Chapter 23
Although the weatherman tried to argue otherwise, the sun was shining on the engagement party.
Out in the countryside, where the sophisticated playground of the wealthy dwelled, a hundred guests gathered to drink champagne, play croquet, and congratulate Ms. Coleman on her upcoming nuptials.
Oh, and they congratulated Jamie as well.
One often had to do with the other, of course.
I don’t know any of these people. Even though she thought that countless times, Jamie was always amazed at how many faces she continued to never recognize.
Perhaps she saw them many times, but the women had so much work done, and the men wore so many different hats and haircuts that it was impossible to remember them from one occasion to the next.
The worst part? Jamie wasn’t even face blind.
Nevertheless, she graciously thanked them all for attending.
Jamie had never been to an engagement party of this scale before – she had to miss Monique and Helen’s due to illness – and had no idea that she and her fiancée had to spend the first forty-five minutes standing at the doors thanking every guest who came by and paid their respects.
Since it was April, most of the men wore dark colors and the women a variety of colors.
There were, however, the occasional whites here and there.
Helen wore her customary off-white dress while Monique teetered beneath white lace.
When people weren’t kissing Etta’s ass, they were glowing over Monique, who was entering her sixth month of pregnancy but had the stomach of a woman about to haul a baby around.
More than one person commented that the baby must definitely be a Warner, since almost every member of that family was at least six feet tall.
“I must sit down,” Monique told her friends. “Looking at you standing here for so long is making me weary. Please tell me there’s an open bar.”
Etta narrowed her eyes at her. “There is. Adele arranged it.”
“I’m assuming they can make virgin drinks.” Monique flicked her arm. “No jokes. I’m irritable today.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
The hostess of the party flitted around in a black dress and diamonds sparkling in her bun.
Jamie knew whenever Adele was in the vicinity, since her heels echoed more than anyone else’s and her voice pealed like the social butterfly she was.
Trailing behind her wherever she went was a young man with sandy hair and a dark suit.
Also, the most babyish face any man over twenty-five had.
“That’s her new personal assistant,” Etta muttered in Jamie’s ear when they had a lull in guests. “I don’t know if she hired him because she was sleeping with him, or if it happened the other way around.”
Jamie did a double-take. Is that her type? The man looked barely out of college. He also had the smarmy kind of self-satisfied smile that meant he was also the kind Jamie would have avoided in college. “Are you sure they’re…”
“Oh, yes. She told me herself.”
“I see.” Jamie didn’t detect jealousy on Etta’s behalf. Just a huge pile of annoyance.“Would be nice if she got some work done instead.”
Jamie rolled her eyes. “Says the woman who hired assistants she wanted to sleep with.”
“That’s different. I never let it get in the way of my work.”
“No, of course not. That would have been unprofessional.”
“You were unprofessional more than once, as I recall.”
Jamie’s retort was cut short when two familiar faces waltzed up to them, all smiles, even though one nudged the other the moment they made eye contact.
“Congratulations on your engagement!” said the girl who sounded like a hyena. Jamie did her best not to falter in front of these bullies. “Always a pleasure, Ms. Coleman… Ms. Jamie.”
“Pleasure is mine.” Etta shook hands with both girls before they retreated into the country club and hit the open bar alongside Monique and her drinks fit for a pregnant woman.
Jamie patted Etta until she lowered her ear. “Those were the ones I was telling you about. From the restaurant the other day.”
“Oh?” Etta looked over her shoulder. “I know their fathers. One of them does occasional business with me. What should I do about it?”
“Don’t do anything…”
“That’s not fun.”
“I didn’t realize that sort of thing was supposed to be fun.”
They didn’t get to go inside until a few minutes later. Any late guests would have to concede to no formal greetings. Serves them right. Besides, wasn’t Jamie supposed to enjoy her engagement party at some point? She was only supposed to have one in her life.
Etta led her inside, but they didn’t stay for long.
The country club staff had set up most of the party outside, overlooking the expansive golf course and the man-made lake fit for boat rides.
Jamie and Etta had the table of honor by the edge of the balcony, where a friendly breeze kept Jamie searching for Etta’s arms because she forgot to bring a sweater with her.
“You are absolutely stunning in that dress,” Etta said, as a waiter poured them champagne and left them with a plate of hors d’oeuvres. “Is it new?”
