For Richer, for Richest

by Gina Robinson

  Magda glanced over at us.

  "You have great taste and you know delicious cake when you eat it—what more do you need?" Jus said with obvious pride.

  I shook my head at him.

  "I'm still sorry to miss it. I'm set up to record it. Break a leg!" He gently rubbed my arm.

  "I don't think you tell interviewees to break legs," I said.

  He winked, giving me a look that made my heart melt. It was so damned full of love and happiness. How the hell did he put that on? He never looked at me like that when no one was around. I was beginning to imagine I was hallucinating it. A desperate woman thirsty for love? Was I becoming one of those decoy brides who actually fell in love with her husband? And looked for whatever signs and hope she could find?

  It would serve me right, I supposed. But at other times I wondered if all this pretending to be in love had simply gone to my head. Could my heart actually be starting to think it was real?

  Jus glanced at his phone. "Shit! I have to be going." He downed the rest of his orange juice.

  I walked him to the door.

  He hesitated.

  "Yes?" I said.

  He looked so damnably nervous and adorable. "Mom's been texting. Begging me, coercing me, using all her motherly guilt-inducing tactics, to bring you to Naples for the last of the rugby season. She wants us to spend a few days with them before they finish their last summer rugby tournament. Meet Dad and my brothers. See the family biz in action."

  He skimmed my arm with the backs of his fingers, looking at the floor. And then at me apologetically from beneath his lashes. "It will be trial by fire. But it's not a bad idea. We could take a few extra days and go down the Amalfi Coast. Make a mini-honeymoon out of it. Before the craziness of the fall shopping and the run-up to the Christmas season. Once fall hits, it's chaos at Flash until the mid-January retail dead zone."

  He was nervous about trying to convince me to go to Italy with him? Was he kidding? I'd always wanted to go to the Amalfi Coast. Even if it meant dealing with his family in Naples first. "Yes."

  He hesitated like he was only halfway through a prepared speech. "Really? Naples is a dirty city. And my brothers will give us both a ton of shit."

  I nodded. "Going to Italy is on my list."

  His face relaxed. "We could stop by Milan on the way. Check out a few of the Italian designers Flash has been eyeing. I could use your opinion."

  I grabbed his arm. "I would absolutely love that!"

  He smiled. "Great. I was thinking we'd take a private jet to Milan. From there to Genoa. On to Naples for a few. Then hire a car down the coast. Or rent a yacht for day or two."

  I was already dreaming about it. A honeymoon was a great idea. It added authenticity to our marriage. "Sounds wonderful to me!"

  His answering grin was positively boyish and charming. "We'll do it, then! I'll text Mom and get Ophie to make the arrangements and get back to you." He gave me a parting kiss and was finally out the door before I could protest.

  Ophie? That wasn't going to go over well.

  Magda had been bustling around, conspicuously busy and not listening to our conversation. She'd been bursting to say something all morning. Once Jus was gone, she let loose. "Mr. Jus never does interviews!"

  I couldn't tell whether she was condemning him or me or what. But I was glad she'd been concentrating on the interview and not our vacation.

  "He should. He really should!" I said with that burst-of-pride voice. Where had it come from? "He would be fantastic at them! He shouldn't let Riggins hog all the spotlight all the time. You should have seen Jus at the hospital yesterday, Magda. He charmed everyone!"

  Magda had been slowly warming to me day by day. Since I'd followed her advice and changed my name, I'd gotten on her good side. She smiled approvingly—at both my sentiment and the way I was gushing about Jus—and nodded. "That's what I say! But will he listen?"

  I took a sip of coffee. "Are you sure you don't want to come backstage with me and that new personal assistant, Andrea, that Lazer sent over to help me? If you're lucky, you might get a chance to meet Sunshine Sheri." I singsonged the last bit, trying to entice her.

  Magda brushed my suggestion aside. "No, thanks! I'll be much happier in the audience. But maybe I could just get her autograph after the show."

