Page 43 of Nothing to the Wedding

“I could live without Rourke,” Roux said, nonchalant.“Providing he left the money behind.”

“See that’s it,” Sonia interjected, jolted by some kind of urgency.“Isn’t it easier to want forever with a guy worth all that money?”

Various calls of yes and no came out of the women.

“I don’t care about the money,” Merci said.

“You don’t have to, honey.Reid’s all about anticipating your needs.He overprovides.”

“JD tries that with the kids sometimes.”

“Not with you?”

“I’d never let him,” Rylee said.“But I have access to everything anyway.”

“Yes!”Rainie agreed, maybe a few too many sherries up.“It gets to a point when it’s just… there.I don’t think about it much.”

“Who’s single here?”Sonia asked.

Roxie pointed.“Toria, Astrid, Mieux, Sway, Kesley… according to latest intelligence reports anyway.”

“Yeah, and none of them had a billionaire fall madly in love with them.Bet if they had, they wouldn’t be single right now.”

Oh, abandon course.Abort.They may not have had a billionaire fall for them, but one, at least, had been in a relationship with a billionaire who did reject the idea of forever: Kesley.

“Uh…” Bambi raised a flat hand.“Struan isn’t a billionaire.”

“There you go, see,” Rainie said.“He doesn’t have to be rich.Love is love.”

“Baer isn’t financially rich.”

Did that really count?Freya sure was.Rich and then some.

“If you want to dump Blayne’s ass, dump it,” Toria said.“Come live in New York with us.”

Despite her sister’s instant jolt of elation, Roxie shook her head.“Oh, God, no, that’s a terrible idea.”

“Not like you don’t have the space.”

“I love everything about my life,” Roxie said.“Me.I do.Sonia wouldn’t do well in this kind of life; she needs a lot of… support.”

“You’re just through saying the money doesn’t matter.If it’s just there, why shouldn’t I spend it?”

“Money you can spend, sister.Knock yourself out,” she said.“It’s the rest of the time I’m worried about.”

Sonia needed a lot of direction and didn’t have much motivation to get up and do… anything.In New York, her sister would be swept up with some group of undesirable friends, and likely a lot of spongers.There was a reason she hadn’t set up a trust for her sister.Blayne, and her other friends, might care more about the cash than the kindness.Sonia wouldn’t recognize being used.

Zairn taught her that she’d develop a nose for those who were genuine or not, and she had.Sonia wouldn’t be so receptive to learning those lessons, she liked to be popular and in demand.Plus, in truth, even if Sonia did dump Blayne’s ass now, they’d probably be back together soon enough.And she couldn’t live with Blayne long-term, even in a skyscraper.No, the day Blayne moved in to Crimson Palace would be the day she moved out… and she’d be taking Zairn with her.

Sonia was easily led, that was it.Easily led.And would rebel against any kind of sisterly advice, and any Zairn tried to give too.They’d end up parenting Sonia and they definitely didn’t want that to be a part of their life.

TWELVE

“BUT PROMISE BECAUSE it’s after midnight,” Jane whimpered, slipping off her shoes.“It’s your wedding day.”

“It is!”Roxie proclaimed to her best friend just inside the latter’s bedroom.

“You’re getting married today, Rox.Married!”