“I don’t mind that you and Bryce are going out to dinner. We’re happily married,” Crystal said meekly.
Keisha took a swig straight from the champagne bottle. Karen bounced her foot faster. Jenny took the magazine from Keisha and flipped through it with so much vigor, she was ripping every other page. I was at the edge of my seat. The only thing that would make this more perfect was a small bag of SkinnyPop popcorn.
“so. were. we,” Shannon said in the most dramatic way possible.
Crystal’s eyes tightened, and I thought for sure she was going to jump down Shannon’s throat, but instead, tears came slithering out the corners. How pathetic.
“Shannon, come on!” Karen shook her head.
“What? Did you all forget? She stole my husband.” Shannon threw her hands up.
“No, she didn’t. One in two marriages end in divorce, Shannon. It’s not that big of a deal,” I said calmly.
“Oh, eat it, Olivia.” Shannon waved a hand at me dismissively.
I dropped my mouth open, acting as though I was appalled by her words, but really, I was rather enjoying myself. I thought I’d have to do so much more to get Shannon out of our group, but here she was, committing social suicide.
“I think you should leave,” Karen said.
“Crystal, you should leave.” Shannon smiled.
“No, you, Shannon.” Karen raised her chin.
Shannon whipped her head in Karen’s direction. She scowled at her and stood up from her seat with force. “Fine. I don’t want to be here anyway, especially around a fake friend like you, Karen.” She looked at each of us. “Vogue isn’t even a book, Olivia, you half-wit. And Crystal, I’ll tell my husband his whore said hi.”
Shannon turned on her foot but stopped and looked back at Jenny. “I’m so sorry. I’ll call to check on you later.” She gave a sympathetic look and then turned back and stormed out.
We all took intermittent sips of our drinks and glanced at one another.
Keisha refilled her glass. “Well, that was interesting.”
“Can we revoke her membership now?” I raised an eyebrow.
“No, she’s just having a hard time,” Jenny said.
“Yeah, she was doing so well. I guess the mixture of what Bryce did and losing the chairwoman position just made her freak out.” Karen glared at me and shook her head.
“I feel bad for her.” Crystal wiped her eyes with a napkin and took a bite of her cheesy stuffed croissant.
Karen bounced her foot. “We all do.”
I nodded along, my body doing the opposite of what my mind was thinking.
22
Shannon
“Right this way,” the hostess said as she escorted me to a corner table set for two. She pulled out my chair and told me she’d send the server over when my other guest arrived. “I’ll have a bottle of Dom Pérignon right away,” I said. She nodded.
I was dressed in my tightest designer dress and my highest heels, waiting eagerly for Bryce to arrive. I had asked him to dinner so we could discuss what happened and how we’d move forward (as a couple). He had agreed; however, he was unaware of my true intentions. Sure, Bryce had embarrassed me in front of the whole town, but I backed him into a corner, and he couldn’t just outright declare his love for me. He had his career to think about. Now that we’d be alone, he could disclose his true feelings like he did just before the mishap onstage. I knew I sounded delusional, but this was how it had always been with Bryce. I had to convince him to love me the first time, all those years ago, and I knew I’d have to do it again. He was the type of man that made decisions with both his heads. The heart never played a part. Bryce was like an ice sculpture, cold and inflexible, so I just had to chip away at him carefully. Either he’d be sculpted into the man that once loved me, or he’d be destroyed in the process.
A moment later, two servers arrived with two glasses and the bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice. One popped the champagne and poured it, while the other straightened the table and placed the bottle back into the bucket. I gave them a pleased smile and thanked them. I took a sip of the champagne; the cool, crisp bubbles made my tongue tingle.
I glanced down at my watch. Bryce was five minutes late. Of course, he’d make me wait just a little longer. I quickly pulled out a compact and ensured my makeup was perfectly set. Just as I placed it back in my purse, I spotted Bryce across the room. I waved and smiled. His lips were pressed firmly together as he gave a small nod and headed in my direction. I stood from my chair and went in for a hug, even though he was already half seated.
“Thank you so much for coming,” I said.
He patted my back and sat down. I made my way to my side of the table and took a seat across from him. I couldn’t help but smile. He grabbed his glass of champagne.
“Oh, a toast. Perfect,” I held my glass up. He pulled his from his lips.
“To us,” I said, and I clinked mine to his.
“Shannon, what are you doing?” He set the glass back down, raising an eyebrow. He leaned back in his chair, looking me up and down. It was clear he liked what he saw.
“Just greeting my husband.” I winked.
“Ex,” he corrected.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Potato, potahto,” I giggled.
“Have you been drinking?” he asked. “Because I don’t want to have this conversation with you if you’ve been drinking.” He put his elbows on the table and leaned toward me. “I mean it, Shannon. I don’t want another episode like last night.”
“Of course not. This is my first glass. Promise,” I lied. I had had a small cocktail—or four—at home.
He nodded. “Now, what did you want to discuss exactly? You mentioned living in Buckhead amicably.”
“First, let’s order food. I’m famished.” I picked the menu up and pretended to read it. I just wanted more time with him. I needed more time to explain why it would be in his best interest to get back together with me. He needed to see how good we were as a couple.
“Fine,” he said just as the server arrived.
“Can I start you off with some appetizers?” she asked.
Bryce shook his head.
“Yes, we’ll have one of each to start,” I blurted out. She nodded and walked away.
“I don’t have all night. I have some things I’m working on.”
“I know, babe. I understand more than anyone else how important your work is to you. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”
Bryce took a deep breath and grabbed his glass of champagne, taking a large gulp of it. The server returned with bread and some of the cold appetizers.
“So, how was work today?” I served myself steak tartar and a piece of bread.
“Busy,” he said while slurping up an oyster. Oh, it was like we hadn’t even missed a beat. Everything was just as it had always been.
I knew the girls were pissed at me for my behavior earlier, but I was just as pissed at them. None of them believed in Bryce and me. None of them had my back at the gala. But I knew that after we got back together, they’d all come around. They’d have to.
“Did you hear about the break-in at Glow? It’s such a shame. Jenny did not look well,” I said. Despite my own problems, I was absolutely gutted to have seen Jenny in that state earlier.
He nodded. “Yeah, Crystal was there when it happened. She’s shaken up, and I should be with her right now.”
I gasped. “Crystal was there? I didn’t know that.”
He let out a deep breath. “She wanted to go for a walk after everything that happened and had left her purse at Glow. When she got there, one of the men ran off, and the other was strangling Jenny. She shot her gun, and he ran off too.”
I brought a hand to my mouth. “She has a gun?” My eyes went wide.
Bryce didn’t answer. He just took a sip of his champagne.
I had no idea Crystal had basically saved Jenny, and now I felt a little guilty that I had arranged this meeting. But Bryce was mine first, and I needed him back if I was going to get my life back, so I charged onward.
Another set of appetizers arrived, and we placed our entrée orders. Bryce even asked for a second bottle of Dom Pérignon. It seemed he definitely wanted to be here . . . with me.