Georgie winces over at her. “Don’t tell me Hux was a guest at your wedding.”
Mom jerks her head to the side. “He was born eight months after the fact. You do the math.”
Macy contrives a gasp so loud you would think we were out of champagne.
“And you still wore white? No wonder Grandma Baker ignored you for the next sixteen years.”
Mom laughs. “That explains it. That and the fact she hated my guts.”
“Hates.” Macy nods. “This is an ongoing thing.”
Mom blinks back. “I thought she died years ago.”
Macy shakes her head. “She just wanted you to think so.”
I roll my eyes. None of that is true—I think. As far as I know, Grandma Baker really did die years ago. But Macy does love her revisionist history when it comes to making people squirm. It’s nice to know my mother isn’t above the fold when it comes to my sister’s shenanigans.
Georgie elbows me. “Your mama is right. You and Jasper know each other inside and out.” She waggles her brows. “Now go ahead and blink if you’ve done the deed with the good detective.”
I blink inadvertently and Georgie lets out a double whoop.
Do I really know Jasper inside and out? I mean, I’ve met his siblings. His brothers are great. His sister has an adorable four-month old little girl who is a princess if ever there was one. His mother—well, despite the fact Gwyneth and my father seem to be enjoying a long engagement, the woman is a bit of a pill. And his father—
I suck in a quick breath. “Oh my goodness, I just realized something.” My fingers fly over my lips like a reflex.
“What’s that?” Macy inches her head forward a notch with a general look of disinterest on her face.
“I don’t know anything about Jasper’s father.”
Mom shrugs it off with a look of surprise. “Who the hell cares?”
“Wait a minute.” Georgie holds out a hand as if she were refereeing a fight. “Is he a hot hunk of beef?”
“I wouldn’t know.” The words sail from me in a panic. “I have no idea what he looks like. I don’t know his name or anything. All I vaguely remember from the first time we talked about our families is that he divorced Gwyneth.”
Mom grunts, “You’ve met the woman, Bizzy. That was not a hard decision.”
“True,” I say. “She’s as caustic as a cactus.”
Macy grimaces. “Well, you won’t get a divorce just because you don’t know his father’s first name. But he might cut the legal ties when he finds out you’re talking smack about his mother in a bridal boutique.”
A dull laugh huffs from me. “And who’s going to tell him?”
“I am,” a sharp, decidedly caustic and prickly as a cactus voice emanates from behind and I cease to breathe.
Dear God.
Kill me.
I spin on my heels and force a bright smile at the caustic cactus before me.
“Gwyneth! So glad you could make it,” I trill to the older, beautiful in a cutthroat manner, brunette with the same shock of dark hair as her children and same glowing silver eyes.
“Oh, can it.” She reaches past me and snatches up a champagne flute. “No harm, no foul. Like I said, you’ll make a fine starter wife for my Jasper.”
I roll my eyes and am about to launch into an apology that will start here and most likely end at my wedding reception when two familiar women stride in through the doors.
It’s Faith Grayson and Kiki Woodley.
“Hang on to that thought,” I say as I ditch the melee I inadvertently caused, and as soon as I step away, I can hear my mother and Gwyneth start in on the bickering. They usually get along pretty well, but Gwyneth drew first blood with that starter-wife comment. And if my mother is anything, she’s a mama bear at heart—all teeth and razor sharp claws. Gwyneth will need more than just a single glass of champagne to get through the afternoon.
“Ladies,” I say brightly and both Faith and Kiki enlarge their eyes my way a moment.
“Bizzy?” Faith gives a little laugh. She’s donned a sunhat and crisp white T-shirt with shorts. Kiki has on a flower printed sundress and sandals, and judging by the bright pink hue on their cheeks, I’m guessing they strolled down from the inn.
Kiki looks momentarily confused. “You don’t work here, too, do you, Bizzy? It’s like you run the whole town.”
A laugh strums through me. “Nope. I’m here hoping to find something to wear to my wedding. But I’m not really getting anywhere. How about the two of you?”
Faith glances around. “Peter thought we should find a fancy gown for our female lead to get slaughtered in, and our wardrobe girl would rather be sunning on the beach today, so we’re taking one for the team.”
Kiki nods. “Camila suggested a wedding dress, and Peter flipped for the idea. Boy, she’s really hot for that detective that keeps coming around.”
“Tell me about it,” I grunt. “That hot detective happens to be my fiancé.”
The two of them gasp and gag.
“I’m used to it.” I shake my head. “Camila is basically psychotic when it comes to Jasper. They, too, were engaged once upon a time. But she cheated on him with his best friend and Jasper moved on.”
They gasp in unison once again.
Faith makes a face. “As a person who was cheated on once, I don’t look too kindly on cheaters.” She ticks her head. “Then again, I was born out of an affair, so I guess I can’t knock it too hard. But by the sound of it, Camila and the other guy didn’t last.”
Emmie pops up as if on cue.
“Nope,” I say. “Camila and Leo didn’t last, and this girl right here is pretty thankful for it.” I pull Emmie in close. “Faith, Kiki, have you met Emmie? She runs the Country Cottage Café.”
Kiki leans in. “Are you kidding? I have a serious addiction to those s’mores bars, and Emmie here is my supplier.”
“Ditto,” Faith is quick to
