Chapter 1 #3
In comparison, Jamie’s gift was paltry. When Monique unwrapped a garden party dress from the city’s most upscale boutique, Jamie swore she felt everyone looking askance at her.
“It’s for…” she began, wishing her mouth wasn’t so dry.
“It’s for the first party you host as a married woman. ” Yeah, that sounded good.
Monique sweetly smiled. That was the problem: Monique had the greatest poker face in the county. Jamie could never tell when she was honestly pleased or just trying to be nice. “It’s lovely,” she said. “I would’ve picked this dress out for myself.”
Monique may put on fake smiles when necessary, but she wasn’t a liar. So hearing that compliment made Jamie let out her pent-up breath.
The party could not end quickly enough. When people started excusing themselves to go to “other appointments” two hours into the festivities, Jamie was not disappointed.
She was pleased to see the more stuck-up women from earlier leave first, probably desperate to get away from their social obligation of the week.
Soon, the only women left in the room were Jamie, Natasha, and of course Monique. Oh, and her sister-in-law and accompanying friend, both of whom said they needed to sober up enough to drive back into the city. Between the two of them, they almost downed the entire bottle of champagne.
“Holy shit, no offense to you,” Eve began, gesturing in Jamie’s direction. Natasha picked that moment to go to the bathroom for half an hour. “That was one of the stuffiest parties ever, and I’ve been to some stuffy parties.”
Jamie completely froze in her seat, the color draining from her face while waves of embarrassment crashed across her. “I… apologize.”
“Oh, it’s not your fault! The people you had to invite to play nice sucked.”
Monique put her glass down on the coffee table.
“You’re so rude,” she said with a whisper of a grin.
Eve grinned right back at her. I’m glad they know what’s going on because I have no idea.
Should Jamie be ashamed that her party was terrible?
Should she not have invited people who didn’t want to be there…
but would have been offended if they weren’t invited?
“I don’t give a shit. They don’t like me, I don’t like them…”
“Nobody likes you,” Kathleen drolly said. She stared at the crown molding lining the salon as if she had any particular interest in it. “That’s your whole appeal.”
“Well,” Monique interrupted. “I agree that Jamie was put in a difficult position, but I think she did a fine job. I enjoyed myself.”
“Thanks.”
“At any rate, we won’t have those ‘stuffy’ people at my bachelorette party next week.”
“Hell no, we won’t!” Eve practically jumped off the couch and stepped on her friend’s toes. “Because I’m throwing it, and only fun people can come.”
“I can hardly wait to see what you have planned, dearest sister.”
“I think I might surprise you with the amount of pussy I can shove in one party. For the people I love, of course.”
“Of course. We wouldn’t want to get the wrong idea about you.”
“Are you sober enough to drive yet?” Kathleen asked Eve.
“I’ve got a thing at five-thirty downtown.
” She briefly looked at Jamie and forced a smile.
I hate these forced smiles. Yet Jamie was a hypocrite because she had mastered them too.
“Not to say you throw a dull party, Jamie. It’s a business thing. ”
“Naturally. It was good to have you here.” I think…
Kathleen and Eve excused themselves, stopping to pick up their coats in the front hall before hopping in Eve’s Jaguar and tearing out of the driveway as if they had a highway to hell to catch. Jamie could hear them laughing at her from miles away.
“It wasn’t that terrible… was it?”
“Oh, Jamie…” Monique said in a soothing voice. “It’s a hoity-toity bridal shower. There isn’t much you could have done to make it… interesting. You followed the script well. I thank you for taking on the responsibility.”
Jamie remained fixated on her lap. “It was the least I could do after you asked me to be your maid of honor.”
Monique poured herself some cider. “We’ve been through a lot together, yes?”
Jamie couldn’t help but stare at her, catching the way she casually draped herself across the couch now that she no longer had to look prim and proper for other people.
Should I feel honored that she feels so comfortable around me?
Monique was two leagues above Jamie in every way.
She was a better hostess. A better conversationalist. A better chameleon in the world of the rich.
A better sub, in every sense of the word.
Jamie’s eyes lingered on a black choker lining Monique’s throat.
Most people wouldn’t recognize it as a submissive’s collar, but Jamie did.
She had a similar one, although she rarely wore it.
Not like Monique, who wore it with pride, because nothing made her happier than living a submissive lifestyle, especially with her soon-to-be-wife.
“Yeah, we have. I’m surprised you would want to bring that up, though.”
“You have to talk about it, otherwise it will eat you alive.” Monique sighed.
“A lot of things have been making me think. I’m in a swing of change these past few months, and it’s only going to get more intense as this year goes on.
” She drank, glaring at the coffee table as if it offended her.
“If I don’t address things from my past now, I won’t be prepared for the future. ”
“You mean the wedding and getting married?”
Monique’s demeanor was so fatigued that Jamie worried she might faint. “That’s the biggest thing at the moment. Once that’s over with… there will be other things.”
“Like…?” Jamie cleared her throat. “Sorry. I don’t mean to pry.”
Monique studied her for a few seconds, sizing Jamie up in ways she had never attempted before.
I feel like I’m being scanned by lasers.
Back when Jamie was a plebian who had to fly coach, she was always pulled for additional screening.
Now, she and Etta bypassed that without care.
They would get cursory lookovers before boarding their private plane to wherever.
No more body scans and pat-downs for Jamie Joy.
“After this month,” Monique began, “I will be Mrs. Helen Warner. That carries a huge burden of responsibility I will have to do my best to live up to. A lot of expectations rest on my shoulders. I have to meet them while also continuing to run my business and…” She put her hand briefly on her abdomen before readjusting her entire position.
The couch squeaked with her movements. “It’s a lot to take in right now. ”
Jamie nodded, not that she understood. This bridal shower was the first formal party she had hosted that wasn’t centered on her friends from her old life coming by to get drunk on expensive alcohol and play video games on a huge TV.
Now that’s my kind of party. She couldn’t imagine Monique enjoying something like that.
Although Jamie had often been surprised by what Monique liked – and not just in the kink scene.
“If you don’t mind…” Monique stood. “I would like to visit with Etta. I’m guessing she’s upstairs in her office?”
Jamie nodded. “Be my guest… not that you aren’t already… er, you know what I mean.”
“Indeed. Thank you for the party, Jamie. I hope to return the favor someday.”
Until that moment, Jamie had never thought to compare her situation to Monique’s. As she watched her friend walk out of the salon, however, she wondered what she meant by that.
Does she mean she hopes to throw me a bridal shower too?
Marrying Etta? Not like Jamie hadn’t thought about it before…
Her thoughts were cut off when Beatrice appeared and asked Jamie if she needed help cleaning up.
There wasn’t that much, but Jamie appreciated having someone help her carry the trays and glasses into the kitchen.
From there, she insisted on helping Beatrice wash the dishes before the live-in maid started dinner.
The last Jamie saw of Monique was when the guest of honor stopped by the kitchen to say farewell.
The next time Jamie would see her was at the bachelorette party the following weekend.
Then after that? The wedding of the year.