She was bound for federal prison, but Simon was willing to make her a deal. Having long suspected Beau’s involvement in the hack, Simon offered to look the other way on Gemma’s white-collar crimes if she’d come to Winter Park and see what she could learn about Beau and our life together.
Every few months, she would call him to relay that she was still coming up empty on clues that Beau had anything to do with the Redwood hack, but Simon couldn’t hear it. The longer she stayed, the more insistent he became that she find something or he would turn her in.
She had found comfort in her relationship with Shep. The connection between them had been real, for both of them, for a time. And Shep’s friendship with the Halls meant he was familiar with the key Fritz kept stashed under a planter for nights he Ubered home too drunk to remember where his car keys were. The spare key gave Shep and Gemma access to the house whenever they needed a convenient spot to meet up. Someplace near Park Avenue for Gemma, and away from Tippy’s games for Shep.
But when Shep’s love bombing became too suffocating and Simon’s dead-end pursuit of Beau too fruitless, Gemma decided she was out. She distanced herself from Shep and packed up her apartment. She sold the whole thing to Marcus and me by keeping up the appearance that she would stay, down to the job interview she let me help her land. All that was left to do was finish Marcus’s anniversary party.
Then Shep confronted her, and their fight escalated. Unable to accept that his perfect new life was slipping away, he strangled her. It was the escape he had been longing for and, in the end, the thing he killed for.
Simon had arrived the day prior, hoping to use me for information on Beau and the hack. But Gemma’s murder turned all that upside down.
Some days, it still stuns me that someone so calculating was taken out of this world by something as unpredictable as a freak accident in a hurricane.
Nora raises her glass when she notices the faraway look in my eyes. “To Gemma.”
Beau clinks his glass with mine.
I look at Beau now, and smile. He winks, and I kiss the Buffalo Nickel on his wrist, right at the spot where the coin catches the light.
And then I remember I made a promise. “Marcus, we have to save some ravioli for Polly. Dowling’s making cauliflower pizza with vegan cheese.”
Ford’s out of town. His knee—which eventually required surgery thanks to him shirking doctor’s orders to rest—is finally strong enough to play in a tournament again, and I think I’ve almost convinced him I’m not a career criminal.
“She’ll be woozy with hunger by nightfall.” Beau laughs.
“At least she’ll get her slumber party redemption arc.” I smile. “Can you believe the slumber party was Dowling’s idea? Ford’s been compiling celebrity birthday wishes while he’s out on tour, and Autumn’s been asking for my input on monogrammed sleeping bags and tents with fairy lights.”
There’s a smile I can’t hide when I think about how loved Polly is. How many people she already has in her life.
And if we get it right, she’ll never be starved for approval from some megalomaniac boss.
Nora raises an eyebrow. “You and Autumn are, like, friend-friends now?”
“I’ve been checking on her.” I shrug. “I don’t know. Don’t make it a thing.”
But these are the people who know me best. They know my habits by now. I collect strays and outliers. I’ll look after Autumn with the same loyalty I’d give any of them if they need me. Because it’s who I am. There have been times when I thought my always, all-in loyalty was my biggest liability. Maybe it still is. But it’s also the best thing about me.
“Aww. I think it’s sweet.” Marcus smiles. “Este making friends is like those YouTube videos where the wolf thinks it’s a puppy and tries to play with the other dogs. Last week, I saw her talking to Carol.”
Carol and I are softening toward each other, too. We’ll probably never be best friends. But after what she did for Beau, we’llnever be sworn enemies either. She helped Beau when she didn’t have to, and for that, my loyalty is for life.
“Okay,” Marcus announces. “Everyone grab a plate. We’re dining alfresco tonight.”
Everyone grabs a plate and walks toward the already-set table in the covered area of the pool deck. And I take it as a personal milestone that I manage to walk by the pool with only one leery glance.
When Marcus saw that I had been avoiding the pool deck since Simon was found, he said we needed to make some new memories in my backyard. Good ones. The kinds that turn down the dread of the past.
As we make our way to the table, though, Marcus and Nora hang back in the kitchen, his hand grazing hers when they both reach for a serving spoon. Their eyes linger on each other for a fragile heartbeat, and then Nora blushes, taking the spoon and scurrying toward the patio.
My heart leaps to my throat. “What was that?” I whisper to Marcus when Nora’s out of earshot.
His shoulders fall as he gives me a look.
I know. I know. Incorrigible.
“What?” I hiss. “I just think you guys should kiss already.”
“Really?” Marcus folds his arms with a good-natured smile. “You’ve been so subtle with your hints, like the times you locked us in the Lemon & Fig supply closet.”
