Chapter 26
From an event planning perspective, the concept made sense.
For most of the retreat, the couples had been separated.
The women had been doing yoga and learning…
Gabby had been trying to get laid without commitment and spy on all the other members, so she couldn’t say what they’d been learning.
It hadn’t stuck. The men had mostly been shirtless and spear fishing or something.
It looked a little Lord of the Flies, or maybe just CrossFit—same difference.
Gabby slid into a cocktail dress that must have cost the same as her monthly mortgage and struggled to zip it halfway up.
Markus appeared in a button-down shirt, only half buttoned with the sleeves rolled up, highlighting his chest and forearms, his best features.
He had on pants, but it was hard to tear her eyes away from his chest.
Enjoying a fantasy date was a big ask after the amount of drama they’d suffered today, but they were professionals. Gabby smiled softly at Markus, testing the waters.
Markus didn’t smile back.
“Markus…” she said.
They needed to talk.
“In a couple of years, we’re going to laugh at this,” she said.
“I don’t know, Gabby. I’m—” He took a breath. “Let’s just finish this mission and get everyone out safe.”
She turned the flashlight taser over in her hand. It sent her heart pitter-pattering, and then her head jumped in with thoughts.
“How did it go today?” he asked, softening his tone a touch.
“Eh. It went. I think I’m getting closer to Jasmine.” She groaned. “I wish they weren’t so supportive of Phil and my mom. It’s exhausting.” Genesis had been inspired by the concept of support from family and friends.
“Genesis must not have a family, the way he’s romanticizing it,” Markus joked. “I mean, I love my family, but—”
Well, there was something they had in common. Gabby snorted at the cynicism. It was a relief to be able to let down and shit-talk her family. “I guess that’s why it’s important to have friends.” She would give anything to talk through all this with Justin. He could make sense of anything.
Maybe she was imagining it, but it seemed a flash of sadness crossed Markus’s expression.
“So, uh, you and G seem pretty close.” Now was as good a time as any to make things worse. Might as well ask about his weird behavior.
Markus shrugged off the statement. “It’s kind of depressing. Here we are fishing and talking about women, and it’s pretty likely to end in an arrest.”
That did sound like the worst bromance ever. “You think he’s guilty?”
“No, but I can’t not consider the possibility, right?”
“There’s not anything you haven’t told me?” She searched his face for signs he was lying. “You’re not planning anything on the sly with G?”
“Nope, nothing.” He looked her dead in the eye. God, that man could lie.
Genesis’s version of black-tie was slightly less naked than normal.
He was wearing a loose shirt with not a single button buttoned.
For the occasion, he had some of those white shells braided into his beard, the kind high school boys used to wear in the nineties.
The man was barely civilized, and she had to admit that she saw the appeal.
Jasmine, who was dressed like a redheaded Aphrodite, clinked her glass with a fork. “Welcome to Together, everyone.”
Genesis took the fork from his wife, leaving her standing with a glass, about to make a speech. Jasmine smiled tightly, like she was having difficulty stretching her lips around all that rage.
I see you, girl. Gabby had been there.
Maybe this is just how a Hollywood marriage to an action star worked.
Gabby understood having your head turned around, feeling mad one minute and forgiving the next.
Marriage was complicated, and so were the individuals in it.
And Genesis was a lot: cult leader, action star, claimed to generate waves with his heartbeat.
That was too much ego to fit into one marriage.
“Tonight, we are celebrating Togetherness,” he said. “We will no longer do everything separately. From this point on, we will be together.”
Why did that sound like a threat?
“Instead of unburdening yourself to this shell, you will tell your partner your secrets, your fears, your hopes. You can’t forge a true connection with someone without honesty.”
Jasmine was no longer attempting to smile. She looked like she might kill him. He looked like he wouldn’t see it coming.
Genesis held the shell high and then smashed it to the ground. It cracked in two as it hit a lava rock below. Gabby jumped back as a jagged piece skipped across the hard, packed sand.
“You are one step closer to becoming a Power Couple,” Genesis said. “Tonight, we’re celebrating that achievement with Together.”
“Four fists, two hearts, one unstoppable force!” Phil chanted the tagline to Power Couple.
G’s energy was off, a little too high, in danger of spinning in the wrong direction. He almost shouted “Never not together!” in answer to Phil’s chant, confirming Gabby’s opinion that the movie probably wasn’t for her.
Phil sidled up next to her. “You look nice… Gia.”
What circle of hell was this?
“Gia and George have brought togetherness to another level,” Genesis added.
“Gia’s mother and even her ex-husband have joined them in support.
” Genesis looked at Phil. “This toast goes to Phil. Way to put your own feelings and pride aside to support the mother of your children and the greater good.”
If only.
“If more men could be like you, we would be a better world.”
Gabby started choking on her champagne.
Phil gave a deep nod and held his cocktail in the air.
Gabby took the opportunity to tell him, “Phil, if you were actually here to support me, it would be different.”
“How am I not here to support you?” he said, sloshing liquid out of his drink. “I’m supporting our family. You know, we were a power couple before, Gabby.”
She looked at him. “Phil, to be a power couple, both members of the couple have to have power. It can’t just be one person with all the power while the other one does the laundry.
” Trad wives made it look good, but real laundry wasn’t nearly as satisfying.