  Sunshine Sheri was the affectionate nickname Seattle gave Northwest Mornings host Sheri Carmichael. She'd picked up the moniker when she'd begun her career as a weather girl during the record-breaking hot, dry Seattle June of 1992. I, of course, was barely born, so I didn't remember it. All this was according to her LinkedIn bio. Not the nickname bit. The part about the start of her career. The name stuck, in large part, because of her upbeat attitude and sunny smile.

  Magda loved her and watched her daily morning show while she cleaned the penthouse and attended to her duties. She was something of a Sunshine Sheri fanatic. Since I'd gotten the interview, she'd worked Sheri any way she could work into conversation, subtly or, in most cases, obviously. It was getting pretty hilarious, really. I'd had no choice but to invite her along and get her a ticket in the studio audience.

  Sheri was an aging star now, in TV terms, and relegated to the semi-popular morning show that did puff pieces, human interest, and public service announcements. She was the friendly, perky TV host talking to minor celebrities and locals of note. She did a weekly segment with a local gardening expert, cooking pieces with regionally known top chefs, that kind of thing. Going on her show was like being tossed a slow-pitch softball by someone who wanted you to get a home run. There was no reason for nerves. How could anyone be afraid when they had Sheri to make them look good?

  Three hours later, Sheri's makeup and wardrobe people did a last-minute touchup to me backstage while Sheri gave me a glowing introduction to her audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm so pleased. The theme of today's show is one of my favorites—summer weddings! Well, it's June, so what else could we do?"

  She flirted expertly with the audience. "Our special guest today is the summer bride of the season. Please welcome the new bride everyone is talking about. And every single Seattle girl wishes she were. Come on out, Kayla! Ladies and gentlemen—"

  Gentlemen? I peered out at the crowd from backstage, looking for one. Were there any gentlemen? Or even any regular guys, gentlemanlike or not?

  "I give you Mrs. Justin Green!" Sheri clapped.

  That was my cue. One of Sheri's crew checked my mic a final time.

  Andrea gave me a gentle push toward the stage. "You're on! Relax. You'll be great!"

  I walked across the stage, smiling and waving to the studio audience while they applauded politely. Sheri's producer had given me a brief two days ago, asking me to dress like a guest at a summer wedding. The perfect outfit had come to mind immediately.

  I was wearing my favorite, flirty little yellow dress I'd gotten off Flashionista shortly before we "got married." And a pair of spectacular platform sandals in nude with rhinestone bows that Jus had brought home for me from the merch buyers stock of samples specifically to wear on the show. The shoes were going to be featured on the Flash site this very day. We hoped me wearing them would be good for sales. I looked so much like the quintessential Flashionista girl. I could have stepped from the pages of their daily digital catalogue.

  Sheri greeted me with a hug. "Look at you! Beautiful! Just like a young bride should be. Doesn't she look fabulous?" She turned to the audience for confirmation.

  More applause.

  I hadn't had a chance to meet Sheri before the show. Some last-minute emergency she had to attend to. Usually, at least in every show I'd seen, Sheri was dressed in something seasonally fun and stylish. Today, like me, she was dressed as a fashionable wedding guest. Flash's stylists had sent a selection of outfits over for Sheri. In exchange for a sponsor thanks at the end of the show. It had been my suggestion. The more advertising, the better.

  I recognized the dress she was wearing as the most severe of the selection. We'd sent h
er everything from whimsical and flirty, to staid and traditional. Although the flared skirt of her dress gave it a fun air, she erred on the side of staid and traditional. To the point she could decently be confused for a newsroom anchor. Her hair was up in a severe, businesslike French twist. A few loose tendrils would have softened it. I itched to pull a few free. Even her lipstick was darker than usual.

  She took a seat on the sofa and patted the place next to her, smiling brightly. I should have felt surprisingly at ease. Sheri had that bubbly, enthusiastic way that makes for good TV. But something felt off to me. I hoped she wasn't having a bad day.

  As I smiled at the audience, Magda gave me a thumbs-up from the front row.

  I had a communications minor and had done some work with the university's TV station, so I wasn't a complete neophyte. I knew all about sound bites and how words and quotes could be taken out of context. I was representing Flashionista and Jus as much as myself. So I was properly armed for battle. Not like it seemed like there was going to be one. Sheri was perfectly pleasant and always harmless. But I was ready for anything.

