Hanging on (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2) (27 page)

Ami was sporting a giant diamond ring. "Ami, you are engaged!"

She beamed at me. "Yes! He proposed a week ago. Isn't the ring gorgeous? Mother says it isn't big enough, but I don't mind."

"How big is it?" It looked plenty big to me.

"Just shy of two carets. He got round so it looked bigger. He said I can upgrade in a year, but I like it. I might just stay with this size."

"It’s gorgeous Ami! It really is. I think it is a prefect size. I am more of a Princess Cut girl myself, but you know what they say about beggars." We laughed and got into William's car.

It turned out that Ami and her mom had a falling out due to her choice in fiancé. While he had amazing prospects and would probably be hugely successful in a couple years, not to mention his complete and apparently adorable obsession for Ami, he was not already established and wealthy enough for her mother. 

Her mom stopped talking to her for a couple months and threatened to cut her off. Ami didn't budge. Her man assured her that she would be provided for, and she assured him it didn't matter. He was what she wanted. It was romantic and touching, viewed from a 'glass half full' type of girl. And as it usually does for positive people, it worked out exactly how Ami hoped. Her mother eventually saw reason and came around when she saw that Ami wouldn’t change her mind, and Ami believed—probably wrongly—that her mother started to adore her beau just like she did. Staying that naive had its benefits. Being an only daughter to an unhappily married woman did, too.

Throughout the whole bubbly, enthusiastic telling, I could tell William was listening to every word, comparing her situation with his. From his nods, it appeared he would have done the same thing, probably with the same result. His mother had more than one kid, but he was the golden child. Denise would eat her finger off before she’d let him get away.

Just like Ami’s mom, though, Denise didn’t have to like it. I wasn’t so naïve as William or Ami—Denise would put up with me, hoping I would go away with all my poor people problems. I knew this. This was common news. I just chose to ignore it and let William have his fantasy that she actually liked me. It was just easier that way.

I probably had a whole lot in common with Ami’s dude.

Except the money, of course.

And the prospects.

And the ability to support my partner.

Whatever.

We had stopped by William's place so he could get changed for the party, which started in three hours! My head was still soggy from last night, but with a great dress and a smile, I was confident I could hide it.

Shit! Great dress.

“I need something to wear,” I announced.

Ami and I were sitting in William’s living room. I’d just interrupted Ami’s accolades regarding the eccentric decorating.

Eccentric meant ugly.
Ha!

“You don’t have one?” Ami asked, clearly surprised.

“I was shopping Friday but had to go meet the girls. I didn’t know they were in town, actually, so I went to meet Gladis. But since they were, I didn’t get another chance to shop.”

“What have you girls been doing?”

“Causing trouble, mostly.”

Ami nodded. I knew she remembered my various mornings of guilt from the four years of living together through collage. Thank God she was tip lipped—William did
not
need to hear those stories!

“You still need something to wear?” William asked, coming out of the bedroom in a snug dress shirt and black slacks.

“You look handsome,” I gushed.

He smiled and winked.

“Yeah, I need something. Let’s go to Hopper’s on the way to Gladis’s. They’re expensive but they always have something.”

Being that we didn’t have much choice, since there were a lot of people today that I would need to impress for William’s sake, everyone packed into the car and off we went.

I thought two people to help me choose would make things faster. If I was with Lump and William, or another of my friends, it would have. Unfortunately, Ami was a little more modest then my other girlfriends, Candace included. She and William agreed on very little, and when they did, the dresses were hideous—way too conservative. William liked things that showed off my figure, while Ami was down and out modest.

 I finally found a dress they both agreed on, but bought one of the dresses William really liked because of the way he looked at me when I wore it. I made him a deal, though—I’d buy and wear a dress of his choice one night if he would wear an outfit I chose.

I was cheating since I was wearing the dress at the time of the deal, but he was too busy staring at my chest to notice. He agreed, because he’s a guy, and I picked out two really hot, snug fitting shirts for him. That broke the spell, but he’d already agreed with Ami as a disapproving witness, so he picked a black one and that was that.

