A Summer to Remember(73)
I laughed out loud before I shook my head. “Well, you’re Paul’s clients so who cares what the stuffed shirts think? They aren’t paying our bills, you guys are.”
Will finished his pilsner and looked down at his empty stein glass. “Looks like I need a re-fill. Wanna come and let the women talk?”
I silently mouthed “Thank You,” to him before I turned toward Talia.
Since she’d joined Winter’s Regret, one would have thought she would have become less feminine instead of more. Unfortunately, she still painted her short nails dark colors, wore makeup and sexy clothes. Her hair was as long as it had been since we’d left Vassar and she looked great even if she had a thorn tattoo around her upper arm on display in a sexy black Versace dress.
“You are positively glowing and don’t give me it’s the Vegas air bullshit because it’s dry as hell out here. Do you have something to tell me?” she greeted before she sipped from her Jack Daniels and diet Coke.
“No. Everything is wonderful and Paul couldn’t be happier. We both love it here and I am actually scoping out sites to open another branch of Maison des Artistries. Vegas could always use a little bit more culture,” I replied evasively as I looked around at other party guests.
“You have always been such a shitty liar. What the hell is going on here, Jerrica? Seriously? If you don’t tell me I’m going to ask Paul.”
I smirked before I sipped from my sparkling apple cider. “Ask away because he doesn’t know anything.”
Talia’s pale green eyes searched my face before she clamped her right hand over her glossy red lips.
“Yes, and I am still in my first trimester so you can’t say anything. We never bothered to use birth control because every overpriced gynecologist in Manhattan told me I couldn’t get pregnant naturally so why pump my body full of chemicals if I didn’t need them? My current OB-GYN still thinks I got pregnant with the help of fertility treatments but on my life, Paul and I didn’t go in that direction. We were interviewing potential candidates for the adoption procedure.”
Her hand finally dropped away. “Listen, I won’t tell anyone but I am so happy for you. I’m scared to hug you though. And I just hope you telling me won’t jinx you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Either it’s meant to be or it’s not, Tal. I’m happy to tell someone after having gone through the third degree in the kitchen with little Miss ‘I’m bitter your brother left me and why didn’t you adopt a white kid’ Savannah. I couldn’t take anymore of her negative talk. No wonder she acted a bit skittish when I mentioned Autumn…you know how selfish that chick is—”
“Yes, we do and her relationship with Brandon is going very well so Savannah is yet again left out in the cold. It must be hard on her, you know. She’s the only one out of the four of us not in a relationship and if that isn’t bad enough, she runs into her ex at functions like these because he’s your brother.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “What am I supposed to do? Pick between them? Savannah is one of my best friends but Jude is my sibling and blood is thicker than water.”
“Yes but he is also dating another tall, statuesque model type and that probably shattered her self-esteem.”
A pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist and Paul set his chin on my left shoulder. “Whoa, look who’s smokin’ hot tonight. You look absolutely gorgeous, Talia.”
“Am I needed in the kitchen?” I asked my fiancé in a weary voice.
“No, but you might be needed out by the pool. Jude and Savannah are arguing. Turns out she is really good at hiding how shit-faced she can get and every embarrassing thing she can think of, she is telling a crowd of people.”
“Good Lord, she’s gonna turn your party into the Jerry Springer Show,” Talia murmured before she downed the rest of her JD and diet Coke. “Let me handle this. I’m used to dealing with rowdy people now. Being in a rock band will do that to you.”
I smiled at her before she turned on her stiletto sandals and marched directly outside.
Paul turned me around in a gorgeous dance move and I snuggled in his arms. “What would we do without her?”
“Well, we could have handled it ourselves but I didn’t see that ending very well.”
“Neither did I.”
My fiancé kissed my lips quickly and sighed. “I can’t wait until this party is over. I want you all to myself. Is that selfish of me?”