Free Trust by Aubrey St. Clair

took me on a little mini shopping spree and bought me enough new
outfits to last a week.  But the way we've been avoiding wearing any in the
hotel room means they'll actually last much longer.
     
    The only time I've spoken
to anyone at all was when I called home from the room phone to let my parents
know I was staying a few extra days in Vegas.  I let them know that Harry and I
had broken up, and used that as an excuse by saying I needed some time away
from everyone. 
     
    But today I'm just
standing around waiting for Chase to finish up doing a photo shoot for some
poker magazine, so I have some time to kill.  I can't avoid it forever. 
     
    Reaching into my purse I
look for my phone, which is side by side with Chase's at the bottom of my
purse.  He asked me to hold it and his wallet, as the photographer didn't like
the bulge it was creating in his pocket.  I pull mine out and switch it back
on.  As I expected, there are a number of messages from both Evelyn and
Harrison.  I flip through Harry's quickly.  Mostly they're just a mixture of
him apologizing and telling me he wants to talk.  From the timestamps on them,
though, they've been getting less frequent as the days tick by.  He hasn't sent
any at all today.  Maybe he's finally getting the hint that it's over.
     
    Evelyn's are surprisingly
not asking about my relationship with Chase.  Well, not only asking
about it.  She says she has some news about her job and to call her when I have
a chance.  Evelyn works as a personal assistant at some company.  It's always
sounded like a glorified secretary to me, but at least she has a job.  It pays
surprisingly well, too, which has helped me in the past when I've had trouble
coming up with my half of the rent on time, which is often.  She probably got a
bonus or promotion or something.  Evelyn has always worked hard, so she
deserves it.  I feel bad for not talking to her at all these last few days. 
It's time to rejoin the rest of the world.  I need to call her back.
     
    I glance up to see if
they're still taking pictures of Chase, but the photographer is on the other
side of the big room fiddling with his camera.  Chase is still leaning against
the poker table they were using as a prop, but now there are a couple of young
women talking to him, one of whom has her hand on his arm as they all laugh.  I
drop my phone back in my purse and approach them before things get too
friendly.
     
    "Hi," I say,
shooting a cold look at the girls who seem oblivious to anything other than
Chase.  "You all done or just on a break?"
     
    "Hey
beautiful," Chase says, flashing his smile at me and giving me his full
attention immediately.  "I think we're almost done here.  I was just
getting a touch up on my hair and makeup."
     
    "A touch up,
eh?"  My eyes flit down to the girl's hand that is still on his arm.  He
pulls it back and she removes it.  "They're also fans," he says, his
smile a bit more embarrassed now.  Both of the girls turn to me now that they
see how much attention I'm getting from Chase.  "Girls, this is my
girlfriend, Lila.  Lila, this is Ariel and Sam."
     
    I attempt to give them a
tight, cold smile but I fail, my smile much broader than I mean it to be. 
Chase called me his girlfriend for the first time.  Does he really think of me
that way?  The girls smile back and then turn away, obviously their touch ups
were complete and they were just flirting with Chase.  It happens so often now
I'm almost immune to it.  Almost. 
     
    "Just another few
minutes, then we can go for that swim," he says.  He touches my arm
tenderly, letting it fall down to my hand which he squeezes.  Chase has agreed
to take me back to his house for a swim, since I don't really like the pool at
the hotel.  It's very busy, and it seems like every few minutes someone is
coming up to talk to Chase.  And when they do, some of the women flirt even
harder than these two just did.  It's a lot worse when they're wearing a