Jamie straightened herself up in her chair, showing off her cleavage in the royal purple cocktail dress she wore.
“No. I dug it out of my closet since I love it so much. My hair is different, though.” She bounced a curl in her hand.
Raul had taken her waves to a new extreme, and Jamie had pulled her hair back behind her ears. “You like it?”
“I love it.” Her hand covered Jamie’s knee beneath the tablecloth. “You should wear dresses that show off your figure more. Or don’t. Sometimes I must focus on other things besides you. Although…” Etta’s forehead came closer. “I don’t have to focus on anything but you today.”
“That sort of thing doesn’t happen enough,” Jamie admitted. “I’m glad things are finally getting easier at work for you.”
“I don’t know if I would say easier…” Etta held her champagne glass up for a toast, “but things are slowing down on my end, now that Adele is taking on more responsibilities. For one thing, I get to avoid a lot of boring meetings that she is absolutely divine at leading.”
“Avoiding meetings means more time at home with me. Or at least taking me out for a good time.”
Etta’s finger dug into her thigh. Whoa, there.
Not only were they in public, but they were the center of attention while people dined and drank around them.
As soon as the food course was over, there would be croquet on the nearby lawn.
I suck at croquet, but it might be fun. Until then, Jamie was content to sit at her table with Etta, listening to her flirt.
“Where would you like to go?” Etta asked.
Jamie pretended to think about it, complete with a finger on her chin and eyes pointing toward the blue sky. “Hmm! Well, maybe a certain someone with means could help her future wife be more cultured. We never go to the opera. Also, I could be more uncultured and go to the movies with you.”
“Places that are dark and quiet? You speak my language.”
“Uh-huh. Remember, that goes both ways.”
“Oh, I hadn’t forgotten.” Etta rubbed her skin as if she were cold down there. “Your radiance is ridiculous right now.”
“You flirt.”
“Ahem.”
They both looked up with a start. Amanda stood on the other side of their small table, looking more sheepish than a lamb as she folded her hands together. “Yes?” Etta asked, the annoyance in her voice growing.
“Excuse me, Ms. Coleman, but I was wondering if you needed anything before I left.”
Only Jamie could detect the snort shooting out of Etta. “No, Ms. Mayfield. You have the day off. Enjoy yourself.”
She paid the last of her respects before jetting off, disappearing back into the main building as Etta turned her attention back to Jamie – with her lips, of course.
“You have a nice and pretty assistant, Ms. Coleman.”
She growled against Jamie’s skin. “What assistant? I only see my wonderful fiancée.”
“If you weren’t acting like a horny nut in front of all these nice people I’ve never met before, I would think you were blowing smoke up my ass.”
“I could blow a few things up there, sure.”
Jamie scoffed, smacking Etta on her arm before blushing into her champagne glass. “You are ornery today. Did you eat oysters before we left?”
“Please.” Both of her hands disappeared beneath the tablecloth.
“Like I need any of that.”Jamie brushed her hand against her stomach, almost afraid to incite her even more.
I could not take care of her right now. Not with all these people here…
Watching her out of the corner of their eyes.
Yet Etta did not push things further. She was probably halfway to starting, though.
“You’re going to wear me out before the wedding, aren’t you? ”
“That may or may not be the plan.”
Jamie wished she could say she was surprised, but she hardly was. How could she be surprised at this point? Feeling Etta’s hand between her legs while a party went on around them was par for the course… and nobody was playing golf today.
“Etta…” she said through her teeth. “Watch it.”
“Nobody can see.” Her fingers grazed Jamie’s thigh. Sparks – no, chills – made Jamie jerk against the table. “I promise. Nobody gives a shit that I’m about to finger you.”
Had she heard that right? Nah. Definitely hadn’t heard her right.
Etta was crazy sometimes, especially when she was hornier than a co-ed, but she wasn’t that crazy.
Not crazy enough to do what amounted to sex in public.
That was one of the few things she was not into.
It was even written into the contract when they first started dating.
Etta liked exhibitionism as much as she liked stubbing her toe. All right, not that bad… but…
What in the world was she doing sticking her hand up Jamie’s skirt?
“Watch it,” she muttered. “Just because they don’t care, doesn’t mean I don’t.”