She didn’t want to sit down, but she relented and perched awkwardly on a beach chair meant for lounging. Phil sat across from her and scrolled through his email. Apparently, no oneactuallygave up their phone in this place. That was Inner-G’s least effective rule.
“The holding company is called PowCup Financial,” he said. “According to Brad, it exists to fundPower Couple 2.”
“I didn’t think anyone liked that movie,” Gabby said. She’d tried watchingPower Couplethree times now.
“It has a cult following.”
A cult following. Now that was funny.
“Have they even started the movie?” Phil asked.
“I don’t think so,” Gabby said. The way G talked about makingPower Couple 2reminded Gabby of the way she talked about finally getting to Lucas’s baby book: i.e., it wasn’t happening.
“I only ask because the money is gone already.” Pointedly, Phil commented, “That yacht is brand-new, right?”
It was. Gabby nodded.
“I’d bet G bought it with the twenty mil.” Phil drummed his fingers on the table. “They might want to return it.”
“Can you return yachts? Asking for a friend,” she joked.
“You might have to sink it and hope insurance pays for it.”
“Do you know who’s behind the holding company?”
Phil shook his head no.
“If you find out anything else, let me know. Don’t worry about waking me up,” she said. The web of evidence around G was tightening, but she needed more, preferably something to corroborate any testimony from Jasmine.
Gabby continued to Jasmine’s house. First Markus, now Phil. Silver linings: She was out of men to break it off with tonight, not that she’d exactly broken it off with Phil. She just hadn’t gotten back together with him. Just as the first rain droplets fell on her, she let out a delirious laugh.
Yep, she was cracking up. The only way she was going to make it through tonight was loud music, dark lights, and Jell-O shots. She needed to hide her feelings in a throbbing mass of people. To lose herself in mindless motion.
When she finally got to Jasmine’s, she was informed the party was at the G-hut.
At the G-hut, Gabby found a gathering that was anything but a bachelorette party. There were no cocktails, no strippers, no jalapeño poppers. Justin, Lana, Naomi, and Jasmine—awkward! Her mom was nowhere to be seen. This didn’t seem like something she’d miss, but maybe she and Sheridan were watchingThe Bacheloretteor running late. Everyone was in cute outfits, except for Jasmine, who had opted for a ceremonial robe, and Gabby, who was in sweats.
Justin caught her attention and made crazy eyes with a discreet nod toward Jasmine, who, to be honest, looked less stable than G tonight. Gabby would feel more comfortable about hinging her entire plan on Jasmine if she looked a little less crazy.
Between the pitter-patter of rain, the sound bowls, and the incense, they were clearly about to meditate.
With the party assembled, Jasmine opened the ceremony. “Tonight, our goal is to prepare you spiritually for your union with George. Our cultural tradition of bachelorette parties leaves women walking into marriage dazed, hungover, groggy, and just going through the motions.”
That sounded perfect. How else was she supposed to pretend to marry a man who’d just dumped her?
“Gia, are you listening?”
“Yes,” she lied.
“Tonight, we are going to sit with our feelings.”
Anything but that.
“Before we get started, has anyone seen my mom?” Gabby asked.
“I don’t think she’s coming,” Jasmine answered.
Hmm. Missing a party wasn’t her mom’s style.
