Chapter 2
2
CLAIRE
“ I cannot tell you how much I love this, Claire. You literally took a simple idea that I had offhand and made it the best birthday party I have ever had in my life.”
I smiled at my client’s words, knowing they were only slightly slurred. It had been an amazing party after all, including a champagne bar with different sugar cubes and fruit to put in the champagne. And no matter how much water I also shoved down the throats of these guests, they’d indulged a little too much. But that was their prerogative. Because I had also planned rides for everyone. There would be no drunk driving on my watch.
“I’m just happy you’re happy. Now go enjoy yourself. We’ve got it from here. ”
She hugged me tightly, having done it so quickly I hadn’t been able to brace myself. I stiffened for just a bare instant, as if bracing for the blow. I didn’t think Jasmine noticed though. Instead she just hugged me again, giggling in my ear, before skipping off with her friends to go enjoy her thirtieth birthday.
I swallowed hard, then ran my hands down my dove-gray slacks and told myself to get a reality check. Everything was fine. Nobody was out to get me. Nobody was going to hurt me.
“Claire?”
I turned to Trix and grinned, though I knew it probably didn’t reach my eyes. “What can I do for you, Trix?””
“You were just standing there for a second. Are you okay?”
I held back a wince at her words, because I knew she was just worried about me. Like everybody was worried about me. It had been six months since the attack.
It had been six months since the feeling of ice-cold steel burned through my flesh and dug around on my insides. I knew that it wasn’t ice-cold, and it wasn’t an actual fiery hot poker. But every memory I had was of the two.
I had tried to protect my friend, and tried to get us out of a terrible situation that so many people were doing their best to protect us from, and I had failed. But I was fine . I no longer had phantom pain. The scar would one day be a memory. And when enough time passed, my brother would tattoo over it, and I would never have to look at it again.
So why did I flinch when someone hugged me?
“Claire?”
I shook my head, knowing that it was probably scaring my team members. The fact that I even had people that I hired to help with events and parties was insane to me.
Trix was my right-hand woman, well, and my left-hand. She was the only person I hired with a regular paycheck, while everyone else was hired per-diem based on what I needed for any given event. It was all I could do for now, but one day it would be more. At least I hoped so.
“Sorry. Off in my own world. Long hours.” Not quite a lie.
“That’s why I was over here. You should go home. We’ll handle all the cleaning and everything. You’ve handled all the admin, and we’ll double-check that all the drivers know their positions and assignments, and we have it all. You should go home. Go see Phoebe. I know you said you would try to see her if you got out of here on time. So let’s make that happen.”
“You don’t have to do that. I like being here.”
Trix gave me that perfected look of hers. At the moment, she had bubblegum pink hair in a lovely coiffed to-do up top with the sides shaved. The gem on her nose ring matched the color of her hair, and she had on a white suit without a speck of dirt on it. I wasn’t quite sure how she had accomplished that considering the woman had been crawling on the ground looking for a diamond ring lost by one of the guests earlier. She had found it and hadn’t ended up with a single stain. It was like magic.
But right then though, she gave me the expression of someone who was sick of my bullshit. Frankly, I was sick of my bullshit too, but it wasn’t like I knew what I was supposed to say in this moment. I’m sorry for flaking out, and for worrying everyone. I’m sorry that you and my brother and all of my friends and even people I didn’t know were my friends were so worried about me that they seemed to have created a phone tree just to check on me. No, I didn’t think I was supposed to say any of that. But I wasn’t quite sure there were words.
“Go home. You’ve already worked a twelve-hour day, and the birthday girl has already thanked you, and has seen you around every single instant she has needed you. I can handle this, and so can the team you have trained. You’re doing great.”
“But what if someone needs something…”
“Then let us handle it. You trained us well, boss.”
“I know you guys can handle it. That’s not the problem. But what if they want to set up a meet for another event?”
That was the big thing with my business. Word of mouth literally kept my business afloat or killed it.
“You have given your information to six people so far, and I have it right here.” She tapped the little fanny pack on her side that blended in with her suit. It was still stain-free. Still not quite sure how she made that happen.
“But—”
Trix held up her hand and gave me an oh-so-patient look. “I love you with all of my heart. Now go home. To that beautiful home that you just bought and rarely stay in. You deserve it. You’re a homeowner.”
“I know I’m a homeowner. It still feels weird.”
