Page 91 of Big & Bossy

Chapter 42

Mandy

“Please tell me I don’t look like a monster in these heels.”

I turned to Amanda as she crunched in the gravel of Jackson’s driveway, her ankles nearly twisting from their height. I snorted as she glared at me. “You don’t look like a monster. Maybe a little overdressed, though.”

“You said it was a dinner party,” she hissed, grabbing her purse from the car. “He’s rich as shit. Of course I’m going to assume it’s black tie.”

“You also know him and know that he only does that kind of stuff for the press,” I laughed.

Paul and Kate, Jackson’s parents, mingled at the front door. Their eyes were trained on us as Kate lit a cigarette with a match, flicking it down by her side.

“Evening, ladies,” Paul called out.

“Evening, Paul. Any chance you could grab Jack? Amanda’s having a little trouble walking. Might need someone to—how do I put this—pick her up,” I giggled. Amanda swung her purse at me in response.

“It’s fine. I’ll just take them off,” she said.

“And get frostbite on your toes? Absolutely not.”

The front door swung open and out stumbled Jack and a ten-year-older version of Wade. I hadn’t seen him since our time back at NYU, and all things considered, he looked much more attractive than he had back then. “I understand I’ve been summoned to carry someone?” Jack asked.

“Amanda,” I clarified, pointing a finger at her.

“Oh. Wade?” Jack smirked, grabbing him by the shoulder and pushing him toward us. “Go on. I’m sure you can handle it.”

“You say that like I’m heavy,” Amanda grunted, wiggling her heel out from the spot it had sunk in.

“You are heavy, Amanda. Grown human beings are heavy.”

I jogged across the gravel in my boots toward Jack, throwing my arms around his neck as he caught me mid-stride. “Hello, princess,” he whispered, kissing my cheek, my lips. “Is your mom coming?”

I nodded. “She said she had to pick something up but she’s on her way.”

“Perfect. Tiana’s inside, Fred couldn’t make it, though,” he said.

“That’s okay, I’d rather hang out with Tiana anyway. She’s much better company than you guys,” I teased.

“So funny.” Jack rolled his eyes as he released me, ushering me in from the cold, an annoyed Amanda right behind us in Wade’s arms.

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“You’ve got to come to the house sometime,” Tiana said around a mouthful of bread, not a care in the world for who saw her chewed food. “We have so many photo albums. There’s this one of Jack on his training bike, butt-ass naked, covered in peanut butter?—”

“Hey,” Jack snapped, his brows furrowed as he pointed his own piece of bread at her accusingly. “We agreed not to discuss that photo.”

“Wait, that exists?” Wade chirped.

“Oh, it absolutely does,” Tiana drawled, breaking off another bit of bread and dunking it in her portion of gumbo. Jack was, apparently, a ridiculously good chef. I didn’t know how I managed to snag someone that could cook when I was so horrible at it, but I was more than thankful. “He’s crying, too. It’s hilarious.”

“Tiana,” Jack hissed. “Don’t make me tell them about your prom photos.”

Tiana’s face went red instantly, the contrast so apparent against her pale skin and black hair. “Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Prom photos?” Mom asked, reentering the conversation as she wandered in from the kitchen, another glass of wine in her hand. “You should see Mandy’s. No matter how many times I told her and Amanda that you aren’t supposed to wear foundation that’s two full shades lighter than your skin tone, they didn’t listen. They looked like little baby clowns.”

“Gianna,” Amanda groaned. She leaned back in her seat beside me, her hands resting against her too-full belly. “You can’t just tell people about that.”

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