Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Paige straightened the stack of books on the coffee table for the second time, even though they didn’t really need straightening.
Everything was ready. Drinks were on the counter, along with the charcuterie board she’d prepared, and the chairs were arranged in the living room exactly the way they liked them.
All she needed now was for the Queen Bees to show up.
And for Gigi DeLuca not to. But there was no way she’d have found out the meeting night had been changed. They’d only discussed it in the text group.
Paige checked her phone again. A few confirmations in the group text. Maude was on her way, Essie saying she might be a few minutes late, but no new messages since that one.
Still, Paige kept glancing toward the front window thinking any minute now the golf carts should start showing up. She really hoped this shift to Wednesday worked out. After Gigi’s surprise uninvited arrival, Paige didn’t want a repeat of that silliness.
And moving the meeting had been the only way to avoid it that she could think of. Outside of actually telling Gigi there wasn’t a spot for her.
Paige could imagine how that might go and she had no desire to have that conversation.
She went into the kitchen and got herself a glass of iced lemon water. She took a sip, then forced herself to forget about Gigi. “It’s going to be fine,” she muttered, though she wasn’t entirely convinced.
The sound of a golf cart came from outside. It was quickly followed by a knock. Paige hurried to the door and opened it to find Maude smiling, purse slung over her shoulder, her hair slightly wind-tossed from the evening breeze, a bakery box in her hands.
“Thank goodness,” Paige said before she could help herself. Relief washed over her.
Maude stepped in and raised an eyebrow. “You look like you were expecting someone else.”
“I was,” Paige admitted. “I keep thinking Gigi’s going to show up.”
Maude made a face. “There’s no way she’s found out we moved the meeting.”
“No, probably not,” Paige said, then paused. “But she’s shown up at a lot of the same places as us this week.”
Maude laughed and squeezed her arm. “It’s a small community in a small town. Some of that’s inevitable. And if she does show up, we’ll all handle her together.”
Paige nodded. “I know. You’re right.”
“Here.” Maude held out the bakery box. “I brought a key lime pound cake. I was going to bring something chocolate, but this sounded really good, so…”
“It sounds great.” Paige took the box and lifted the lid. The citrusy scent of lime made her mouth water. “Oh, that is going to be good.”
The two women walked into the living room and settled in just as the sound of another golf cart arriving reached them.
Paige glanced out the window and saw Blaise’s familiar silhouette heading up the walkway, a tote bag swinging from one of her hands.
Two Bees down, three to go.
And still no Gigi.
The odds were getting better.
Blaise was barely through the door when she held up her bag. “I brought some meringues. Don’t get too excited, though. They’re store-bought.”
“They’re perfect. I love meringues. So good with coffee,” Paige said, giving her a warm hug. “Come on in.”
Blaise set the cookies on the counter, glanced around the living room, and smiled. “Moving book club to Wednesday might be the smartest thing we’ve ever done.”
“It certainly seems that way so far,” Paige said lightly. They’d know soon enough.
Before Blaise could say anything, two more golf carts pulled up outside. Two voices could be heard laughing, Essie’s bright and lilting, Cece’s softer and not quite as buoyant.
A moment later, they came in together, Essie carrying a bowl of fruit salad, Cece with a bottle of wine.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” Essie said. “Took me longer than expected to get out the door due to…well, it’s not important right now. How is everyone?”
“We’re great,” Maude called from the sofa. “And we love fruit salad.”
Cece stepped closer to Paige. “Any sign of her?”
“Nope,” Paige said, knowing she meant Gigi. “And as soon as Althea arrives, we can get started.”
Right on cue, headlights swept across the front room. It wasn’t really dark enough for headlights, but Paige could understand Althea wanting to be safe. She drove slower for that reason, too, which was why she generally arrived last, but at her age, she could do what she wanted.
Paige opened the door before the knock even sounded. “Come on in, Althea. We saved your spot for you.”
Althea entered with a dignified nod. “I appreciate that. And I have lemon drops for anyone who wants one.” She shook a little paper bag with a flourish.
