Page 167 of The Wedding

Natasha looked like she was about to fling herself off the bench. “So let’s say I’m not seeing her anymore. The bachelorette party was really awkward, but I managed to avoid her for the most part. I don’t think she cared anymore. Between you and me…” When was it ever anything but? “She still makes excuses to come by the office, but it’s not me she’s interested in anymore.” Natasha didn’t say anything beyond that.

Jamie’s mind went to the only possible person – not, not Etta!Although that would be an image to end all images.“I’m sorry this is happening. Do you want me to talk to Etta?”

“What good would that do me?” Frustration mounted between them. “Last thing I need is the boss actually being aware of all the lesbian drama exploding around her!”

“She’s probably more aware than you think she is.”

Natasha rolled her eyes toward Jamie so hard that it was a wonder they didn’t fall out of their sockets.

“Fine. She doesn’t know a damn thing.”

“That’s more like it.”

“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all of this,” Jamie said in the end. “Is there anything I can do? You wanna stay and have dinner? Beatrice is making enchiladas, and they’re pretty out of this world.”

Natasha shrugged. “I’m down for anything that doesn’t make me think about drama. Wait, Amanda isn’t here, is she?”

“No…”

“Good. I didn’t know if she would be up here helping Ms. Colemanwork.”

“I think everyone but her has the day off.”

“Does she ever stop working?”

This time, Jamie took up the mantle of eye rolling. “She’s been better since Adele joined. But, no. When you’ve made your own billions, you’ve made them in a very specific way. Assuming you didn’t literally kill people to get there, you workedyourselfto death.”

“Won’t that suck for you?”

“I know what I’m getting into, at least.” Jamie stood, brushing debris from her dress. “It’s not like she doesn’t make time for me.” Had she, or had she not, taken fifteen minutes out of her day to screw Jamie’s brains out? Heh! “She is busy a lot of the time. Certainly busier than some of the other women I know around here…” That wasn’t a slight against them. The women who were born with means didn’t have to work as hard, and that was a fact. They also weren’t raised to think they had to, unless they were bound and determined to expand fortunes the really old-fashioned way. For example, Jamie couldn’t imagine Monique’s wife Helen working herself dead tired most days like Etta did. The Warner family’s holdings were already so grand that all Helen had to do was seek new investment opportunities in case something went bust.

Was that why it seemed like Etta sometimes resented such types, even if she otherwise liked them personally?

Natasha said she would stay for dinner, but only if Jamie’s family promised to keep their clothes on. Luckily for her, Saul and Luna were all about the underwear at the dinner table.

Chapter 54

“Sign here,” the lawyer said, pointing to yet another line. “Here. Oh, here, too.”

Jamie hadn’t put her name on so many papers since taking out her student loans several years ago. Her hand started to cramp after the final sloppy flourish of a fountain pen sent her lawyer back to a desk to be verified by Etta’s lawyer.

“That should be all,” both confirmed. “We’ll make sure that it’s filed by the end of the day. You’ll be receiving your copy by registered mail soon.”

Jamie thanked them for their time before showing herself out of the stuffy old offices.Not that I have anywhere to go but home. Her lonely home, for Etta would be gone that night for her bachelorette party.

She knew nothing about it, other than Adele was throwing it. So, it was probably a far fancier affair than what Jamie had the weekend before.Lots of booze, though. Some escorts.I’m not dumb.Jamie got in her car, adjusting the mirrors and debating whether to wear her Chopard sunglasses. She usually kept them in the glove compartment, where they were not appreciated, but also not likely to get dinged… and for how much they cost, even by wealthy standards…

I can’t believe I signed that prenup.

Jamie pulled the Chopards out of the glove compartment and shoved them on her face. The car purred to life.

What a winning day for Etta. That was all Jamie could think as she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the nearest street. Not only was she going on her fancy rich-woman’s bachelorette party God only knew where, but she got Jamie to sign that prenup. Well, Etta had nothing to do with it, she supposed. After all, it was she who argued for more favorable terms on her behalf. Her lawyer merely sat back and enjoyed the job being done for them.

At least it was one less thing to worry about as they charged forward to their wedding.Two weeks. Jamie could hardly believe it. What was even better was that nature was on her side for once, and she was gearing up to get rid of the Monthly Menace by next weekend. That meant Aunt Flo was not invited to her wedding or honeymoon!I gotta count my smaller blessings now.

Jamie was excited, to be sure, even if she was slightly colored by the prenup. She felt no qualms as she weaved in and out of the roads leading through the CBD on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, all of her friends were busy that weekend, and Etta was… well, Jamie wasn’t going to think about it. Even her parents were gone for the weekend, taking their noisy hippie-van to a music festival three hours away. Jamie would hang out with Barbarossa and Beatrice that night, and she would like it.

First, she was swinging by the penthouse to pick up a few things. She entered to find some of Etta’s clothes still strewn about the bedroom, including an embossed card falling out of a jacket pocket.