Who Wants to Marry A Billionaire?(23)
“Yeah, I love mine too,” Kennedy smiled. “I never thought I’d own an Oscar de la Renta—at least not one that I hadn’t killed for at Filene’s Basement! I love all the detail—the ruffled neckline, the bias-seamed bodice. And the color! I’ve never seen silk faille in emerald green. We are all going to look like perfect ladies—none of this too slinky, too tight, too short, no underwear stuff. Talk about looking like hookers! Too many of those celebutantes are indistinguishable from the working girls downtown.”
The dress Kennedy picked for Nina was hanging on a hook over her bedroom door. Nina stared at it, wishing she had the same enthusiasm for her outfit that Rita and Kennedy did for theirs. Nina’s dress was sea foam, a color she would have never picked for herself, and she rather wished it had an A-line skirt like Rita’s dress did to cover her… assets. Instead, it was a form fitting, sleeveless, Caroline Herrera sheath dress in silk cotton, with a contrasting rolled collar in pale grey. Like Rita’s dress, it had a vintage feel about it, but hers seemed old Hollywood somehow, and Nina worried that she wasn’t glamorous enough to pull it off. At least it hit her behind the knee, but the back had to have a vent so she could walk. The thing she was most worried about was her shoes. She tried talking Kennedy down to a two-inch heel, but she was only willing to compromise with a three and a half inch heel with a half-inch platform. The shoes were very lady-like though, Ferragamo peep-toe, slingback pumps in blush patent leather set off by a grosgrain bow, and she had a Ferragamo clutch.
Rita pulled some sweats on and then started knocking around in Nina’s kitchen, calling back, “I’m going to make us some microwave popcorn.”
“Great idea, honey,” Vicki said, “I’ll come pour some soda. Just let me change.”
Kennedy rolled up her tape measure after jotting some notes, “If any of you touch your dresses with buttery fingers, I will have to kill you.”
A short time later they were all camped out together in the living room with a giant bowl of popcorn. Nina crammed a big handful of popcorn in her mouth, “I probably shouldn’t be eating this, or my butt’s not going to fit in my dress, but stress eating somehow seems like a fantastic idea.”
Vicki reached over from her seat on a floor cushion and patted Nina’s foot, “Better than my daughter the Xanax queen.”
Nina had an old quilt wrapped around her, and she realized how good it felt to be with her mom, her sister, and her new best friend. Work and responsibility hadn’t left her much time for a social life. Other than a couple of college friends she met for lunch once in a while, she rarely had any girl time. Suddenly Nina got a mischievous smile, “Is there any reason not to have champagne with popcorn?”
Vicki, Rita and Kennedy all shook their heads ‘no’ in unison.
“Good, I’ve got some of the stuff Daniel buys in the fridge.” She padded into the kitchen, there was a “pop” and she brought the bottle back without glasses, quickly taking a swig before the champagne bubbled over. She wiped the back of her mouth on her sleeve, burped a little from the bubbles, and handed the bottle to Vicki. “And who says we have to be ladies tonight?”
When the first bottle was finished, they started on the second. Nina had the presence of mind to tell Rita and Kennedy they were spending the night, and soon they were in full-blown slumber party mode, laughing and telling stories. Vicki talked a lot about life with Nina and Rita’s father, Claudio, and how much fun they had together—and how much they loved their kids. Nina caught her tearing up once, but mostly Vicki kept it light and funny, like telling them a story about Reuben smearing ketchup all over himself as a toddler and how she was not in the least surprised by his latest mishap involving condiments.
Rita took a swig of the champagne, “So who all is coming to this shindig tomorrow night? How big is it anyway?”
“Apparently small by DeVere standards, a mere five hundred people,” Nina said sarcastically.
Kennedy threw a few kernels of popcorn in her mouth, “From what I’ve heard at La Bella, blood is flowing in the streets. It is THE event and people are doing anything to wrangle an invite. It sounds like the DeVeres are keeping it classy, though. No starlets…and no donkeys or clowns.”
Nina nearly spit out her champagne, laughing. Daniel was never going to live down Cannes. “Daniel said there will be quote royalty unquote and at least one huge philanthropic rock star, but he wouldn’t tell me who. He doesn’t want me to get anxious, but geez, I’m not sure the secrecy is helping my nerves.” She reached for more popcorn. “So, essentially I’ll have four guests, and they’ll have 496.”
Vicky handed the champagne back to Nina, “That doesn’t seem fair.”
Nina, shrugged, “I don’t really have anyone else to invite. Sad huh?”
Kennedy poked her, “Don’t give us any of that poor little rich girl stuff. Once you’re Mrs. DeVere you’re going to have everyone wanting to be your friend.”
“Yeah but will I want to be friends with them?” Nina tilted her head back, resting it on the sofa and staring at the ceiling. “This is what real friends do.”
Chapter Seventeen
“That little tramp hasn’t returned my calls today.” Elsa was in a state. “I told her I needed to personally approve every outfit before a major event, and since your parents are letting that hussy of a mother of hers come to the engagement party, I definitely need to vet that.”