I had been an apartment renter for longer than I had planned. But I had loved living with Phoebe, and we both owned our own businesses, which meant there wasn’t always enough money for things like a mortgage. But the perfect little cottage had fallen into my lap—probably thanks to the Montgomerys—and I couldn’t walk away from it.
So now I was a homeowner of a home I rarely stayed in.
Because I lived there alone.
And I didn’t want to live alone all the time.
However, I pushed those thoughts from my mind, and knew that Trix was right because the longer I let myself stand here while she stared at me, worried for me, the more she would worry.
And there were only so many times I could lie to everyone’s faces and tell them that I was fine when I clearly wasn’t.
“You know what, you’re right. I’m going to go home, heat up one of the many leftover meals I have in the freezer, and put my feet up.”
“You know what? I believe some of that, but I have a feeling you’ll only put your feet up so you can put your laptop on your lap and actually get some work done.”
“Potato Potato,” I said, saying the words with the same pronunciation, as she rolled her eyes at me, and I left her to do a quick look around before being forcibly pushed into my car by two of the team members. They did it with laughter in their eyes and didn’t actually touch me for which I was grateful, but I knew when I had lost all ability to make my own choices.
I was defeated and had to get work done.
Darn it.
I was an event planner. I not only planned birthday parties like this extravagant affair that I put nearly too many working hours in to execute, I planned weddings, retirement parties, anniversaries, reunions, and just parties for the sake of parties. In a world where sometimes there didn’t seem to be any light, or where we forgot to celebrate the little wins because the goalpost of the big wins kept moving further and further, my job was to celebrate those moments. Yes, I was a party planner, but I wasn’t all Party City with fake pointy hats and balloons. I strived to be elegant, or down-home, ideally with whatever budget somebody needed.
I had a business degree, and countless contacts. One of my friends from college had gone straight into wedding planning, and only did that. And you could have a fulfilling and very full career in my business doing just that. But as someone who had maintained a crush for far too long without any reciprocated feelings, looking into happy ever afters every day probably wasn’t good for my health. So I planned all parties.
Including divorce parties, funerals, and breakup girl-time parties.
Those weren’t celebrations in some cases—no, those were moments in time when you needed your circle to remind you that you were okay.
I pulled into my driveway and looked at the small cottage that was just mine and smiled. It was my home. Just mine. And nobody could take that away from me.
A shiver slid down my back, but I ignored it. Nobody was watching me; nobody cared what I was doing. Nobody noticed me. And that was all for the best. I wasn’t the one in trouble, nor was I the one in pain anymore .
Just as I was closing the garage door, still inside my car, I noticed headlights. My pulse raced, and I gripped my steering wheel, that flight response hitting hard, until I realized who was behind the wheel. Phoebe waved before the garage closed fully, and I realized that Trix must have called her.
Because of course she would have.
I wasn’t sure I would have even contacted Phoebe at all without her reaching out first.
What kind of friend did that make me?
I let out a breath and knew that tonight would be good for me, even if I wasn’t quite sure I believed it myself. As soon as I got inside, there was a knock at the door, and I went to it, and undid the two deadbolts and the safety chain. You could never be too safe. I also tapped the security panel that Kane and the Montgomerys had installed at the cottage for me. They were the top firms in the business, and I had done my best not to feel poorly for running away and looking busy with work when Kane had been in the house to help set it up.
He was always checking on me like I was his kid sister. Even though I had never thought of him in a brotherly way. No…it was another Montgomery that plagued my mind for far different reasons.
I opened the door, and it wasn’t just Phoebe there, but Aria as well .
A true smile slid over my face, and I stepped back as they walked inside. I quickly closed the door behind them, locking it quickly and setting the alarm again. I tried to be as casual as possible, but I knew they saw. They always did.
But they didn’t say anything or give each other sly looks. After all, Aria had worked with Montgomery Security before she had moved to work on her true passion, and Phoebe had been in the same room as I had, both of us screaming for help. I knew she and Kane had just as many locks.
“So let me guess, either you’ve tracked me with some form of GPS I’m unaware that I have on my person, or Trix called you?”
“Why can’t it be both?” Aria asked, as she held up two bags of takeout. “We brought Indian food as well. That way you can save your leftovers for another night.”
I smiled, and kissed Aria’s cheek. “I like my leftovers, but I like takeout Indian food more.”
