by Cynthia Dane
“Totally. It’s the most romantic place on Earth.”
“If I had the means to go anywhere in the world for my honeymoon,” Nadia said wistfully, “I would do a tour of Europe. I wanna go to Italy, Germany, France… maybe Finland.”
“Finland? That’s specific.” Jasmine was already halfway through her drink, and it had yet to hit her.
“I had this stint as a teenager where I was really into Finland. Don’t know what to say.”
“Girl,” Selena began, “if you want to do something like that, then you need to get a guy as rich as Ethan.”
They both glanced at Selena. “You never told her, huh?” Nadia muttered.
“Didn’t think it was my place.”
“Tell me what?”
Jasmine looked to Nadia before answering. “Don’t think Nadia is going to be marrying a dude anytime soon.”
“Oh… oh!”
Nadia rolled her eyes. “Plight of the lipstick femme,” she sighed. “Nobody knows you’re gay.”
“On the other hand,” Jasmine cut in, that alcohol finally hitting her, “I can think of one rich bitch who would probably take you on a tour of Europe if you asked.”
“Bite me,” Nadia said over her martini. “I wouldn’t go on a tour of Disneyworld with her.”
Jasmine nearly spat out her drink. Imagining Nadia and Eva on a date in Disneyworld, complete with mouse ears and poses in front of the castle, made her laugh too hard to tolerate.
“Who’s this now?”
Jasmine answered before Nadia could stop her. “A very rich and very eligible bachelorette has a huge fancy for our friend here, but for some reason Nadia always turns her down.”
“Like you wouldn’t!”
“Neither here nor there. Heh.” Nadia cleared her throat. “Besides, there’s enough lesbian drama in the office right now. I’d rather not add to it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never mind.”
All Jasmine could figure was that it had to do with Eva, who sometimes swung by Ethan’s office for this and that. Mostly to flirt with Nadia, one had to assume. When a woman like Eva had a type, she could be as alpha billionaire as any of the men in suits. Didn’t stop Nadia from going for it that one night. It was never spoken of since.
Jasmine shrugged and finished off her drink. Shortly after, she turned the conversation to Selena and her life. Anything to get them all off the topic of what went on in the world of billionaires and the women they pursued.
During that time she texted Ethan, asking if he was still at the penthouse. After a late night yesterday, Ethan had informed his girlfriend he was going to spend the night in the penthouse and that he might meet Jasmine there when she was done with her meeting. Lunch went on for an hour, however, and she wasn’t sure she could find her fiancé in their second home after she went through the ordeal of dropping off Nadia and Selena at their respective homes within the city.
She received a text right after Selena got out of the car. Ethan was still there, and she was welcomed to come by whenever. Well, yeah, I live there. Jasmine didn’t know what he meant by that wording, but she would go ahead and tell the driver to take her to the penthouse.
Eventually she would have to learn Ethan’s subtle speak, because she should have guessed that a guest would be there when she walked through the door.
“Hello!” Adrienne stepped down from the living room level and twiddled her fingers at Jasmine. “I was wondering if you would stop by. Haven’t had the chance to see you in a few weeks.”
“Not since Ethan shared the wonderful news, no.”
“Oh, that? That’s old news by now.” Adrienne leaned against the dining table, her heels tapping against the hardwood floors. “The whole talk of the town is your wedding. Congratulations, by the way.” She grinned, and Jasmine couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not. At least women like Jenny had grins that were clearly for the job and nothing else. “I dare say Ethan is the biggest catch a girl can ask for.”
Says the woman who turned him down when he asked her to marry him. “Thanks. Where’s Ethan?”
“In the bathroom.” Her candidness was palpable. “I stopped by to go over our schedule for next week. He walked out on me after dinner last night before I had the chance.”
“Dinner?”
“Why, yes. We had dinner with investors last night. Both his and mine that I’m bringing over to his company. Not a big deal.”
