Page 54 of Shiny Things

I laughed. “Sorry to disappoint, but he already ditched me.”

“What?” she shrieked.

“Are you okay, Gia? You seem very on edge.”

She sighed. “I’m fine. Just nervous about this wedding tonight. I need this to go smoothly.”

“It will. I promise. We’re ready for this.”

She took a deep breath. “You’re right. It’s all going to be fine. So why are you calling me?”

“Because your brother really did ditch me. I’m over at his place and he got called into work.”

“But your car is here.”

“Exactly. Any chance you can pick me up? Otherwise, I’ll be flying over.”

“At least you don’t have to avoid flying now for fear his bird will find yours,” she teased.

“Well, yeah, there’s that.”

We both erupted into giggles.

“Seriously though, can you come and get me?”

“Already in the car and on my way.”

“Great. See you in a bit.”

I sat there a few more minutes before leaving. On the elevator ride down, it stopped on the very next floor and Felicity Dean stepped on. She gave me a weird look, clearly confused. She kept looking up and then down at the lighted numbers, but she didn’t say anything.

I was certain she knew that there was only one floor above hers and I had clearly come from there.

Several floors later, the elevator stopped again, and Novaleigh Caldwell stepped on. She smiled at Felicity, seeming to not notice me at all, which was fine with me.

“What are you doing here?” she asked me after a few moments.

“Excuse me?” I responded, already feeling my feathers getting ruffled.

“Friend of yours?” she asked Felicity.

The woman shook her head. “She was on when I got here.”

Novaleigh’s face morphed. “There’s only one floor above yours. Were you visiting the Davenport brothers?”

I just rolled my eyes, but my hands were sweaty and I felt like I was going to be sick.

“I don’t really see as that’s any of your business,” I said sweetly just before the doors opened and I scrambled out as fast as I could.

There were others in the lobby just hanging out. They all stopped and stared at me.

I froze, and then forced my chin to raise as I walked out of the building acting as if they weren’t even important enough for me to stop and speak to.

It was all a façade, and the second I heard my name being whispered, I wanted to run and hide, or cry or something.

“Why is she here?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t she the diner girl?”

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