  "Kayla, best wishes from all of us! You're the envy of every single girl in Seattle right now. Their inspiration. You came out of nowhere and snagged one of Seattle's most eligible, and richest, bachelors. I have it on good authority from a friend of mine, a confidential source, who works for the magazine that makes the yearly list of Seattle's hottest bachelors, that she's devastated. So much of her work down the drain now. Justin was going to be featured as one of Seattle's hottest men this September, right along with, shall we say"—Sheri winked—"several of his friends who've received the honor in past years. You've ruined her story." She paused.

  Jus made the list? Really? Before I got my hands on him and prettied him up? That seemed like a stretch. Was I supposed to answer? Defend myself? I smiled and shrugged good-naturedly. "Love happens!"

  Sheri nodded sagely. "Well, I think we can at least partly attribute Justin's new, hot look to you. Pictures of him since your marriage show a happy, well-groomed, well-dressed guy. Quite a difference from a few months ago. We're all dying to hear what it's like to go from rags to riches?"

  I fixed a smile on my face. The little minx was trying to trap me and make me look like I went after Jus for his money. Who did she suddenly think she was? She'd turned into a Cokie Roberts clone, going for the journalistic kill and the inside story.

  "I wasn't in rags." I kept my head high. "I come from an upper middle-class family. Mom's a lawyer. Dad's a doctor. I'm a young professional—"

  "Who worked part time at a small, struggling men's underwear company." Sheri smiled at the audience as if letting them in on her inside joke. "Tighty whities, anyone? Was your desk full of samples of men's briefs?"

  I opened my mouth to give a flippant remark, something along the lines of, Oh, no! I give them to all my guy friends and one-night stands. I caught a look of thunder on Magda's face and changed course just in time.

  "I couldn't comment on whether my former employer is struggling or not. But it was a perfectly respectable first professional job. My degree is in business and fashion merchandising. It was a natural fit for my skills—"

  "Going from struggling with men's briefs"—heavy on the innuendo—"to living in a gorgeous Bellevue penthouse with a 360-degree view of, well, everything! The water, the mountains, downtown Seattle across Bellevue! You're looking down on everyone. No one can say you haven't come up in the world. Substantially come up."

  "Yes, the penthouse is lovely. But money isn't everything. My apartment in West Seattle is in the heart of one of the hottest areas in Seattle, especially for my generation. I was surrounded by friends. I loved it there—"

  "But it can't compare to now, can it? You're living like a princess. In the spotlight. Dressing in all the best clothes. Things regular woman can't afford." She leaned toward me with that serious journalist look on her face. Which was comical on her. Sunshine Sheri just wasn't the next Christiane Amanpour.

  Inwardly, I sighed with relief. She'd just accidentally tossed me that soft pitch I'd been expecting. I smiled, genuinely happy to get another plug in. "Actually, every girl can afford to dress the way I do. That's the whole point of Flashionista. I bought this dress off the Flashionista site before I married Jus. Flashionista has prices to fit every girl's budget. You can dress like a princess, too—"

  "Yes, yes, everyone loves Flash!" Sheri smiled too warmly. "That's what made Justin and his business partner Riggins billionaires, after all. They, apparently, know what women like." She put a little too much innuendo in her voice.

  The live studio audience laughed. Everyone but Magda. She looked confused.

  Sheri's eyes narrowed. She gave my arm a patronizing touch. "Before we get to the heart of our show and start tasting cakes and critiquing wedding attire, what everyone really wants to know is how you snagged such a determined bachelor?"

  It was hard not to look startled by the question. "Jus is only twenty-one. I wouldn't call him a determined bachelor. The average guy my age doesn't get married until, what? Twenty-seven?" I stopped just short of saying Jus was still a baby.

  "Maybe not in the strictest sense, but we have it on excellent authority that he wasn't seeing anyone. Wasn't even dating casually. Way too busy building Flashionista into one of Seattle's fastest-growing businesses. And then, there you were, his blushing bride, popping up out of nowhere!" She looked giddy.