She felt the need to explain that? Jasmine wasn’t in the mood to question it, anyway. If she and Ethan went out to dinner – and she wasn’t afraid to admit it – then it probably had to do with business. I’m being a good girl and not getting jealous over his ex-girlfriend. After all, Jasmine had the shiny ring on her finger. Although she was asked first. Jasmine reminded herself that happened before Ethan met his fiancée. She liked to believe that he would choose her over Adrienne any day. Besides, he had said that he realized he felt nothing for her after she came back into his life…
“There he is,” Adrienne said cheerily. “Back from the porcelain war.”
Ethan finished shaking out his sleeves, gazing at Adrienne through disbelieving eyes. “Thank you for the compelling announcement. We can all breathe easily now.”
“Well, you certainly can!”
“Anyway.” Ethan came to Jasmine and kissed her cheek. “How did it go?”
“Huh?”
“The meeting with the wedding planner.”
“Oh! It was… tiring. Apparently the biggest decision that could affect our relationships for the rest of our lives is what color we choose to feature. We’ll be dead meat if we encroach on the Binghams and use green.”
“Can’t have that, now can we?”
“You two will be happy to know that almost all the arrangements have been made for next weekend’s engagement party.” If Adrienne had any loose hair to toss, she would have cast it over her shoulder by now. As usual, however, she kept it in a tight bun on the back of her head. Everything about her was always clean lines, stark colors, and minimal makeup. Not like Jasmine, who almost always wore her hair loose and preferred patterns, loud colors, and designs that followed her wherever she went. I guess she looks good for business, though. “You better be at the country club.” That was directed at Ethan. “I know how much you love it.”
“The country club is fine if I’m not expected to drink brandy, smoke cigars, play golf, or ride horses around like some old money wine stain.” Ethan let his hand linger on Jasmine’s hip as he wandered to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. “If I’m drinking good alcohol, though, and everyone is showering me with compliments and making my fiancée feel like the most beautiful, luckiest girl in the world…” He leaned against the counter, one hand bringing the coffee cup up to his face. “I can handle that.”
We never get to go to the country club. Jasmine had been excited to hear Ethan had a membership – naturally – and that it extended to her as well, since it fit her image of high living society. Especially that old money charm… but that was exactly why Ethan never went unless he absolutely had to. He hated it more than he hated going without sex for a week, and the man had a serious appetite. He also greatly disliked the old money folks who treated him like a child because his father used to only make $30k a year before retiring to a condo his son bought him after making the first million.
Adrienne shot Jasmine an unconvincing look. Or at least she thought it was unconvincing. Why else would she be looking at her like that?
“They better,” Adrienne said, glancing away. “Because we all know that any woman you convince to marry you is pretty lucky. Or is it you who is the luckiest man in the world?”
Ethan lowered his coffee cup, gaze leveled at Adrienne. “Nice choice of words there, Adrienne.” Before she could turn her genuine smile into the fakest one in the universe – how charming – Ethan continued, “I am a lucky man. Have you seen this woman?”
“Indeed I have.” Now what was tha
t look? Jasmine couldn’t move even if she wanted to. That gaze being leveled at her would freeze a twenty-ton truck careening down a hill with cut breaks. “You are both very lucky people. I can only hope to be so happy one day.”
The air turned frigid as Adrienne pushed herself away from the table and picked up her purse. She said her farewells and showed herself out. Both Ethan and Jasmine followed her with their eyes, Ethan’s coffee cup hovering precariously in the air.
The moment the door closed, Jasmine let out a breath of relief.
“Is she always like that?” she asked her fiancé.
Ethan finished his coffee and placed the cup in the sink. “Always.”
“Yikes. Well,” Jasmine shirked her coat and hung it up on the coat rack behind her, “I’m not going to say you dodged a bullet there in the romance department, but…”
“I meant always as in since she last came into my life. She’s an odd one.”
“I get the feeling most of you rich people are.”
“You have to be a little weird to get this rich on your own like she and I did.” Ethan shrugged. “I don’t want to talk about her outside of business. Now come over here and tell me about the meeting.”
