My brother’s eyes narrow.
“Graham was my ticket to a cushy job, Colette. Dad’s cutting me off, and I needed Graham’s connections. You ruined that for me. What kind of wife are you going to be if you mess up my professional life?”
“Excuse me? Don’t speak to me like that. And what do you mean, cut off?” Colette puts her hands on her hips.
“I didn’t say that! I didn’t say that!” My dad rushes over, upset. “We let Dani live rent-free—of course we’re going to continue to pay for your condo, Jeremy. I was just thinking maybe you could start to pay for your own phone, but that’s obviously too much for you! We can pull back. Mental health is important!”
“Dad…”
“You’re nothing without me!” Colette screams at my brother. “Stop it right now. This is my wedding, and you are ruining it.”
“You started it!” I screech at her while my brother hollers, “Your wedding! Graham’s going to blacklist me now.”
“I thought this was a good family,” Vivienne sniffs.
“Our family is not the problem!” Gran yells. “Your daughter aired family business on cable news and drove off my billionaire grandson-in-law.”
“Yeah!” Jeremy yells. “You know what? Fuck you, Colette. You treated my sister like shit. I know I’m not the sharpest, but even I could see that. And now you drove off the gold-egg-laying cow.”
“Goose, Jeremy.” Piper slaps a hand to her forehead.
“No, there was a cow in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk,’” Jeremy argues.
“She ruined my chance at great-grandchildren!” Gran rails to all the high-society rubberneckers.
“I’m going to have to go get a job now,” Jeremy complains.
“Wait, Graham’s not coming back, Dani? What about the garden charity party?” Mrs. Prescott is affronted. “He was supposed to be there. I told everyone he was going to be there. Vivienne, your daughter has created quite a disaster.”
“You know what?” Jeremy tells Colette. “I think we’re done here. I don’t think I can marry you. I need a woman from a good family with good judgment.”
“And real tits!” Gran hollers.
“Mother!”
“You can’t dump me—we’re getting married tomorrow!” Colette stamps her foot. “We’ve already paid the vendors. I have a photographer. I have to have wedding pictures in my dress.”
“If you dump her,” Gran whispers to Jeremy, “I bet Graham will take Dani back.”
“Oh, you think?!” Jeremy lights up.
“You don’t understand,” I try to explain. “He’s gone for good.”
“I thought you were turning over a new leaf. Stop with the self-defeating crap.” Piper slaps my back.
“You’re going to dump me for some harebrained scheme to get your sister back with a man who doesn’t want her?” Colette’s nostrils flare.
“I’d rather have a rich brother-in-law. I can get a nice wife anywhere. Billionaire brothers-in-law don’t grow on trees. I know where my loyalties lie. I’m living life on easy mode.” Jeremy crosses his arms.
Colette rolls her eyes.
“It’s not a dumb plan!” Jeremy hollers.
“Yeah,” a deep voice interrupts them. “Actually, it is a dumb plan. I’m not giving you a job.”
“Graham?” I choke out.
He holds up an invitation. “Is this still good?”