  Why was I on the spot here? Where was that cake?

  "It wasn't that sudden." I had to force the quaver of anger out of my voice. My smile felt frozen on my face. Be animated. Be happy! Be personable!

  "Jus and I have known each other for years. I'm sure you've done your research." A jab back at her. "We met in college. But Jus was, well, very young back then. He started college at sixteen."

  I laughed, self-deprecatingly. "Yes. I am the older woman. I went to college at the usual age. He wasn't ready for a relationship then, and I was dating someone else. When we reconnected, we were both single. And ready for something serious. When you meet the right person, it feels right. We knew from almost the first minute we said hello that we belonged together. Why put off the inevitable?" I was getting a little indignant and trying not to let it show.

  The audience gave a collective sigh. True love, wasn't it great?

  I smiled into the camera and did an air kiss. "I love you, Jus." In that moment, I thought I meant it. My real life and my fantasy life were blending together.

  The audience sighed.

  "Who could resist Jus?" I said before Sheri could cut me off. "You've seen him, people. You know what I'm talking about. He's sweet, charming, thoughtful, super smart, and smoking hot!"

  I turned to the audience and winked at them. "Sheri just said he was on the Seattle's Hottest Bachelor list for fall. So am I blinded by love and completely wrong?"

  Whistles and hoots erupted, along with enthusiastic applause. Someone yelled, "I wouldn't kick him out of bed!"

  The edges of Sheri's mouth curled very slightly into a snarl, hardly enough to notice unless you were paying close attention. Like I was. She was pissed I was taking over her show. And quashing her agenda.

  "I was about to ask what attracted you to Justin." Her laugh was forced and sarcastic. "Now we know! We promised the audience tips about dressing as guests for different types of summer weddings. You put together some sample outfits for us. Are you ready for us to bring out the first ensemble?"

  I nodded, and Sarah came out wearing an outfit appropriate for a beach wedding, including a pair of barefoot sandals. Sole-less shoes. I described the elements of the outfit, what made it such a good choice, and how much viewers could save by looking for deals on it and buying it at Flash.

  As Sarah left the stage, Sheri clapped politely. "Tell us about your wedding, Kayla. What would have been appropriate attire for it?" Her question was barbed. Ouch.

  Even though my heart stopped—how did I know what happened at Justin's wedding? Even he di
dn't remember—I kept smiling. Viewed in a certain light, it was kind of funny. I tried to keep it light. "We eloped on the spur of the moment. So I guess whatever you were wearing at the moment."

  "Did you have guests at the wedding?"

  "No." I was pretty confident about that.

  I'd brought three more outfits with me. We went through the same routine with each, including the dress and shoes I was wearing. My diamond bracelet sparkled and caught the light as I gestured and pointed at each accessory and clothing element.

  "That's a gorgeous diamond bracelet!" Sheri held out her hand. "Here. Let me see it." She took my hand in hers. "Fabulous."

  I beamed. "Thank you. Jus gave it to me this morning for our two-week anniversary."

  That got a sigh out of the audience.

  Sheri dropped my hand. "Most new grooms can't afford such an expensive gift. What is it like living the life of a billionaire's wife? You quit your tighty-whitie job, didn't you?" Her gaze was piercing. Or trying to be. (Though, coming from Sunshine Sheri, it was a little funny ha-ha.) And her voice was heavy with accusation.

  Wait a minute! I hadn't stolen from anyone. I took a deep breath and reached deep inside for suitable sound bites. I kept on smiling. "Living with Jus is a wonderful surprise every day. And I don't mean diamond bracelets. He treats me with respect and love. Better than any guy I've dated before. We have fun together. Any girl can have that with her guy. It's free, and yet it's priceless."

  Sheri's nostrils flared gently. She was furious at being thwarted in whatever weird agenda she had. I was winning her audience. Which had been growing thin in recent months. And was rumored to be packed with staffers and people dragged in off the street. But was packed today with Justin's admirers. And possibly the hope of a free gift from Flash.