Words to Live By (Queen Bees Book Club #3)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Thursday nights had become sacred.

Paige Wheeler loved the predictability of them, the gentle rhythm of greeting one woman after another, the clink of ice in the glasses, the quiet sense that this time belonged to them. To the Queen Bees.

Life in the Colony had a way of making routines feel essential.

Maybe that was part of being retired, part of this stage of life.

Maybe it was how a person made sense of getting older.

Maybe regimenting time was a way of controlling it.

Wherever the feeling came from, for Paige, book club was the best example of it.

She looked forward to it more than just about anything else in her life, save time with Graham.

Essie arrived first, as she often did, with something homemade to eat. Tonight it was deviled eggs. After putting them on the counter, she took out her notebook with comments and questions about the book, ready for discussion.

Cece came next, her brows bent in seemingly constant worry these days. She was followed by Blaise, who looked elegant and breezy without trying. Then finally Maude, who was almost always a little late, although now that her brother was staying with her, she was getting better about being on time.

Tonight, she’d brought a beautiful charcuterie board. She held it out for everyone to see. It held three kinds of cubed cheese and three kinds of sliced cured meats. “What do you think?”

“Looks delicious,” Paige said.

“Not the meat and cheese. The board,” Maude said. “My brother made it. He’s thinking about selling them at the Beechwood Arts and Crafts Fair in July. He’s already reserved a booth.”

The girls gathered around to take a better look.

“It’s in the shape of the state of Florida,” Essie proclaimed.

Maude nodded, grinning. “Isn’t it cool?”

“I love it,” Paige said. “I’ll take one.”

“So will I,” Essie said.

“Can he do any state?” Cece asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Maude answered. “But I’ll ask him.”

Paige was starting to think Althea wasn’t coming, when another knock souned from the door. Paige answered it and welcomed the older woman in.

“You made it,” Paige said. Everyone greeted her as she came in.

Althea smiled broadly and settled into a chair in the living room with a sigh. “I did make it and that counts for something.”

“It counts for everything,” Paige said, meaning it. “What can I get you to drink?”

It took a few minutes for them to fix their plates and get beverages, but soon they all filtered into the living room and found a spot.

No one was in a rush to start. This, too, had become part of their routine. The easing in, the catching up, the laughter as they tried whatever goodies had been laid out, the warmth of familiar voices filling the room.

Paige soaked it all in. The friendship. The sense of belonging. This circle of dear women.

She had worked hard for this life. Earned it after all she’d been through. And it felt good to sit in the middle of it without worrying it might disappear.

Just as Cece reached for the book on the table, another knock rang out from the door.

It wasn’t loud or aggressive, but something about it was very…confident.

Maude frowned. “Are we expecting someone else?”

Paige, halfway to the door, shook her head. “No. Probably just a delivery.”

She opened it to find a woman who filled the doorway, even though she was petite.

Glossy dark waves with a few streaks of blond highlights, oversized sunglasses pushed up onto her head, and a smile that suggested she was used to walking into rooms where people turned to look at her.

She held a bottle of wine like it was her favorite accessory.

Although Paige would have guessed that to be the Louis Vuitton handbag slung over her shoulder.

“Hi!” the woman said brightly. “I’m Gigi. Gigi DeLuca. I just moved in on Vista Drive and heard there’s a book club on Thursdays.”

Paige blinked. “Oh,” she said, her brain scrambling to catch up. “Well—”

“I hope I’m not late,” Gigi continued, stepping forward with the kind of confidence that said she was rarely refused. “Who knew golf cart traffic was a thing, am I right?” She laughed at her own joke and peered past Paige’s shoulder. “Oh, this looks cozy.”

Paige glanced back at the circle of women waiting on her, their expressions polite, a little surprised, and a whole lot curious. Not at all like any of them had invited her, which Paige wouldn’t have expected anyway.

They’d talked about new members at their first meeting, with the consensus being that such a decision would have to be mutual and probably wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

“There was no sign-up on the events calendar that I could find,” Gigi said cheerfully. “I figured I’d just pop by.”

Pop by.

Paige’s smile locked into place. So she’d just heard about the group.

People did talk in this community. They also listened especially well.

The book club wasn’t a secret. All the same, Paige chose her words carefully.

“Well,” she said in what she hoped was a relaxed tone that hid how unhappy she was.

She didn’t want to offend the woman and start more people talking. “We’re a fairly small group.”

“That’s perfect,” Gigi replied without missing a beat. “I love intimate.” She held up the wine. “I brought something decent. My wine guy said it’s a good one.”

Maude raised her brows a barely perceptible centimeter. Cece met Paige’s gaze.

Blaise sat very still. Althea frowned, which matched what Paige was feeling.

Paige stepped aside out of politeness, but she didn’t really want this woman here.

Gigi swept into the room like that was the invitation she’d been waiting for. She had on chunky-heeled leopard-print sandals, black clamdiggers, and a tan chiffon top spangled with gold sequins. Her eyes seemed to be lined with glitter. At least what Paige could see of them behind the false lashes.

Gigi had a lot of look going on.

“You must be Paige, then?” Gigi asked.

Paige gave a slight nod. “That would be me.”

Gigi smiled wide, her gaze assessing and appreciative. “Everyone says you sort of run things around here.”

The word run sounded more like an accusation than a compliment.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Paige said lightly. For the first time ever, she wished she wasn’t wearing her gold and diamond bee pendant.

Gigi laughed. “Oh, honey. Don’t be modest. It’s not a flaw.” She set the wine on the counter, poured herself a glass from an already open bottle, and slid into an empty chair like it had been set up just for her.