By the time we got back the girls were ready, looking decent if not a touch revealing, with Mimosas. Adam was there in a dress shirt of powder blue and slacks. He cleaned up well, but not as nice as William, which not only looked good, but exuded manly confidence and polish. Adam was hot, sure, but he looked so uncomfortable he might as well have been wearing a halter top.

“What airport was Ami at? The one in Little Rock?” Flem asked.

“Had to get an outfit,” I answered, stowing my bags in a corner of the living room.

“You went shopping and you didn’t think to bring us?” Lump asked, horrified.

“I needed speed on my side. If all of you went it would take all day. Plus, I went to the expensive place.”

“So? We have credit,” Jane declared.

“What happened with Brad?” I asked, changing the subject.

Jane shrugged. “A few kisses, some wandering hands, and curtain call. He wants to call me, but I’ll be in California so obviously that’s a no.”

“Brad’s a good guy,” Adam said from the corner.

It didn’t escape my notice that he was sitting as far from Lump as humanly possible. Plus, the two were in chairs that faced each other, but neither would look straight ahead at the other. As far as reconciling differences went, they weren’t off to a great start.

“Yeah, he’s cool. And cute. But in Texas. I live in California.”

“He going to be here today?” I asked.

“No. He didn’t get an invite.”

“His family isn’t all that close to Gladis,” William explained, stretching out on the couch.

“Willie, yer a bigger fecker, but not that big. Make some space,” Claire scoffed, giving him a shove so we could sit comfortably.

“I was here first,” William said with a smile, not moving.

“So? I knew Jess first. I win.”

“Right, I have to go change.” I bounded up the stairs with my dress. I needed time to mentally and physically get ready for the coming hurricane.

 When the time came to face the music I headed downstairs, ready as I could possibly be. The dress fit well, I didn’t have buyer’s remorse even though I paid way too much for it, and my make-up went on without a hitch. I had a tiny bit of trouble with my hair, but after a few threats and a gallon of product, it all worked out.

I descended the steps, trying to think if I needed my handbag for anything, when suddenly everything went quiet. I froze halfway between floors.

All eyes on me.

Lump’s mouth was hanging open, Jane looked cross, Claire was judging how fast she had to drink the rest of her champagne to leave on time, Flem looked bored, Adam was looking at my legs, and William had a small smile on his face.

“What?”

Ami walked in from the kitchen and followed everyone’s gaze.

“You look perfect, Jess. Good choice,” she judged.

“Sorry Willie, it was the angle,” Adam said, looking down with a guilty smile.

William looked over at him in confusion, looked back up at me, then smiled. “Eyes off my prize, Dunn.”

“
Your
prize?” Lump joked, looking at my shoes. Well, her shoes.

“There she goes,” Adam mumbled.

I finished the decent as I said, “She was just kidding, Adam. Don’t start.”

“Those are my shoes, aren’t they!” Lump accused.

“They looked better than all of mine.”

“Could you have asked?”

“Can I wear your shoes?”

“No. Take them off.”

“Make me.”

“I would, but I don’t want to get Willie riled up.”

“Seriously, Jessica Brodie, could you not have taken us to that store?” Jane put a hand to her hip, scowl firmly in place.

“We can try and fit it in tomorrow.”

Jane huffed and got up. “Let’s go. All the fashion I’ve missed out on is putting me in a bad mood.”

“
Putting
you in a bad mood?” Flem asked.

“Finished. Ready.” Claire stood up, putting her empty glass on the table.

“You girls don’t need to finish every drop,” Adam pronounced, talking to Flem and Lump, who were finishing their champagne in a hurry.

We all turned to stare at him. Unlike the night at Froggy’s, Adam wasn’t in the mood, or maybe he was just too sober, to stand up to the stares of five girls—Ami was waiting by the door patiently, so she didn’t count. He stepped back and put up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. What did I do?”

“Fallen soldiers,” Flem declared.

