Page 78 of Happily Ever After

It was time to talk about what they knew—and what they were going to do about it.

Chapter Thirty-One

Paige stood at the kitchen counter at Cece’s house, palms braced against the cool stone, and took a quiet breath before anyone else arrived. At the moment, it was just her, Cece, and Joe, someone Paige was very glad to see.

It would be a waste of time for them to focus on something only to find out it wasn’t going to do them any good legally. Cece had been wise to invite him, and Paige thought the other Bees would agree.

The house smelled like coffee and cake, the latter probably from the candle burning on the coffee table. The dining table had been set up with obvious purpose. There was a notebook at one end, then a legal pad and pen placed in front of where Joe was sitting. At every spot there was a water glass, already filled.

Cece had set out a dish of mixed nuts and some cheese and crackers, but this wasn’t book club and this wasn’t a luncheon. This was something else entirely.

An emergency meeting, the sole purpose of which was to find a way to save the book club they all so dearly loved.

Paige was grateful to Cece for calling it. This meeting needed to happen. She didn’t mind leading it, either. After all, book club was her baby. And if they didn’t come up with some kind of plan, Darcy would win.

Because the Darcy problem wasn’t about to go away.

The doorbell rang, breaking the quiet.

“That’ll be one of the Bees,” Cece said, coming up beside her with a mug of coffee. “You ready?”

Paige nodded. “Very much so.”

Cece answered the door and Maude came in, laptop bag slung over her shoulder, expression focused but not grim. She looked happy to be here, and she shot Paige a quick, questioning glance as she set her bag down near the table.

“Hey, all,” she said. “Nice to see you, Joe. Everyone else on their way?”

Joe gave Maude a nod.

“Any minute, I’m sure,” Cece replied. “You don’t mind Joe being here, do you?”

Maude laughed. “Not for a hot minute. I’m glad he’s here.”

“So am I,” Paige said.

Blaise came in next, and Essie followed close behind. Althea arrived last, leaning lightly on a cane, but her eyes were as sharp and observant as ever when she took in the room.

“Well,” Althea said with a mischievous smile. “This feels ominous.”

Paige laughed, despite her mood. “Only for Darcy, I hope.”

“Agreed,” Blaise said.

They settled around the table—six women, one man, and Peanut in her cat tower ignoring them all.

“Thanks, everyone,” Cece said. “I’m going to turn this over to Paige. I’m sure you know why we’re here.”

“Darcy,” Essie said.

Everyone nodded.

Paige cleared her throat. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice.”

“We all made it and we’re on time,” Althea said. “That should tell you something.”

Paige nodded. “It does.”

She glanced at Cece and Maude, then back at the group. “We’re going to tell you what we know. Not what we suspect. Not what we feel. What we know.”