“Well, now,” Gigi said, crossing her legs and bobbling her foot. Her gold ankle bracelet caught the light. “What are we reading?”

Paige looked at the book on the table. Then at the women she now considered friends. Her crew. Her confidants. Her Queen Bees. She cherished the closeness they’d built together.

Gigi’s arrival felt like an intrusion. And judging by the looks on the other women’s faces, they felt the same way. But what could Paige do? Kick her out? That would be a great way to start all kinds of new rumors.

People in the community already referred to her as the “Queen Bee.” If she sent Gigi packing, the Bee would disappear and they’d just start using the mean word that began with that letter.

Paige took her seat again, deliberately choosing the spot she always sat in. Not that Gigi would know that. Or care.

Gigi simply smiled, as if smiles alone made everything better.

“So,” Gigi said, glancing from face to face. “Don’t leave me hanging. What’s the book?”

Never one to mince words, Maude leaned forward and answered before Paige could. “We usually start with a check-in first. Which was what we were doing. We’re mid-conversation.”

Gigi’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh. Of course. Go on.”

Like they needed her permission. Paige still wasn’t sure how to handle this. Maybe Gigi would get the hint.

But she didn’t lean back. Didn’t really relax into a position that said she understood she wasn’t part of this conversation. She hovered forward in that way people did when they intended to jump in at the first available pause.

Essie, ever gracious, cleared her throat. “We’re reading a novel about second chances,” she said kindly. “It’s been…timely for a lot of us.”

Gigi nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, I love a reinvention story. I’ve had a few myself.” She took a sip of the wine she’d helped herself to, then added, “Well, not exactly reinventions. More like upgrades.”

She laughed like it was her own private joke.

Then why even say it? Irritation blossomed in Paige’s gut. She had a terrible feeling this was only going to get worse.

Cece offered a polite smile but kept quiet. Blaise glanced down at her book as if reminding herself it was there for a reason. Althea folded her hands in her lap and observed, her gaze sharp despite her calm expression.

If Gigi expected to be asked what her little comment had meant, it wasn’t going to happen.

But Paige watched as the Queen Bees all realized the same thing at once.

Gigi wasn’t here to join. She was here to be the center of attention. She wasn’t really looking for a new community. She was looking for an audience.

“You all live here full-time?” Gigi asked Paige, tilting her head. “I get that people do, but I was also thinking it might just be sort of a vacation place. Snowbirds, you know. Like I said, I just moved in, but honestly? I’m still deciding if this place is my speed.”

Everything about that hit Paige the wrong way. It was so judgy. And so full of condescension. Her speed? Paige could only guess what Gigi’s speed might be. Full-on, regardless of what chaos she left in her rearview mirror.

“Yes,” Paige said evenly. “We all live here full-time.”

Gigi laughed. “Well, good for you. I adore women who build community. Girl power, am I right?” Her eyes flicked briefly around the group. “Though I have to ask—where’s the rest of the group? I thought it would be bigger.”

No one answered right away. Maybe they were hoping Paige would. She let the silence stretch out for a moment as she picked her words.

“I did say we were a small group. That’s all it’s ever been,” Paige said. “Just us. The original members. This group has only been meeting for a short while.”

“Oh!” Gigi waved a hand. “Of course. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m sure you’ll grow.” She leaned toward Paige, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “I just hate cliques, don’t you?”

Maude set her glass down, the look in her eyes calculating. “This isn’t a clique. It’s a book club. And we’re not looking to grow.”

Gigi blinked, then laughed a little too loudly. “Fair enough! Touché.”

Paige felt an interesting shift after Maude’s declaration.

The Queen Bees angled toward each other.

They exchanged glances among themselves, and when they spoke, their voices were quieter, directed at each other rather than at the room.

Gigi remained at the edge, smiling, sipping her wine, waiting for someone to toss her a conversational rope.

No one did.

They talked about the book. About the characters’ choices. Questions that the book had raised. About what it meant to start over and discover who you were now. Gigi couldn’t do much more than nod, because of course, she hadn’t read the book.

Twice, Gigi tried to redirect the conversation toward herself. Both times, it didn’t take.

When the evening finally wound down, Gigi stood. “Well,” she said brightly, “I’m glad I stopped by. I’ll see you all next Thursday.”

The finality of her tone made Paige’s jaw tighten.

Essie smiled politely. “We usually check in before adding new members. It’s something we need to talk about.”

“And vote on,” Maude added.

Gigi tilted her head. “Oh. I assumed…”

Paige met her gaze. “We’ll be in touch.” It was the nicest version of no she could manage while still remaining polite.

Gigi studied her with a look both curious and appraising. Then she smiled and waved as if everything had gone exactly as planned and swept out the door. After it closed behind her, silence bloomed.

Maude was the first to speak. “Hard pass on that one.”

Blaise nodded. “She was…a lot.”

Cece exhaled. “We should have just told her it wasn’t an open group. Bringing wine isn’t enough. You have to be invited.”

“I hope she got that,” Paige said.

Althea smiled thinly. “She’s clearly not the type who thinks she needs an invite. The nerve.”

Essie hesitated, then said gently, “Maybe she’s just lonely. She did say she’d just moved in.”

Paige closed her book with deliberate calm. “Maybe so. But this—” She gestured around the room. “This is our group. She had to know that when she couldn’t find us on the community schedule.”

The women nodded. All of them.

Paige shook her head. “I should have told her as much.”

“You sort of did. But you were being polite,” Blaise said. “We get it.”

Paige exhaled. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and we’ll never see her again.”