Page 40 of All Bets Are Off

“Plum.”

I perked up. “Even better. Bring it on.”

“Fine.” Tallulah headed off to get my drink. When she returned, she slid a plate of maraschino cherries in front of me. They were blue—my favorite—and she rested one elbow on the counter as she regarded me. “You’ve kind of been elsewhere,” she said to me, stirring up the guilt I didn’t even know I felt. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” she hastily added. “You are a newlywed.”

“Oh, don’t go there.” I shook my head. “I don’t find your machinations funny.”

“Oh, yeah?” She studied me for a long time. “Who saw who naked?”

There was no way I was answering that. “He’s being a pain,” I replied, avoiding the question. “He keeps offering to get me a job.”

“And you’re not taking him up on that offer why?”

“Um… I don’t want to be a Nepo Baby.”

“Yeah, I don’t think that means what you think it means.”

I tried to hide a smile and failed. “Inconceivable.”

She laughed and took one of the cherries. “Seriously, though, why won’t you let him help you get a job?”

“Because if I take a job there, then I’m going to have to leave again in a year when we get divorced.”

“Ifyou get divorced,” she corrected.

I pretended I hadn’t heard her. I knew exactly where she was going with that statement, and I hated it. “I don’t want to have to start all over in a year,” I insisted. “That’s just a waste of time. Shouldn’t I be using this opportunity to find the exact right job?”

She arched one eyebrow. “It does make sense.”

“I know he’s trying to help.” Ididknow that. “I just… I need to figure this one out on my own.”

“I get that.” She patted my wrist. “How are things going otherwise?”

“Well, my mother is finally taking my calls again.” I sipped my plum daiquiri and grinned. “This is really good.”

“Yeah. It’s deceptively strong, too, so watch yourself.”

“Got it.” I shot her a thumbs-up and sipped again. “Anyway, what was I saying?”

“You were talking about your mother,” Tallulah replied. “I thought she was okay with the whole marriage thing.”

“Oh, she acted like it that night at the penthouse. Then she proceeded to avoid my calls for two weeks straight. Finally, last night she picked up. She wasn’t exactly effusive when talking to me. She wasn’t evil or anything, though.”

“Why do you think she’s mad?” Tallulah looked genuinely baffled. “I mean … you’d think she’d be happy that you snagged Zach. She’s always been fond of him.”

“Not that fond.”

I didn’t recognize that was probably the wrong thing to say until Tallulah readjusted her stance.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked.

Uh-oh. That was the wrong can of worms to open. “Nothing,” I replied automatically, shaking my head. “What’s going on over there?” I pointed toward a huge group of women holding signs as they marched down the sidewalk, seemingly heading in the direction of the Bellagio fountains.

“Um, no.” Tallulah shook her head. “Don’t even think of changing the subject. I want to know why you think that your parents aren’t fond of Zach. I thought they loved him.”

I sighed, hating how dramatic I sounded. “It’s just … they used to say things. Like they didn’t think Zach had enough parental supervision. That’s why they always wanted him to spend the night at our house. My mother once called him ‘superficially charming’ as well. I don’t think that makes it sound as if he’s their favorite.”

“No, but it’s also possible that they recognized he was a good guy and just needed a bit of guidance.”

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