"Okay. And hey, I wanted to ask you—do you want to come with me to book club tonight at Paige's? I would love for you to go. You have to see her house. It's absolutely stunning."
"I don't know that I've read the book."
"It's the latest thriller from Mary Kubika. If you haven't read it, it doesn't really matter, because most of the time people are asking questions more so about motive and personal feelings on the topics that come up in the book. So you can always listen to the first few answers, and you can contribute if you'd like."
"I'd like to come, but we'll see about contributing."
"Great! I actually have the book in my office if you want to grab it. I brought home a copy on the off chance Uncle Drew would read it. He likes to hear the interesting questions the other book club members come up with, though. They're never from the back of the book, and they always make me think about what I read and how I can apply it to my own life and experiences."
"That seems fire," she said. "Ok. I'll go."
My day at the bookstore sped by, with orders being pickedup and phoned in, shipments being delivered from the publishing houses and distribution centers, and planning the next three book launch events at the store, including Paige's.
When we pulled in behind the huge sunset pink Victorian on the Gulf, I saw on Holly what my face must have looked like the first time I had pulled into Paige's driveway. Simply put, it was gorgeous. Unsimply put, it was three floors of mahogany and custom-painted-murals-instead-of-wallpaper splendor.
"Is she right on the water?" Asked Holly somewhat breathlessly.
"She sure is!" I shifted the Audi into park and after consulting my weather app, decided to leave the top down. I would come to regret this decision later.
Holly and I walked past the thirty-six foot pool on our left and the adults-worthy treehouse on our right to reach Paige's back door. I waved to the camera above our heads and a moment later Paige's laughter trilled merrily through the door, growing louder until she was in front of us. The door swung open and her arms extended.
"Holly! It's so nice to see you again!" Paige gushed, her tiny frame wrapped around Holly who was two inches shorter than me, and at five foot eight, seemed to tower over her.
It's nice to see you again as well, Miss Paige," Holly said as she disentangled herself as politely as she could.
"Step in all the way before a lizard runs in here," she said with a laugh, waving us through. "The last thing we need during book club is Roxy chasing a lizard through the house."
Another set of headlights swept across my peripheral vision beyond the driveway and I turned to see Grace's pearly white Range Rover pull in behind my car.
We stepped back out onto the walkway and Paige pulled the door shut behind us just as the top of Grace's platinum-spiked hair rose above the door and her rough but somehow smooth voice made its way to us like lava flowing over gravel. "Braveleaving your top down, Elyse" she quipped as she stepped down onto the brick paver driveway, a vision in head-to-toe bright orange and pink Panama Jack ladies resort wear.
"Doesn't look like rain," I said as I looked up.
She reached into the back seat and pulled out a white tote bag which she slung over her shoulder. "It's not the rain I'd be worried about, Sugar."
"I'll take my chances."
Holly looked at me out of the corner of her eye with her eyebrow slightly raised.
"I'm really glad you decided to join us today, Holly" said Paige. "And Roxy seems to have taken a liking to you."
Holly smiled shyly and bent down to scratch behind Roxy's ears. "I love dogs," she said. "I've wanted one for a long time, but have never been able to get a pet."
"My sister and my parents aren't really into cleaning up fur," I explained. "My mom is kind of a neat freak, to put it mildly. I didn't get my first pet until after I graduated college and had my own place." I left off the part about my sister's instability not being conducive to pet ownership.
"I would never have known that," said Paige. "You are such a natural with Eden. She listens to you so well." With that, she covered a giggle that slipped out of her mouth.
"Neither of you are winning any dog obedience trophies," interrupted Grace with a wink.
"Now, now," I said. "I know I'm not the best dog trainer, but I do adore her."
We walked into the foyer and I heard Holly's sharp intake of breath. The entryway stretched all the way to the front of the house, a wide hallway of mahogany floors and sweeping staircases all bathed in the fading sunlight that twinkled in from the Gulf through the leaded glass windows in the front door. To our left, a sitting room decked out in plush brown leather couches and modern artwork. To our right, the kitchen with itswhite marble countertops and white cabinets with glass fronts. Stacks of colorful plates, bowls, and saucers lent the room some color, along with the plush upholstery on the stools lined up against the island (also white).
"Feel free to come over and walk Roxy whenever you want," offered Paige as we walked into the kitchen. "She's always looking for a new victim to drag up and down the beach."
Holly laughed. "I may have to take you up on that."
"In fact, make a day of it," said Paige. "You can come over and swim and take Roxy for a walk."
