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“Erik said to help ourselves to whatever.” She untwisted the wire cage. “This was in the refrigerator, therefore I am doing so.”
“How did you know about the vintage?”
“My parents loved Taittinger champagne.”
“In Southie?” She wrinkled her nose. “Sorry, that burst out. I know you—”
“In Greens Farms, Connecticut. An exquisitely wealthy community on Long Island Sound. I grew up there, the daughter of gazillionaires.”
Allie’s heart sank. So Sandra and Erik were cut from the same cloth. “But you said...”
“I lied.” She poured the bubbly into two flutes, tipping them so the foam would settle faster.
“Why?”
Sandra handed her a glass, her smile tinged with sympathy. “Honey, I think you know.”
Allie gaped at her, feeling betrayed. “Jonas told you.”
“Cheers.” Sandra took a sip and closed her eyes ecstatically. “Oh baby, that is almost better than sex.”
Allie followed suit, hardly tasting a thing.
“He told me in general terms under intense pressure. And only after I finally told him my story, which has more details you get to hear later.” She pulled out a chair. “Have a seat.”
Allie sat numbly. “You hadn’t told Jonas before?”
“Nope. Now I’ve told him and Erik and you. Because I have discovered something important that everyone should know, but which took me over thirty years to figure out. And I am passing this wisdom along to you, my sister.” She passed Allie a plate. “Have a chicken wing.”
“That’s it?” she said incredulously. “‘Have a chicken wing’?”
Sandra snorted. “It is that I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks of me except the people I love.”
“The people you love.” Allie was slowly starting to get what Sandra was saying. “Because those are the people—”
“Who must accept me as I am. If they don’t...” She hoisted her champagne glass. “Screw ’em. You and I, my darling Allie, have cared too much what the wrong people think. If we want to be happy, we have to go out there and grab our men by the balls and yank until they...what the hell am I saying?”
Allie giggled and reached for the bottle. “I have no idea, but it sounded intriguing. More champagne?”
“Absolutely. You know what’s so ironic?”
Allie finished pouring. “No, Sandra, what is so ironic?”
“I started this whole thing just wanting Erik for his money.”
“But you grew up with tons.”
“My parents cut me off when I was seventeen.”
“No kidding.” Allie sat there, astounded. She’d spent her whole life making sure she never prized a man for his wealth, and here was Sandra, whom she liked and respected, saying exactly the opposite. “Were you trying to get money from Jonas, too?”
“Yes, but I actually liked Jonas.”
Allie nearly snorted champagne. Since she didn’t, she drank more. “You know, this keeps tasting better.”
“Doesn’t it?” Sandra topped off their glasses. “I have a great idea. Let’s see how long that keeps happening.”
“So you started just wanting Erik’s money, but then...” She knew, but she was curious if Sandra would admit it.
“And then I did something incredibly stupid.” She dropped her gaze, took a deep breath. “I—”
“Fell in love with him.”
Sandra’s head jerked up. “How did you know?”
“Ha! It’s right up there.” Allie pointed over her head, then clenched and unclenched her fingers. “Flashing pink neon.”
“Damn.” Sandra drained a third of her glass. “So my delicious power play, my fabulous manipulation of the poor innocent man, officially backfired. And it gets worse.”
“Wait, how?”
Sandra sighed. “I don’t even want to admit how pathetically low I’ve fallen.”
“That bad?”
“I can hardly admit it.” She made a face, as if she’d eaten something foul. “I want him to love me for me.”
“Oh my God, you’re right.” Allie kept her face deadpan. “That is horrifying. You are totally screwed.”
Sandra burst into giggles. “You need to drink more. You are hilarious.”
“You mean now? Okay.” Allie half finished her champagne and held it out for more when Sandra offered. “So, now what? You marry him and live happily ever after?”
“Marry him? You have to be kidding me.” She poured unsteadily, nearly sloshing champagne over the top of Allie’s glass. “Men like Erik don’t want to get married. He’s playing at love. He will keep me around until I start looking old and then he’ll trade me in for a younger model.”