Plastic baskets with broken handles, unmatched socks, period underwear, and no one ever said thanks.
Phil scowled. “That’s not what we were.”
It was, though. He knew it as well as she did.
“Enjoy the food and the music.” Genesis held his glass up again and said, “Let’s eat.”
Back in the day, before kids, she and Phil had gone to Red Lobster on Fridays after work. Now Gabby’s mouth watered at the sight of the tables piled high with a seafood feast that would put the chain meals to shame.
“Gabby,” Markus caught her attention, “let’s grab a place by G and Jasmine.”
Smart move, Markus.
She and Markus and her ex–Red Lobster date sat down with Jasmine, who couldn’t seem to focus on conversation. G didn’t sit down at all. He was circulating, clapping people on backs, but obviously distracted, scanning the crowd instead of actively listening to anyone. He was looking for someone.
As Gabby dug into her sushi, Phil said, “The finances on this place just don’t make sense. The coastal property, luxury everything. And is it just me, or does this All You Can Eat Seafood spread remind anyone of—”
He didn’t even have to say it.
“God, I miss those biscuits,” Gabby said, with true feeling.
Phil caught her eye and said, “Me too.” For a second, they were both back in 2010 when things hadn’t sucked.
The boxed make-at-home version had never turned out as well. Same went for their marriage, it turned out.
Phil gestured to the table of seafood. “All you can eat shrimp—that’s how Red Lobster went down.”
Markus said, “They declared bankruptcy, but they’re still around. They weathered the storm.”
Phil nodded meaningfully, like that could be them, and Gabby quickly said, “I’m sure it’s not as good as before. Sometimes you have to know when to call it.” She was looking right at Phil.
Phil was right back to finances, though. “What does it cost to stay here? Are the guests paying that much?”
Phil wouldn’t know. The EOD was picking up his tab.
“I don’t know the international tax situation. Maybe they’ve found some loopholes.” Phil popped a shrimp in his mouth. Just like the old days.
G stalked toward them, nothing casual about him. “Have you seen Sheridan today?”
Gabby shook her head. “No. Is something wrong?”
“She hasn’t shown up for anything.” He glanced around. “Where is she?”
“I’m sure she’s at her cottage,” Jasmine said.
“Her stuff is all there. She’s gone.”
“You need to drop it, G,” Jasmine said. She walked off as if to get another cocktail, but it was really just because she couldn’t deal with her husband. Gabby could read the signs.
She and Markus exchanged a glance. Two things: 1) G seemed legitimately upset, which was a point in his favor regarding the attempted murder-slash-break-in that had happened earlier. 2) Gabby lost her train of thought. It’d come back to her.
A few minutes later, Genesis sat down. He dropped his head between his knees and rubbed his hands through his hair until it was super messed up. “Fuuuuuuuck.”
Phil was seated next to him and looked over while eating a shrimp. “You know, I loved you in that movie.”
“Power Couple?”
“No.”
“G-Force, that was so fucking cool.”
“Wasn’t that the one about guinea pigs?” Gabby asked. She was sure she’d watched a G-Force movie with the kids.
Phil shook his head with disdain. “No. It’s the one with Genesis where he’s jumping out of planes from extra-high altitude into danger zones.”
Gabby held up a hand before they went on a plot deep-dive that was even weirder than the one she was experiencing. “I’m sure she’s okay, G.”
“Where the fuck is she? It’s not like she went to the mall.”
“I heard she went into San Juan de Miguel to meet a friend,” Gabby said.
“Really?” He scanned the group again. “People were already upset that I brought her down here. Jasmine accused me of kidnapping her. She loves it though. I thought so, at least.”
As she suspected, Genesis wasn’t the best with consent, but his intent was good.
A man of action, he stood up. “I’m going to call the police.”
Gabby’s throat constricted. “Don’t just yet. She’s visiting a friend, and it’ll be a lot of fuss for nothing.” Gabby didn’t want to explain to the local authorities that she’d hidden Sheridan with her mother, especially given that Valentina hadn’t approved that particular move.
“Jasmine’s worried about the resort’s reputation. She’s worried someone will bring up—” He ran his hands through his hair again and groaned.
“What is she worried about?” Markus asked. He and Gabby waited with bated breath.
Phil talked over any answer that might have come. “These shrimp are great. What’s in this sauce?”
Gabby stroked the taser in her pocket.
“I’m calling.” Genesis stood up definitively and headed toward Jasmine, where they began exchanging words and angry looks.
Uh-oh.
The angry looks escalated to violent gesturing. Gabby couldn’t hear everything they were saying, but it was getting louder by the minute. The music paused at just the right time. A “NO!” from Jasmine punctuated a jazzy number with a flamenco beat.
Things were coming to a head, and the guests couldn’t ignore it anymore. Almost everyone was watching like it was a reality TV show. Some people were pretending not to listen, but conversation had stopped.
“Together” had been the wrong name for this party.
Markus reached for Gabby’s knee under the table, not in a sexy way but more to get her attention. He gestured with his head toward the buildings away from the party, and Gabby followed his thinking.
This was the perfect moment to sneak out and snoop around the rooms.
Gabby tracked down her mom. “Mom, Markus isn’t feeling well, and we’re going back to the room. Please let me know if I miss anything exciting.”
No one was better suited to catching the hot goss than her mother.