“Well, you look incredible, Lousia.”
“And you, Elizabeth, look more than perfection.” She whispered into her ear, “You must tell me who your plastic surgeon is. I must have his name.”
“I haven’t had plastic surgery.”
“Pshaw! Your new ta-tas are simply fabulous! What are they, double D?”
“Um. Thank you.” She didn’t comment further, just held back a chuckle, fully aware that her chiffon, floral dress accentuated her assets—for William’s appreciation, of course.
“Your surgeon used your youth to his advantage. They’re quite perky.”
She laughed. “I swear, they’re real. It’s just the cut of the dress.”
“Sooo, tell me, I heard the rumors ... is it true that you landed Manhattan’s youngest billionaire atmywedding?”
Literally.“Something like that, but yes, we’re together now.”
“Congratulations! Have you picked a date yet?”
“Thank you. Actually, we haven’t discussed a wedding date yet. It’s so new. We’re just concentrating on settling into his new townhouse, listing my brownstone and his condo, and enjoying life.”
“Wonderful. You make a handsome couple. William is a much finer specimen than that low-life braggart you were engaged to.” Louisa took a sip of ... apple juice? “The gall at how he mocked La Tempera!”
“Indeed.” She glanced over to where her lover stood talking with Charlie and his brunette date. “I’m glad to see Charlie brought a plus one. She’s very nice and they seem quite compatible.”
“They better be! She’s a partner in his firm.” Louisa whispered, “He’s playing it safe, sworn off dating for a while until he recovers from the last one, the blonde he brought to my wedding. She was a real doozy.”
“Oh yes, I heard something about that.” She internally grimaced, knowing full well to whom she referred. Perhaps Louisa had been too drunk at her wedding to remember they were sisters.
“You don’t know the half of it. Now, don’t tell him you know, but between you and me, the woman did a real hatchet job on him after he broke it off. I have never seen my brother so bamboozled, but that’s what happens when you meet a stranger working in a coffee shop. A man of his stature shouldn’t be messing withthe helpfrom some podunk town.”
That stung a bit, but Louisa would never be unkind to someone she liked and didn’t know she was from that same podunk town. “What happened?”
“After trying to blackmail him, the desperate psycho called the New York State Bar Association, claiming he sexually assaulted her. Can you imagine my dear, sweet, foolishly naïve Charlie doing such a thing? It was a legalistic nightmare.”
She gasped. “That’s terrible,”and completely in line with Jane’s modus operandi.
“Oh, that isn’t all. She stalked him for weeks, like the lunatic from the movieFatal Attraction.You know the one where Glenn Close boils the kiddo’s rabbit?”
“Oh my God! What did he do?”
“He had plenty of receipts—texts, emails, and video evidence to fight her claims. But then, one day, she was simply gone. Poof! Like magic.”
“What happened?”
“Apparently, your Prince Charming interceded when he got back from Paris. The dear guy even put a security team on Charlie. Thank goodness the girl disappeared. No one has seen hide nor hair since, but my brother isn’t taking any chances and has his own bodyguard now—who just so happens to be my personal trainer.”
“William certainly has a way of looking out for those he loves. He’s fiercely loyal,” she smiled brightly, but her mind drifted to her residual heartache. Part of her still felt sad and riddled with guilt and grief over the loss oftwoprimal relationships from her family of origin, but radical acceptance never promised to be an easy road. Breathing a sigh of relief, she reminded herself that Jane was back in Wyoming, fighting with their mother and driving their father crazy. Last she heard via text from Big Tom was that Jane got the job at the diner, and their cousin was coming to dinner to check out the ‘scarlet woman’ situation.
There was nothing Lizzy should or could do about her family’s incompatible personalities, soiled reputations, or circumstances of their own making. She had her own burgeoning family and absolute happiness to concentrate on now. Those in the Darcy family orbit were now her primary family.
“Well, enough of that, we’re here to celebrate true love, bright futures, and if you give me your plastic surgeon’s name—Double Ds.” Louisa raised her filled flute.
“Take my word for it, they’re natural, Louisa.”
“Oh, please! Honey, they weren’t this impressive at my wedding. I make it a study as part of my research for the best surgeon.” She leaned over again, whispering. “I love my sister, but her new ta-tas are abysmal. Yours are simply perfect.”
She laughed. “Like I said, it must be the dress.”