Jasmine went to him, of course, but it was with a cock of her head. “You’re actually interested in that stuff?”
“Yes and no.” Ethan encircled his arms around her, fingers tearing right through her wavy hair as if it were nothing. “I’ll probably like whatever you pick out, but I am paying for most of it, so I would like to know about what I’m getting.”
“We need to hurry up and pick a location so it can be booked. Last Sunday of June is a big ordeal, and most places we like might already be booked.”
“We are not getting married at the country club.”
“Wasn’t even gonna bring it up.”
Ethan relaxed against the counter again. He is killing me. Dressed down in nothing but his loose shirt and those suit trousers. Ugh. Jasmine sidled up to him and rubbed her forehead against his shoulder. With any luck, he would take the hint that she wanted some affection.
“Why don’t we get married at home?”
Jasmine opened her eyes. “Huh?”
“You heard me. Let’s get married in the garden. Or on the balcony overlooking the garden.”
I know you love your garden, man, but are you serious? That’s what Jasmine wanted to say. Instead, she pulled her head back and looked up into Ethan’s expectant face. Both arms were still around her, one hand squeezing her hip while the other rubbed her back. “With the amount of people we have to invite?”
“We can make it work. Well, Jenny the wedding planner can make it work.”
“I don’t know… it sounds terribly romantic and beautiful, especially since everything is blooming in June, but… super impractical.”
“It’s an idea. I’m not beholden to it. Then again, there aren’t many other places I would want to get married. Neither of us is religious, but if you really wanted a church wedding…”
“I’m not big on it. If it was important to you, I would go for it, but since neither of us really cares about that…”
“There are other places to get married.”
Jasmine stepped back, one hand on her hip. “Hey, if there’s something you really want for this wedding, say so. Don’t be shy. Last I checked you were getting married too, and paying for it.”
“I am definitely paying for it. Though I thought the bride’s family was responsible for some things… which reminds me…”
“No, I still haven’t talked to my parents about it yet.” Jasmine sighed. “They know, obviously, but I haven’t given them any details, and they haven’t asked. Yet.” It was only a matter of time. Her parents lived on an isolated commune way out in the middle of nowhere. No cell phone service, and everyone used the same rotary phone. Jasmine had called to tell her parents she was getting married before the press hit them even out there, but she didn’t have any details at the time. Now that she had a date, she had to tell them so they could make arrangements. “What about your father?”
Ethan stiffened, hands retracting from Jasmine’s body and clutching the edge of the counter. “I haven’t told him yet. I’m not even sure if he’ll come. I’m told he’s become a hermit in his retirement community.”
“I see.” Ethan didn’t talk about his father much, other than to say he was a standoffish, brunt man who didn’t take shit but also didn’t give a lot of it. Jasmine didn’t know if the original Mr. Cole was naturally like that, or if the death of his wife brought it on. I’ve never met his father. Never even talked to him on the phone. Ethan didn’t call often, either.
“Don’t worry about that. You have what fun you can planning a last minute wedding.”
“It’s not that last minute.”
Ethan swept her up in his embrace, planting a heavy kiss on her cheek. “Every day I’m not married to you is torture. Let me believe it’s not too far away.”
Jasmine tittered against his chest, fingers clasping his collar and fumbling with his buttons. “It’s not. I promise. We’ll be married before you know it.”
“I hope so.”
His kiss came at her both as a surprise and as something she totally expected. Yet she didn’t quite expect this level of passion so early in the day. On a Saturday. To Ethan, Saturday spelled be as lazy as possible – if there was no work or social functions to attend – and save the boyfriend duties for night. Maybe thinking about the wedding is getting him riled up… Jasmine wouldn’t say no. She definitely didn’t protest when Ethan pushed her against the counter and then pushed against her, his famished lips covering her skin and his hands pushing up her skirt.