“I’d love one. I haven’t had a lemon drop in ages,” Blaise said.
Within a minute, everyone was settled. They had plates on their laps, drinks in their hands, and, in Essie’s case, notes at the ready. The easy hum of conversation filled the room, a comfortable blend of catching up, teasing, and small updates about their week.
No tension. No nonsense. No Gigi. Just Paige and her friends, exactly as the evening was meant to be.
She took her seat among them, feeling the warmth of the group around her like a soft throw blanket. Order had been restored, even if it had required moving to a different night.
“Shall we start?” she asked, looking around the circle.
Althea smiled. “I’m ready.”
“Why don’t we do our usual updates on our weeks then? Althea, you start us off.”
Althea settled back in her chair as everyone turned toward her. “Well,” she began. “My week was made better by dinner with all of you.”
That got them all smiling.
She went on. “Lester is doing just fine, all things considered. He’s getting tired of the physical therapy, but that man has been stubborn since Ford was president, so I suppose there’s no changing him now.”
The group laughed softly.
“He’ll stick with it, though, won’t he?” Essie asked.
“Oh, he will,” Althea agreed. “Because I’ll make him. But he’ll complain the entire time. I humor him and act like I’ve never heard it before.” She gave a wry smile. “Still, he walked farther today than yesterday, so we’ll count that as a win. Every day, he gets a little stronger.”
“Amen,” Essie said. The rest of them nodded and made approving noises.
“Okay, Maude,” Paige said, shifting her gaze. “How about you?”
Maude tucked one leg under herself, a slice of the pound cake she’d brought on her plate. “My week’s been good. Busy. Robbie’s settling in and getting work done, which is fantastic. Although, he’s still eating me out of house and home.”
A ripple of laughter followed.
Maude grinned. “I guess all that work makes him hungry. But honestly? He’s doing better than I expected. He’s got this confident energy I haven’t seen in years.”
“That’s wonderful,” Essie said. “And how’s Ollie?”
A faint blush washed across Maude’s face. “He’s good. Really good. But the best thing is, he got his dog, Milo, back from his ex. And let me just say that Milo is my new crush. That dog is amazing. I mean, Ollie’s great, but Milo? Wow.”
Cece grinned. “Can you date a guy just to have access to his dog?”
Maude chuckled. “I’m not saying I’m doing that, but there are going to be more walks on the beach with that guy.”
Blaise made a funny face. “By ‘that guy,’ do you mean Ollie? Or Milo?”
“I’m not answering that,” Maude said, taking another bite of pound cake while her brows wiggled.
“All right,” Paige said, smiling. “Who’s next?”
“I’ll go,” Cece offered, folding her hands. “Let’s see…Natalie had some difficulties with Jim, but Joe handled it. Tyler’s doing better than I thought he’d be. But the real news is I got my test results this morning.”
The group seemed to be collectively holding its breath.
Cece shifted in her chair, and lifted her eyes, which looked a little tired around the edges.
She took a measured breath. “As you know, they found a suspicious nodule on my thyroid.”
Essie reached for her hand immediately. “I’ve been praying for you.”
“And I appreciate that,” Cece said with a quick smile. “The good news is they caught it early. I’m scheduled for a biopsy next week, and if it’s what they think it is, the treatment is straightforward. In-office surgery, with some follow-up medication. People come through it all the time.”
She said the words calmly, but her voice softened at the end, revealing the thin layer of fear she’d been trying to hide.
Paige hurt for her friend.
Blaise leaned toward her. “You’re not going through any of this alone.”
“Not for a second,” Paige added firmly.
Maude nodded. “Whatever you need—rides, meals, company, anything—you say the word.”
A small, grateful smile tugged at the corner of Cece’s mouth. “Thank you. That helps more than you think.”
She exhaled, a slow, intentional release. “Okay,” she said. “That’s my update. Except for the part you already know.” She paused, and the tiredness around her eyes disappeared, replaced by something happier. “About Joe writing a theme song for my podcast. Like I told you at dinner, it’s perfect.”
