapply. Not that she had to do so often. This was Lucre. It was meant to last.

"No, I understand. Like I said, I'm happy to be included."

"Baby girl, you're going to be more than simply included. You have no idea!"

"I would if you told me."

She inspected her lips in her mirror, then slipped everything back into her purse. "Surprises make for better EpiGolds Let the anticipation build!"

Anticipation was for Christmas Eve and probably not for her surprise role in Goldie's rise to stardom, but if Tam objected, she didn't show it. She said nothing, not then, and not during the flight or the refueling in Singapore, or the two-hour boat ride from the launch near the airport in the Maldives to the resort.

They'd been traveling for at least a day. Goldie lost track of the hours, which rewound and sped up so that her mind dwelled in one day and her feet walked the earth in the day after that. It felt normal, this disjointed state.

"I don't mind jet lag," Goldie passed Tam on the dock, Bailey Boo cradled in her arms. She followed her parents, who followed their resort concierge from the boat up a path to the villa.

"That's because you barely experience it," Jasper, refusing the help of resort staff, dragged his duffle bag with him. His shoulder hunched forward under its weight. Eyes glassy, he yawned. Jasper was the opposite of Goldie. He expected everything to move along, orderly, tidy, linear. He didn't do well with travel and hadn't wanted to come. Normally, Goldie wouldn't have pushed it with him, but not this time.

"That's because I'm... what do you call it? A globetrotter. I only sleep four hours a night. Did you know that Tam? Jasper can confirm it. I hardly ever get tired."

Tam kept stride with her. "Didn't you say that's why you needed this trip?"

"What?"

"You needed to get away because you're exhausted."

"That's two different things, being tired and being exhausted."

"Aren't they synonyms?"

"Honestly Tamara, can we not hold a Freshman English class right now? I get it that you've got your red pen ready but give yourself a moment." She stopped. Tam stopped. "Have you ever been somewhere so beautiful? I have, but I mean, you haven't, right? Can't you feel this place's energy? It's magical!"

Tam lifted her chin, watching a bird the color of the sun swoop from one palm tree to another. Her face softened. "You're right. This is amazing."

"See?" She began walking again, but turned off the path leading to the villa onto a narrower lane lined with leafy green foliage. "Go on ahead and make sure the house is ready for us. I have to take Bailey to go pee."

Tam nodded and followed their resort guides. Goldie set Bailey onto the ground. He sniffed around until he found a suitable plant, then lifted his leg.

"I know what you meant." Jasper stopped at the intersection of the two paths. His gaze followed Tam up the trail. "Sleep only helps with one."

"Yep. And this place helps with the other."

"I doubt it. Not with whatever you have planned."

"Jasper Thomas DeAngelis, do you think I'm devious? I have only good things in mind. You're here because I care about you not because I'm planning on fattening you up for the soup pot."

He snorted. "I'm here because you need me here for your own benefit, but that's not my point. I'm part of your grand plan. I've known that since high school, and I've submitted myself as a willing participant, probably due to a deep-seated self-loathing."

"You love yourself more than anything."

"If that's the case, I must hate everything."

"Are you trying to ruin my mood? I'm happy, Jasper. Great things are happening for me."

"It's like you forget I know you better than anyone."

"Then can't you trust me for once?"

"Tell me what the purpose is of this trip. Why did you bring Tam?"

"Oh, this is about Tam, then. You didn't want me to hire her. Now you don't want her to be part of my plan."

"Right on all counts."

She scooped up her dog again, stroking the top of his head to calm her nerves. He leaned his silky warmth into her palm.

Such classic Jasper behavior. He lashed out when he went to sleep on one side of the world and woke up on the other. Trading the sandy beaches and blue stretches of water of southern California with those of another ocean never made much of an impact on him. "I love you Jasper. If I didn't, I'd never put up with this abuse."

"Why is telling you the truth abuse? If I were abusive, I wouldn't want you to put up with it no matter how much you loved me. You understand that, after everything, right?"

She stepped over to him and lay her head against his bicep. "Be my defender then, not my critic. I can deal with it from almost anyone. Not from you. From you, it stings."

He stared off towards the glimmering beach and the open waters beyond it. The muscle in his arm relaxed under the weight of her head. "Watch yourself with her. Plans don't always work out the way you want them to."

They would in this case. She stepped away from him, breathed in the scent of night jasmine, pushed him forward so she could trail behind him. "I've already seen the ending, Jasper. And it's beautiful."

-----

What would you be willing to do to spend a week in a tropical paradise? What does Goldie expect Tam to do? Will Jasper play along?

Thanks for reading! Chapter 3 drops next Saturday. Stay tuned...