All those years she’d wasted on James, who’d turned out to be not just a disappointment but an abuser on top of everything else. He’d only raised his hand to her that one time, but the emotional abuse had been there almost from the beginning; she just hadn’t recognized it for what it was. And that, more than anything, pissed her off. He’d been so charming that she’d overlooked far too much. Now that she was free, it made her almost sick to her stomach to remember how much garbage she’d put up with over the years before she’d finally walked away. Gigi had filed a police report about the attack, but he’d skipped town and she hadn’t heard from him since. As far as she was concerned, that was good enough for her. If she never heard from him again, it would be too soon.
“The party can start now!” Hope called as she waltzed into the kitchen carrying a case of champagne. “Who’s ready for some bubbly?”
“I am.” Skyler’s hand shot in the air.
Pete shrugged one shoulder and said, “Sure.”
“Excellent.” Hope place the box on the counter, smoothed her fitted suit jacket, and glanced around. “Where are the champagne flutes?”
“In the dining room,” Gigi said. “On the table where you put them earlier.” Hope had planned the party and had taken care of most of the details earlier that day.
“Right,” she chuckled. “Forties brain. That’s what I’ve been calling it when I have a mental lapse. It’s better than imagining I’m getting early onset dementia.” Glancing at Skyler she said, “Can you stuff these in the refrigerator? I’m gonna go fill those glasses.”
“On it.” Skyler got busy with his task while Gigi grabbed the charcuterie tray and followed Hope into the adjoining room. She’d just finished setting the rest of the food on the table when the doorbell rang.
They both glanced up and stared at the door across the room.
Hope raised an eyebrow. “It has to be Sebastian. Everyone else would’ve just walked right in, don’t you think?”
Nerves made Gigi’s throat tighten, making it impossible to answer Hope. Instead, she just nodded and forced herself to cross the room. She’d never been nervous about seeing Sebastian before, but now that she was certain he was hiding information from her, she was both angry and full of trepidation. If he really was withholding something he knew about her mother’s disappearance, there was definitely a reason, and likely one that was going to gut her.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and did a double take when she spotted Autumn, the woman from the estate sale who also happened to be Skyler’s newest employee. “Uh, Autumn. Hi,” Gigi stammered, feeling like an idiot. Why couldn’t she seem to keep her composure that evening?
Autumn peered past Gigi, looking nervous. “Am I early? I thought Skyler told me to be here at seven?”
“No! You’re not early,” Skyler called as he hurried over to them. “You’re right on time actually.” He gently nudged Gigi to the side and then pulled Autumn into the house. “I’m so glad you could make it.” He turned to Gigi. “You remember Autumn, right? I told her she should stop by so she can meet Pete and get to know some people in town since she’s relatively new around here.”
Gigi didn’t miss the slightly apologetic look he sent her for inviting someone she didn’t really know to her fake party. But she had someone else she needed to focus on, and worrying about Autumn wasn’t on her radar. “Of course I remember Autumn. Go introduce her to Pete and grab her a glass of champagne while I—”
“Hey, Gigi,” Lucas, Hope’s fiancé, said as he walked in. He wrapped her in a quick hug and gave her a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks for the invite. Hope’s been talking about this party nonstop for three days. You’d think she hadn’t seen her girls in weeks,” he added with a chuckle.
“You know how excited we get,” Gigi said with a nervous chuckle of her own.
He raised one eyebrow as if he knew they were up to some sort of shenanigans. Of course he did. Hope would’ve told him.
Gigi waved him off toward Hope. “Your better half is over there pouring the champagne.”
“Then that’s exactly where I need to be.” He winked at her and crossed the room toward where Skyler was introducing Autumn to Hope.
Voices sounded from behind her, and she spun to find the rest of the crew walking in, chatting and laughing. She said her hellos to Grace, Owen, Joy, and Troy. They were all easygoing and happy to be gathered for an intimate party with their closest friends, and it didn’t take long for her to relax and join the conversation.
“Gigi, did you know that Carly Preston has a really impressive herbal room?” Joy asked her, referring to the famous actress who was Premonition Pointe’s newest permanent resident. She was holding a small white, unmarked jar in one hand and a champagne glass with the other.
“No. I didn’t know that,” Gigi said. “Is she a collector or a practitioner?”
“Definitely a practitioner.” She held up the jar in her left hand. “I told her you have a gift with herbs, and she actually wanted me to give you this to see what you thought of it. It’s supposed to help smooth out cellulite.”
Gigi frowned as she looked down at her own legs peeking out from the hem of her fairly casual cotton dress. “Was this her way of telling me I might need a little work done on my thighs?”
“Oh goddess, no!” Joy said, sounding horrified that she might have offended Gigi. “Your thighs are perfect as near as I can tell… I mean, of what I’ve seen of them.” She let out a nervous laugh, and Troy, who was standing beside her, couldn’t hold in his own chuckle.
“Good job, babe,” he stage-whispered. “Way to give your friend a complex.”
“Stop.” She playfully swatted his chest. “Go talk to Skyler about that photoshoot you two are supposed to be setting up next week. I don’t need your help here. I’m perfectly capable of putting my foot in my mouth all by myself.”
He laughed again, pressed a kiss to her temple, and winked at Gigi as he strode across the room to chat with the designer.
“Sorry!” Joy said, giving her an apologetic smile. “That didn’t start out well. Carly is an amateur herbalist. She works on potions and herbal remedies to relax after spending so much time on set. This salve though, she thinks might be marketable, and she wanted to get your opinion before she decided to do anything.”
“Like a professional opinion?” Gigi asked, shocked.
“Yeah.”
“But I’m not a professional. I don’t sell anything I make,” Gigi insisted. It was true that she had a gift with herbs. Ever since she was young, Gigi had felt a connection to the earth and the magical plants she produced. And she made everything from lip balms to eye creams to headache potions. She’d once had ideas of opening a shop, but being married to James had killed that idea. He’d wanted her to be available when he needed her for his own business needs. She’d agreed at first, imagining that at some point the tides would shift and she’d have her turn at a career. But when it became clear all he cared about was money, Gigi had put her dreams aside, knowing that if her business ever became anything substantial, he’d take it all from her one way or another.