Page 111 of Happily Ever After

Blaise’s face softened. “Maude.”

Maude lifted a hand. “I asked him if he was asking what I thought he was asking. He said yes.”

Paige felt her own smile spread slowly, warm and surprised. “And?”

Maude exhaled. “And nothing’s official until Nolan is off to college in the fall. He wants to do this right, and so do I.”

“That’s smart,” Cece said.

“And it’s respectful,” Essie added.

Maude nodded. “That’s what I thought, too. But it looks like I’m going to need some help planning a wedding sometime in the future.”

That got applause and cheers and another round of congratulations. The excitement in the room was tangible.

Paige waited until she could be heard before turning to Essie. “Okay. Essie’s turn.”

Essie’s hand went to the diamond cross again. “My week has been interesting,” she said. “But the best part is, Frank came home early.”

Blaise gasped softly. “He did?”

“He did,” Essie said, and the joy on her face was immediate. “He surprised me. I thought it was Sophie coming back from walking Maple, but it was Frank standing at the door.”

Paige smiled, picturing it. Frank’s big, steady presence. Essie’s reaction. What a moment that must have been.

Essie continued, “He brought me this.” She touched the cross again, and the diamonds caught the light. “And he’s staying, at least for a while. He said Chad can handle things, which is good, because I need him home with everything else going on.”

“What else is going on?” Maude asked.

“It’s Sophie. She’s staying with us at the moment,” Essie’s voice softened. “Not only has she apologized, but she’s dropping the lawsuits.”

Cece’s mouth fell open. “Really?”

Essie nodded. “Yes. She said she’s sorry. She meant it.”

Paige felt a slow, careful relief spread through her. That situation had been a thorn in Essie’s side. “You believe her?”

“I do,” Essie added. “Because…she’s pregnant and scared and she needs us more than ever.”

Althea let out a little noise.

Cece gasped. “A baby? That’s wonderful.”

Essie took a sip of her drink. “It is. I had a real heart to heart with her and she’s a different person now that she’s finally looking toward the future.” She smiled. “It’s all going to be just fine.”

Blaise nodded. “She couldn’t ask for a better dad and stepmom.”

Paige turned to Gigi, because she’d wanted to give her space, but also because she didn’t want her to feel like an afterthought. “Gigi? How was your week?”

Gigi’s fingers tightened slightly around her glass. She looked around at them, at their faces, then nodded as if making a decision. “It’s been humbling,” she admitted. “I don’t like being wrong. I really don’t. Worse than that, Darcy made me feel like a fool. I don’t like that either.”

Blaise nodded. “None of us do.”

Gigi continued, “I’m grateful you invited me. I know I haven’t earned your trust yet. But I want to. That’s really all that matters.”

Paige felt the room breathe a sigh of relief. Even Althea didn’t look like she was on the verge of a snarky comeback. Paige nodded. “Thank you for being honest.”

Gigi exhaled slowly, as if she’d been holding herself together since she’d arrived.