host. But it wasn’t as good as the feast at that dive Kate had unearthed in Chinatown. The girls exchanged secret glances.
Since Serena had obvious pull in her father’s restaurant, the Wonders were drinking a fair bit, with Serena leading the charge. Even Kate was on her second Kingfisher. Olivia nursed a Chablis while Serena, Morgan and Claire dove into pitchers of sangria laced with cardamom. They careened into truth-telling at record speed. It started when Kate complimented Serena on her father’s vision.
“Yes, his oh-so-brilliant vision.” Serena motioned for another pitcher. “My father’s vision currently includes a twenty-three-year-old London assistant. And apparently this one is serious.”
“Oh, that’s hideous!” Morgan, the most effusive of the Wonders, threw her arm around Serena. “Divorce?”
Serena nodded. “Yeah, and since most of this”—she waved at the room—“is my mother’s family, it’s going to get real loud and real ugly, real quick.” She took a gulp of sangria. “At least most of the tabloid stuff will be London-based.”
“I wish my parents would get divorced,” Morgan groaned. “They’ve split so many times it’s a revolving door at my house.”
“I don’t know,” said Claire. “My parents separated when I was two, and I see my dad maybe twice a year. The rest of them—my family—well, if you’ve read Crazy Rich Asians, those are my people. How about you, Kate?”
Olivia held her breath.
“Dead, remember?”
“Damn, sorry. I’m such a—”
“No, no, uh, it’s…don’t sweat it. It’s kinda nice that you all keep forgetting.”
Olivia felt obliged to leap into the lurch. “My mom died when I was eight. Old enough to remember, but not old enough to really remember, you know?”
They all nodded, even though they clearly did not.
“Then Dad married twice and divorced twice, both at the speed of light.” Olivia waited until the server had refilled her glass. Careful. She had to watch the alcohol. “I almost liked them both, you know?”
Again they nodded, not knowing. All except for Kate.
“Dad says that’s it. No more wives.” She took a sip, shrugged. “Me? I wish he’d find someone who would make him happy.” Truth was, it would take a load off her. She’d be less burdened if he had someone to—
Then she spotted them.
“OhmyGod!”
The Wonders inhaled as one. “What!”
“Don’t anyone move. Serena, at your three o’clock—Claire, your four. Kate, right behind you. Don’t anyone turn around. Draper has just walked in with…Mark Redkin!” Could they hear her heart pounding?
“Draper and Redkin? No way!” said Claire, gripping the edge of the table.
“Shh! They’re at the bar,” Serena reported. “Looks like they’re just going to get a drink and some nibbles. He’s asked for the bar menu.”
Olivia’s insides burned. It surprised her.
“Well, well, well.” Claire picked up the pitcher. “Didn’t you meet with him on Friday, Kate?”
Kate reddened. No one noticed except Olivia.
“Yeah, along with Ms. Goodlace. It was just for a minute.” She drained her beer. “The logistics of the photo shoot, a bit about heading tables at the Winterfest Gala. I’m thinking that Goodlace isn’t drinking the Redkin Kool-Aid, though. It’s nothing obvious but…”
“No surprise there.” Serena rolled her eyes. “She’s the head, and she’s immune because she’s ninety.”
“Yeah, that’s probably…are you sure I can’t turn around?”
“No!” Olivia and Serena said at once.
“Whoa!” Serena’s eyes widened. Olivia was silent.
“What, what, what?” demanded Morgan and Claire.
Mark’s hand was on Draper’s knee and inching up her thigh. Then a squeeze.
No one peeked or peeped. They were as still as statues, even though most of the table didn’t know what was going on. Olivia’s own thigh warmed. He was touching someone else and she felt it. She felt Mark Redkin as his hand groped
Since Serena had obvious pull in her father’s restaurant, the Wonders were drinking a fair bit, with Serena leading the charge. Even Kate was on her second Kingfisher. Olivia nursed a Chablis while Serena, Morgan and Claire dove into pitchers of sangria laced with cardamom. They careened into truth-telling at record speed. It started when Kate complimented Serena on her father’s vision.
“Yes, his oh-so-brilliant vision.” Serena motioned for another pitcher. “My father’s vision currently includes a twenty-three-year-old London assistant. And apparently this one is serious.”
“Oh, that’s hideous!” Morgan, the most effusive of the Wonders, threw her arm around Serena. “Divorce?”
Serena nodded. “Yeah, and since most of this”—she waved at the room—“is my mother’s family, it’s going to get real loud and real ugly, real quick.” She took a gulp of sangria. “At least most of the tabloid stuff will be London-based.”
“I wish my parents would get divorced,” Morgan groaned. “They’ve split so many times it’s a revolving door at my house.”
“I don’t know,” said Claire. “My parents separated when I was two, and I see my dad maybe twice a year. The rest of them—my family—well, if you’ve read Crazy Rich Asians, those are my people. How about you, Kate?”
Olivia held her breath.
“Dead, remember?”
“Damn, sorry. I’m such a—”
“No, no, uh, it’s…don’t sweat it. It’s kinda nice that you all keep forgetting.”
Olivia felt obliged to leap into the lurch. “My mom died when I was eight. Old enough to remember, but not old enough to really remember, you know?”
They all nodded, even though they clearly did not.
“Then Dad married twice and divorced twice, both at the speed of light.” Olivia waited until the server had refilled her glass. Careful. She had to watch the alcohol. “I almost liked them both, you know?”
Again they nodded, not knowing. All except for Kate.
“Dad says that’s it. No more wives.” She took a sip, shrugged. “Me? I wish he’d find someone who would make him happy.” Truth was, it would take a load off her. She’d be less burdened if he had someone to—
Then she spotted them.
“OhmyGod!”
The Wonders inhaled as one. “What!”
“Don’t anyone move. Serena, at your three o’clock—Claire, your four. Kate, right behind you. Don’t anyone turn around. Draper has just walked in with…Mark Redkin!” Could they hear her heart pounding?
“Draper and Redkin? No way!” said Claire, gripping the edge of the table.
“Shh! They’re at the bar,” Serena reported. “Looks like they’re just going to get a drink and some nibbles. He’s asked for the bar menu.”
Olivia’s insides burned. It surprised her.
“Well, well, well.” Claire picked up the pitcher. “Didn’t you meet with him on Friday, Kate?”
Kate reddened. No one noticed except Olivia.
“Yeah, along with Ms. Goodlace. It was just for a minute.” She drained her beer. “The logistics of the photo shoot, a bit about heading tables at the Winterfest Gala. I’m thinking that Goodlace isn’t drinking the Redkin Kool-Aid, though. It’s nothing obvious but…”
“No surprise there.” Serena rolled her eyes. “She’s the head, and she’s immune because she’s ninety.”
“Yeah, that’s probably…are you sure I can’t turn around?”
“No!” Olivia and Serena said at once.
“Whoa!” Serena’s eyes widened. Olivia was silent.
“What, what, what?” demanded Morgan and Claire.
Mark’s hand was on Draper’s knee and inching up her thigh. Then a squeeze.
No one peeked or peeped. They were as still as statues, even though most of the table didn’t know what was going on. Olivia’s own thigh warmed. He was touching someone else and she felt it. She felt Mark Redkin as his hand groped
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