Page 122 of The Wedding

“Oh, it gets so much better.” Jamie was on a tangent that wouldn’t end until her train ran off the tracks. “If we have kids, the oldest has to be inherprimary custody. At least. I might be able to take all the spares with me to whatever house she’ll buy me after the divorce, but she gets to keep the primary heir. Or whatever one she chooses to groom as her successor.”

“You guys are having kids?”

Jamie shook her head so quickly that it almost popped off her neck. “No, no, see, they put that shit in there to make the divorce proceedings smoother. If we don’t have kids, it will be moot. If we do, it’s supposed to make things easier. I dunno… but how awful is that?”

“At least they didn’t stipulate oldestson. I hate that shit.”

Jamie had to admit, she sort of liked the idea of having a gaggle of girls who all vied to take over Mommy’s company. Or maybe having a son who showed no interest in it while his little sister became Queen of What-the-Fuck Capitalism.Hadn’t even thought of that until now. Jamie knew that the first child – hopefully ason– was usually groomed, but parents could choose a different child to be made the heir to their fortunes. It sounded like a nightmare. The right answer was to have only one kid, but what if it died, or was incompetent? But having more than one child meant infighting over the inheritance. This was probably why most of the big old money families stopped after two, three children at the most. Get that heir, and get the one spare who hopefully wouldn’t conjure too much of a stink and divide the family’s power.

Unfortunately, Jamie had thought a lot about such things recently.

“I’m so sorry she did that to you. I thought you guys were getting along great.”

“We were!” Jamie gestured for Seena to meet her halfway across the table so she could lower her voice. “We hadthe best sex Friday night. I’m not lying when I say I let her pop the back door open for the first time, and it was the best.” Not something she was itching to do all the time, but she would be up for it again sometime in the future. “I was riding an orgasmic high all weekend. We went and picked out wedding rings!”

“Wow. So she popped your pucker and surprise attacked you with a prenup negotiation?” Seena shook her head. “I know she’s loaded, but I hope she’s loaded enough to keep you interested in marrying her. Because neither that nor a nice body is enough to put up with that.”

“You’re telling me…” Jamie mumbled. “Look, it’s not the end of the world that we had to do a prenup. I knew it was coming… eventually. Like I said, I’m mostly pissed that she sprung that shit on me like the worst surprise party in the world.”

“People are so dumb sometimes.” Even with all the ambient noise around them, Seena’s voice still carried to Jamie’s ears. Helped that she was naturally loud, like her brother Tosh. “Why in the world didn’t she tell you that’s what you were going to do? Did she think you weren’t going to find out? Or care? Was she thinking at all?”

Jamie shook her head, shaking chip crumbs from the bottom of their basket. “Let’s talk about something else. Like how I gained five pounds from this lunch.”

“I love this place. Almost as good as my mom’s food. Her nachos aren’t as oily, though.”

Jamie paid for their lunches before they parted ways, Seena going back to work at the garage where she and Tosh were employed.I don’t miss having jobs to return to, but I do wish I had more friends who didn’t have jobs, too.Jamie was left alone in her red Corvette, Etta’s birthday gift to her many months ago. Corvettes weren’t the most upscale or money-loaded vehicles around, but Jamie had always drooled over the smooth curves like weirdos drooled over hers. And red! Her favorite color!

She also liked that it was flashy without being too rich. Itsaid she was a woman with some means, that she was flirty, liked to have fun… but that she wasn’t some stuck-up snob with millions at her disposal.Even if that’s true.It wasn’t like being driven in the Town Car. Jamie only got out the Corvette from the garage when she wanted some extra freedom and didn’t have upscale social commitments.

The way the Corvette clashed to hell and back in a garage full of Italian luxury cars, though…ha!

Jamie had plenty to keep her occupied that afternoon, however. She had an open invitation at The Ruby Peacock for measurements and fittings for honeymoon clothes. Etta (the ass) had graciously arranged it after they decided to split their time between Hawaii and Europe for their honeymoon. It was tried and true, after all. They would be there during Independence Day, and Etta had it on good authority that their rental would have a fantastic view of fireworks.

“I want you to start married life with me with the perfect clothes. You’ll be beautiful and comfortable, regardless of the situation or weather.”That’s what she told her two weeks ago when Etta informed her that the tailor at The Ruby Peacock was salivating to turn bride Jamie into her summer model. Monique had become the face – and stomach – of maternity fashion, even though the boutique wasn’t exactly known for any size above a six. (Yet, somehow, women of larger sizes still managed to get dressed there. Money could accomplish anything.)

So with no other commitments and a burning desire to spend a wad of Etta’s cash, Jamie pulled right up to the boutique and sauntered inside.

It was not a busy afternoon. Even so, there was a small wait since Jamie did not call ahead, and she was asked to sit in a waiting area. She hadn’t sat down for two seconds before someone texted her.

“Please meet me at the penthouse tonight. I’d really appreciate it.”

Jamie was not quick to respond. She didn’t respond at all, in fact.

Oh, she would go. She would listen to whatever Etta had to say, whethershe remembered their incident at her lawyer’s place or not. She would probably apologize. Give Jamie flowers or jewelry. Order them some fancy dinner before trying to make love to her. The woman was upping her game over the past year. She might have drawn a bath again. Or volunteered herself to be subjected to video games.

Jamie sighed, staring at her written words.I both hate her and love her right now.Of course she loved her, but because she loved her didn’t mean she liked her at the moment!

“Ah… fancy seeing you here.”

Even though she recognized that sweet voice, Jamie was still surprised to look up and see Adele coming to the waiting area with two bags hanging from her arms. “What are you doing here?” It was the middle of a weekday afternoon. Shouldn’t she be up to some business? Or was she planning a hostile corporate takeover of The Ruby Peacock?Great fashion for everyone involved. Thompson-Coleman would be the best-dressed enterprise in America.

Adele sat one chair away from Jamie, nestling her bags beneath her. “You want the truth? I’m here for my best woman’s fitting.”

“Huh?”

The other woman pointed to the seamstress hustling in and out of the back room. “That lady there is responsible for making me look good on your wedding day. Normally, I pick out something nice for a wedding, but in this case…” Adele tilted her head with a cool complexion. “I have to make sure I match Etta and the others in her party.”

I had already forgotten about that. Adele being Etta’s best woman, that is. “I see. Is it nice? Not that you never look anything but nice…”