Into Adam’s confusion, William said, “They don’t leave fallen soldiers behind. Jessica absolutely will not leave a restaurant until the entire bottle of wine is emptied, whether it the first or third, and whether she needs it or, more often, does not.”

“Good girl yourself,” Claire nodded in approval, heading for the door. “C’mon lads, I’m bored.”

Chapter Fifteen

We chose to walk into the front door of Gladis's house, instead the back, to make it more formal. Upon entering everything sparkled. The cleaning people had polished and shined everything to a high gloss. There were fresh flowers everywhere, giving the entryway a pleasant, but not overpowering, floral smell. We walked through to the lounge where a couple people were already standing around chatting.

Here we go.

I had butterflies in my stomach and was worried I would embarrass William somehow. My saving grace was that Ami agreed to stay close to give me pointers on talking to the many snooty people that would be here. Ami said they would have all heard I "wasn't exactly their type," and would be curious how I would act. It helped that I looked really good, but if my mannerisms weren't on par, I would still make a fool of myself. And worse, of William.

I didn't like this stupid club. It reminded me how different my world was from William's. Not a good reminder. Plus, they were snobs and too serious. Which was only a sweeping generalization some of the time.

 All the girls and Adam walked past those already present, directly for the bar. Gladis barely used half the rooms in the large house on a regular basis, but they were all well dressed and alive today. William motioned for me to follow him, and I pleaded for Ami to come with. She was my Seeing Eye dog for the rich.

Oh, sorry, those with
means.

“Why, it's little Willie Davies. Oh my goodness I haven't seen you in years!" An older woman exclaimed.

She was dressed in gaudy jewelry from her head to her knees and sporting clothes that looked like an expensive carpet. It looked like her and her man, who must have been 100 years old judging by the lack-luster stare and face full of wrinkles, were drinking straight whisky.

Yiks.

"Hi Mrs. Hudson. Mr. Hudson. Allow me to introduce my girlfriend, Jessica Brodie. She moved out from Los Angeles recently. This is her friend Ami who is visiting for the weekend."

The old bag of bones looked at me with a lopsided smile out of a stretched face. "Little Willie is all grown up and has a girlfriend!" she exclaimed and glanced past me to Ami and quickly back to me. With me still in her sights, she said to William in a mock whisper, "I always knew you would bring home a beauty. And a
Californian
beauty to boot—you always did like the exquisite!" Ah ha ha she laughed.

We all chuckled along. Oh how funny, yes. Always did like the exquisite. Gr
eat
.

"Well, you were taken," William said conspiratorially.

Honestly? Did he really just use that old man joke?

She gushed and called him a cad. She then started a long schpeal about her health, her dogs, her daily activities now that they were getting up in years, and other mind-numbing information. Ami grabbed me lightly by the arm and gave me facial sign-language to touch William. I did so. He glanced at me with that blank face of his, and Ami excused us. He gave a ghost of a nod, and we were off.

"Lifesaver, Ami!"

"Nothing to it. Old women don't want to talk to girlfriends. She will now start talking about you, trying to glean information from William—or is it Willie?"

"I am apparently the only one that calls him William."

"Oh. Why?"

"I asked what he wanted to be called and he preferred William, but everyone calls him Willie. Childhood nickname, I think."

"Ah. Well, then I'll call him Willie to keep with the norm. Anyway, Willie has been through all this before, so he will only say things that he wants her to gossip about. You'll find out from Gladis the things he likes best about you."

"Won't he just say what people want to hear?"

"Some. But that will change with each person. What people will pass on are the things he says that aren't cliché. You'll see."

"I hope it’s good stuff rather than trophy wife type of stuff."

"One always hopes that, yes. You never know with men."

That wasn't very comforting.

We found the rest of the girls in close vicinity to the larger bar set up in a giant room I had never been in before. It looked like an honest to god ballroom. Like from the 1890’s. It had a large open space with a shiny wood floor, apparently for dancing, chairs around the outside, couches in corners, and a grand, ceiling-sprawling, crystal masterpiece of a chandelier. This room alone bespoke of money. I forgot Gladis was so wealthy.