Page 3 of Cherry's Jubilee

As much as I hate that my sister took this job, I understand why. Uncle Whit has connections; maybe she can get more business.Whatever business she gets, though, will be done through her own hard work. She should know better than to expect our family to refer her or put in a good word for her to their rich friends.

While I set up the bar, I see Kirby and my sister speed-walking through the yard like the devil is after them. I look around Kirby’s large frame and realize that the devil is indeed after them. Well, the devils, because this is a mother-daughter duo. Instead of being over seven feet tall, these two are five-foot-five. Instead of sporting horns, they have fake smiles. My sister mouths sorry, and I give her the side-eye. So much for keeping these two bitches away from me. They both approach wearing a shade of pink that reminds me of salmon. I’ve always hated salmon, and now I know why.

“Cherry,” Ashley’s saccharin sweet voice says.

“Ashy,” I say, calling her the nickname I know she hates.

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t drop the fake smile. “I’m so glad you can be here to help!” She emphasizes the word help.

“Well, Solange and Kirby needed me, so here I am,” I say, hopefully making it clear that my presence has nothing to do with her, but she’s always been on the dumb side, so I take it further. “Otherwise, I’d be anywhere but here.”

“Auntie Michelle said you didn’t get my invitation to the party,” Ashley says.

Yeah, because she never sent it. Aunt Michelle, also known as my mother, is just too spineless to stand up to her brother and his bitch of a wife.

“That’s because you didn’t send one. Not that I’d come.” One thing I’m not is like my mother. Solange blanches when I say that. She’s closer in temperament to Mom than me.

“Cherry, enough. This is a party, and we don’t need your bad attitude here,” Ashley’s mother, Karen, says. She waves her hand as if to erase the fact that I just spoke the truth. “We’re happy you can be here to help, dear,” she says. “Don’t be a bitter Betty because Rob didn’t pick you.” She fluffs out Ashley’s hair. “You girls are all adults now.It’s time for you to leave the competition and the jealousy behind. We should all be celebrating Ashley.”

“Didn’t you create this so-called competition and jealousy?” I ask. “And trust me when I say Ashley is not competition; she has nothing for me to be jealous of.”

Solange slaps her forehead with her hand and looks down, but I still hear her giggles. Aunt Karen whips her head around to look at her. “Is something funny, Solange?” she asks. “I would think you have work to do since we took a chance on you and gave you this opportunity.” She sticks her nose in the air.

“Which you haven’t paid for yet,” I say. “But no, I’m not upset that Rob didn’t pick me.” I try to mimic her voice when I throw her words back on her. “I’m not the type of woman who would put herself in a situation where a man would have to choose me. Are women still doing that?” I ask.

“I suppose that’s why you’re still single,” Aunt Karen says, ignoring my question. Ashley puffs her double Ds in pride as if not being single is some coup. “At least Solange has that one.” She gestures at Kirby. “Even though he couldn’t get himself together enough to be drafted into the NFL, but still.”

“Well, you’re right.Thatone did choose Solange,” I say as I gesture at Kirby. He smiles and winks at me. “And I hear Rob chooses a lot of women.” I grin at that, especially when Ashley’s smile dips, and I see some color in her light brown cheeks. “But congratulations, Ashley, on your union. May you have the marriage you deserve.”

I almost feel sorry for her. I would if she wasn’t a snake like her mother. She’s also not very bright. Not when it comes to school or common sense. If she had any, she would have researched Robert Trousseau. Yes, he was a popular athlete at our university. Yes, he’s handsome, and his family is well-off, though he's not incredibly wealthy. Yes, he’s charismatic. But he's also dumb as a post. While in college, he slept with anyone willing, and since he was on the baseball team, many women were willing.

What Ashley assumed was a date between Rob and me was a tutoring session. We met at a coffee shop instead of in the library like usual. Despite Rob’s flaws, he’s a nice guy, and we’ve always gotten on well. When Ashley showed up at the same coffee shop with her friends, she wrongly assumed we were together that night. We had just finished up and had put the textbooks away.

She noticed me, smiled smugly, and approached our table like she was a hyena and we were a couple of baby gazelles. She shoved her tits in his face, and Rob couldn’t look away. Instead of laughing and rolling my eyes like I normally would, I just stood there and watched her flirt with him.

“And may you have everything you deserve,” Karen says. Ashley’s cheeks are still flushed, and I think this is the first time I’ve ever embarrassed her into silence. “I’ll let you girls continue.” Karen gives the fakest smile, and I know she’s going to throw her final shot. “We could not do this party without your—“ She looks from me to my sister and Kirby. She looks them up and down before finishing, “Yourhelp.”

Ashley forgets her shame, sticks her nose in the air, and walks away with her mother.

“I hate those bitches,” I say loud enough so that they can hear me. I think they do because they pause their steps for a few seconds but never turn around. They continue and eventually walk out of my line of vision. “You are making me brunch tomorrow, and there better be bottomless mimosas,” I say as I point at them. “Now, go. I have work to do.” I give them my back and return to the liquor so I can decide how many bottles I’m going to take with me when I leave.

“You got it,” Kirby says. “And this might cheer you up. Ginger is on her way. She’s going to help you at the bar.” I sigh and rub the bridge of my nose before I turn to face them.

“You didnotdrag my best friend into this…” I lament, but I’m secretly relieved to have someone else here. Ginger always has my back.

“You’re welcome!” Solange says before running off.

Chapter 3

Daniel

Why am I even here? I committed to attending the wedding, not an engagement party. Oh, right. I’m here because my father was invited and can’t come. Due to this longstanding relationship with the Turner family, he insisted I show my face instead. Since we have the same name, he thinks we’re sometimes interchangeable.

Things seem chaotic as guests mill around without direction. The warm May sun we had earlier has dipped, and the Boston temperature is now on the cool side. I check my watch and give myself thirty minutes before I leave. I’ll find the couple, give them my well wishes as well as my father’s, and leave.

I’d rather be anywhere else. Ashley Turner might be my personal assistant, but spending my free time at her party is not my idea of a good time. Needing a good stiff drink to get through the next thirty minutes leads me to the makeshift bar under an obnoxious pink awning on the other side of the yard.

On the way there, I spot a few other people that I do know, but only because they work for my family in some capacity. I wave on my way to the bar and hope none of them follow me to make small talk. That would be my father if he were here. For someone who runs a billion-dollar company, he knows the names of everyone who works for him. Especially the staff who work on the estate. He says they arethe ones who make his life easy, and he’s going to treat them well or die trying.

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