Page 107 of Mr. Aster
“Perhaps they decided to give their son the nicest room in the place so he could fuck his future bride all night long?” she laughed, then sighed. “Seriously, though. Youseem very happy.”
“You know, I really am. Sebastian and I have enjoyed our time at the winery, and seeing this more youthful, pleasant side of him is very attractive to me.”
“And the fact that he set his parents on their asses when they first tried to interfere,” she said. “Listen, I don’t like to talk behind anyone’s back without them knowing about it, so when we were at Jake and Ash’s place a week ago, and Jim informed us about what Sebastian had told him, we, of course, started gossiping about you two.”
I laughed and shook my head, “Your honesty is what I love about you.”
“Indeed,” she said with a sultry and teasing expression. “Anyway, we all agreed that we were rather impressed with how Sebastian stood up to his parents.”
“Something tells me that their revenge for that will most likely come out tonight,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“How?” she said with annoyance. “Are they going to shove one of those rich princesses in his face and insist that she’s carrying his child?”
I looked at her as if she were as crazy, “Where do you come up with this shit?”
“Ilivethis shit. Are you kidding me? These events bring out the lunatics with more money than God.”
“Where are the rest of the girls? Who’s coming tonight?”
“Everyone has dropped everything to be here for this shit show,” she said with a giggle. “And I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but not because of you and Sebastian. It’s one of the nicest events we’ve been to in quite some time, and I needed an excuse to be as fancy as possible.”
I heard a knock on my door and made my way to open it. I assumed the girls were arriving because it was nearly time to get things moving and grooving, and I wasn’t wrong.
“Hey,” Sebastian’s sister-in-law, Mickie, greeted me. She was something of a comrade-in-arms in the Sebastian III and Margot Aster department since they’d made her life a living hell for a while. No one could understand my situation more than Mickie, so I was grateful to have her here. “It’s great to finally see you without the chaos of the yacht party pulling us all away from each other.”
Saying Mickie was gorgeous was the understatement of the year. She was tall and statuesque, like a Roman goddess carved from marble. I instinctively hugged her, struggling not to get makeup on her stunning champagne gown, which highlighted her athletically toned physique and popped her green eyes like two perfectly set gemstones.
“And you don’t think thisauctionwon’t pull us all in different directions?” I laughed, feeling an edge of nerves threatening to ruin my once calm demeanor.
“This auction will be nothing but the elites trying to outdo each other,” Mickie said with an eye roll. “Besides, we have Nat with all of us, and she’ll keep the assholes away.”
“Speak for yourself,” Nat said, hugging Mickie. “How are you, sweetie?” She looked Mickie up and down as she stepped back, “You’re glowing, so you must be pregnant, or maybe the fucking is just as amazing as Cinderella’s over here?”
“Dear God, Nat,” I heard Avery say, arriving behind Mickie in the hallway with Ashley and another woman I hadn’t met before.
“This is Breanne,” Avery said, pointing to the unknown brunette as we entered the room. “She’s married to Jim’s best buddy, Alex, and she is responsible for everyone’s friendship with Natalia,” she chuckled.
“Very nice to meet you,” Breanne said with a bright, dimpled smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you, and I must say, you’re going to have an astounding column to write about the Asters when this is all said and done.”
“Oh, you know about that?”
“Yes, but I only know because those men gossip more than a senior citizen sewing circle once they start drinking,” she said with a smile, taking a flute of champagne that Nat had poured for all of us to toast with. “They can’t help themselves with the rumors.”
“And what’s the rumor?” I asked with a laugh.
“That Sebastian’s going to fuck himself if he fucks you over,” Ashley said with a laugh.
“Well, he seems on the right track so far,” Nat interrupted. “Sebastian booked his queen into this suite even though his parents are attending this event.”
“I suppose it says he’s not playing their games,” I said, clinking my glass against the others’ as we brought it in for a toast.
“Here’s to not playing games,” Avery said, raising her glass. “Now, let’s show these snooty East Coast bitches how it’s done.”
We all paused at how silly that sounded and watched as Nat sighed and rolled her eyes. “This isn’t the seventh game of the World Series,” Nat said dryly. “How many drinks have you already had, Mrs. Mitchell?” she teased.
“I had a well-deserved shot or two before coming up here,” she said with a laugh.
“I guess we should have joined you,” I said. “Ladies, you all look radiant. Here’s hoping I survive the night I created while drunk on the yacht.”