“Same,” Phoebe said before she kissed my cheek, and we headed to the kitchen.
“I’m glad you’re both here,” I said, realizing that it was true.
“Where else would we be?” Aria asked.
There was something in my friend’s tone that I couldn’t quite catch, but then she just smiled at me, and I realized maybe I was the one trying to see things that weren’t there.
“Okay, so how was the birthday party?” Phoebe asked, as she made herself at home in my kitchen and pulled out plates. I smiled at the thought and went to her side to pull out glasses. Phoebe and I had been roommates in college, and afterward. It was odd to think that she wasn’t either across the living room in common areas, or not in the room next door. In fact, she lived a good ten minutes away, thanks to traffic. I couldn’t just blink and she would be at my side anymore. I hated it, but I loved the fact she was so happy. She deserved it. Especially with everything that had happened with her family recently.
“It went really well. I’m surprised Trix didn’t tell you.” I said the last part a little sarcastically, and Aria snorted.
“Don’t be mad at her. I’m glad she called Phoebe. And I happened to be there annoying her.” Aria winced. “I know I wasn’t technically invited, but I’m here. So you have to deal with me too.”
“And I’m grateful you’re here,” I said, meaning it.
“And I wasn’t invited either. But we’re here. And she’s just going to have to get over it. So, how’s life?” Phoebe asked as we plated up our dinner.
“Normal. Just busy. Tons of work, and I’m still trying to figure out paint colors. ”
I looked around the taupe-colored room but didn’t wince. It wasn’t exactly my shade, nor was the house decorated or upgraded the way I wanted. I planned to keep the cottage feel, but upgrade some of the appliances when I had money. I also wanted to finish unpacking, something I hadn’t done, but they didn’t need to look into my spare room. No, I didn’t even want to look in there.
“So really, what happened at the birthday party? Did she have a huge cake or go the cupcake route?” Aria asked. “I don’t really care about the difference between cakes or cupcakes, other than I want both. We really should have stopped at a bakery.”
“I made some cookies last night when I was thinking. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting.”
“I love you,” Aria raptured, as she bit into her chicken korma.
Phoebe winked at me. “And that’s why I didn’t pick up dessert, because you always have some baked good here when you’re stressed or trying to think. I’ve missed them so much since we moved.”
I smiled, ignoring the little pain at the fact we were no longer roommates. “I’ll make sure you have some to take home. I still bake for forty. But the party was nice. I might want to do something like that for my thirtieth.”
“You have a couple of years until that happens,” Phoebe teased .
“I don’t know, I like birthday parties. I just like parties.”
Aria laughed. “Well, it’s good that you’re a party planner then.”
“I actually almost called you,” I said, pointing my fork at her.
“Oh?” Aria asked.
“My photographer almost flaked, but she showed up at the last moment. And I realize that you’re not an event photographer, and purposely not a wedding photographer, but I was desperate and was about to have to use my phone.”
Aria shuddered. “No, I’m not an event photographer, but I would help you out in an instant if you needed it. Please don’t use your phone. I’ve got you.”
“That’s good to know. But I don’t want to have to rely on my friends for every emergency.”
“We don’t mind,” Phoebe said, as she squeezed my arm, before giving herself a whole body shake. “I had to fire a client today,” Phoebe muttered. “So I’m glad you had a good day.”
“What happened?” I asked, an odd sense of alarm slamming into me. And I had no idea where it came from. Or rather, I did, and I didn’t want to worry about it.
“Oh, just late payments and being an absolute mess. And then they wanted to practically steal a design from another designer, and I didn’t want anything to do with it. So I fired them, but thankfully I have a backup plan for this month’s income. It’s just a pain in the ass.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
Aria nodded. “People suck. But we’re here and we don’t suck.”
“That’s really what we should put on our matching T-shirts. Of course, we’ll have to change Phoebe’s up a bit because I know Kane wouldn’t appreciate it.” I blinked innocently as I said it, and Phoebe choked on her water, as Aria kicked her feet and laughed.
“I cannot believe you just said that,” Phoebe teased, and I did my best not to meet her eyes, before I dug into my meal, and we continued to talk about our days, our lives, and I tried not to double-check the locks, or the camera feed. Nobody needed to worry that we were safe or not. Because everything was locked up tight. And I would triple-check before bed after the girls left. Everything was fine.
I was completely safe.
So why did I feel as if that were a complete lie?