“That man,” Blaise said with admiration. “He’s a catch.”
Essie nodded enthusiastically. “The best.”
Cece tipped her head toward her shoulder, her smile sweet. “He’s something, that’s for sure. All right, someone else go. Essie, your turn.”
Essie cleared her throat softly, drawing their attention. “Well, I’ve been prepping for Liliana and the kids to come visit, since Frank’s off to Italy,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. “And then, out of nowhere, Sophie showed up at our door last night.”
A ripple of surprise moved through the group.
“Sophie? At your house?” Paige asked.
Cece’s brows shot up. “Without a word that she was coming?”
Althea shook her head. “Kids these days.”
Essie nodded. “Out of the blue. She looked worn down. Exhausted, honestly. She didn’t have much to say at first. Just that she wanted to talk to her dad.
” Essie paused, as if replaying the moment.
“Of course, Frank’s not home, so it was just the two of us.
And I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to do or say but then she crashed in the guest room and has pretty much kept to herself since then. ”
“So she’s staying with you?” Blaise asked.
“For now,” Essie said. “I thought she’d talk at some point, but she was quiet today. Seems like she’s trying to act like nothing happened in Miami.” Essie let out a slow exhale. “And all this is happening with Liliana and the kids coming tomorrow. I’m thrilled they’re visiting, but the timing…”
“It’s not the most convenient, is it?” Cece said, her voice soft.
“That’s one way of putting it.” Essie managed a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I keep hoping Sophie will talk to me. Really talk. But she’s so guarded. And I can’t decide if I should push or give her space.”
“Pushing won’t help,” Althea said.
Maude reached over and touched Essie’s hand. “You just keep doing what you do best, being kind and understanding. Even when it’s hard.”
Essie’s shoulders eased a little. “I just don’t want Sophie’s chaos to overshadow the kids’ visit. They deserve a happy few days, not…whatever she might turn them into.”
“Then she won’t be allowed to overshadow it,” Paige said firmly. “We’ll help however you need us to.”
Essie’s smile became a little more genuine at that reassurance. “Thank you,” she murmured. “Truly.”
“And now you, Blaise,” Paige said.
Blaise set down her glass. “As you already know, I’ve been working on the book. It’s hard digging up the past like that, but it’s good. At least I think it is.” She glanced at Cece. “I guess you’ll be telling me the truth about that soon enough.”
Cece let out a little laugh. “I’m sure it’ll be good. Your first chapter was.”
“Thanks,” Blaise said. “Also, Brick’s son is improving, thank God. No major changes today, but the doctor thinks things are moving in the right direction. That’s all you can ask for, right?”
“Right,” Althea said with the authority of experience.
Blaise smiled. “What’s new with you, Paige?”
“Well,” Paige said after a moment. “My news is no news yet. I sent in the contract changes to Luminelle, so I’m playing the waiting game.”
“They’d be foolish not to give you what you want,” Essie said. “Just like a publisher would be foolish to pass up the chance to make Blaise one of their authors.”
“I agree,” Maude said. “This group has so much exciting stuff going on. And that’s not even including the added bonus of Gigi.”
That got them all laughing again.
As Paige laughed, she looked around at the Queen Bees gathered in her living room, sharing their lives without holding back, without any worry about how they’d be received, without anyone trying to outshine anyone else.
This was exactly what she’d hoped this group would turn into.
“Now,” Paige said, leaning back. “Should we talk about the book?”
The others nodded.
Paige looked at the notes she’d jotted down for discussion, her entire being warm with affection for these women.
She had spent so many years carrying everything alone, believing that reinvention meant starting from scratch. But here, in this house, with these women, she understood something she hadn’t understood then. Starting over didn’t mean you had to be alone.
Sometimes a new chapter wasn’t a leap into the darkness. Sometimes it was a hand being held out to you, a seat saved, a circle of friends who were there for you, no matter what you were going through.
Maybe that was the real surprise of this season of her life. That the best words to live by weren’t printed on a page at all.
They were spoken by the people who mattered, in friendship, right when she needed them.