“Don’t give a girl time to get acclimated, do you?” Jasmine had barely said that when her breath knocked out of her chest. Ethan was halfway to devouring her already. Hooooly! Her ass was on the counter, legs spreading and welcoming her fiancé between them.
“You saying no?” He stopped kissing her long enough to flick her chin. Dazed, Jasmine shook her head. “Didn’t think so.”
She didn’t have time to say much of anything when Ethan was going full-throttle at her, pulling away pesky clothes and unzipping this and that. By the time he sank deep within her, Jasmine was already moaning, her eyes occasionally fluttering open to see the bright early afternoon sunlight stream through the window.
Not much time to think about that. Her fiancé was busy making sure they both had a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon, as extramaritally as possible.
Chapter 2
Jasmine was staring down a large pile of possible wedding guests at the dining room table when her phone lit up with an unknown number. Although it was unknown, it still flashed a very, very familiar name at her when she investigated further before answering.
LUNA BLISS.
Jasmine stared. The phone continued to ring. Something hit the pit of her stomach. It was probably her will to deal with reality. Because God knew that the person calling her often did not engage with reality… or the real world… or normal people for that matter.
“Hello?” she tentatively asked after answering. “Is this who I think it is?” She was gonna regret this.
“Jasmine!”
That voice was two parts pleasantly reassuring, three parts oh fuck no. More squealing commenced in the background. Jasmine gazed at a bunch of names she didn’t recognize in Ethan’s address book, wishing she could go back to that.
“Hi… Mom.”
“How many times have I told you to call me Luna? I don’t know who Mom is.”
“I’m still calling you Mom.”
“Whatever… hey, guess what! Your dad and I finally got our own cell phones! We get reception here now!”
“That’s… great…”
“Honestly, we’ve had it for a long while now, but it wasn’t until you told us that you were getting married that we finally broke down and joined the 21st Century. Oh, I still can’t believe it! My little girl is getting
married!”
Jasmine tapped her pen against the table. Belinda emerged from the kitchen, carrying enough cleaning supplies to sterilize the whole house. I still haven’t told my mom what kind of man I’m marrying. How would they take her future husband having servants? Seemed to go against everything they believed in.
“Yeah, I was going to call you about that. We finalized the date. Last Sunday of June. Will you be able to make it by then?”
“Oh, of course we will! We’ve already applied for leave from the Share Farm. They don’t care how long we’re gone for as long as we let everyone know. People have to pick up our slack, you know.”
“I know, Mom. You also know you can stay with us while you’re here, right?” They probably weren’t the only people who would be their guests, but Ethan had enough spare bedrooms for Jasmine to confidently say they could reserve one for her parents, of all people.
“Yes, we still have your address.” She had given it to them so they could exchange birthday and Christmas presents. Excuse me, Winter Solstice gifts. Jasmine still had yet to go into town wearing her hemp hat and mittens. “I’m going to bring you all sorts of things so you can have a wedding with good energy.”
“Mom, Ethan and I aren’t like you and Dad.” Thank God. Jasmine couldn’t imagine her fiancé dancing naked beneath the full moon. Worst way to see my man flaccid.
“I know that! Still doesn’t mean you couldn’t use some good energy on your wedding day, of all days. I’ve already talked to Solar, and she said that she’ll make you a hemp…”
“Who is Solar?”
“I’ve told you. She’s our hemp weaver.”
“Ah, right.” Someone had to be responsible for those mittens and hat.
“Your dad and I are so excited. Last year our astrologer told us that something big and wonderful would happen with you, and your father guessed that it had to do with a man. I had hoped for a big career move, but… can I say I’m sad about this?” Here was the moment Luna’s voice went from solid to cracked. Jasmine groaned. Whenever her mother started sounding like this, it meant she was about to cry, and she always, always cried whenever emotions ran slightly high. Like talking about her only child’s wedding. “Anyway, we’re coming up with a list of family who are still around and in contact. Unless you’re having a small affair. We would understand if we were the only family on your side invited. Not like your Uncle Hubert has come out of Alaska in twenty-seven…”
