Page 82 of Born to Make You Smile

The three of them continued to chat while I made several festive signature drinks, including three glasses of cranberry Aperol spritz.

Felix excused himself to make a phone call, and Joshua moved over, taking a seat closer to me. “So, Grace, when your contract is up, you think you’ll become a member?”

“Maybe.” I placed a sprig of rosemary and several frozen cranberries into each glass. “I might need to save money for a while. Thank God my ceiling is finally fixed. But apparently, there’s so much more work to be done.”

I let out a long sigh.

Joshua nodded with a furrowed brow. “I understand you love your house, but it sounds like a headache to maintain. Especially since you’re there on your own. Why not just forget about the repairs and sell? They’d tear it down anyway.”

Dorina and I both gasped. I couldn’t even fathom my mother’s house being torn down as if it never existed.

“What? What’s wrong?” Joshua asked with a lowered jaw.

“The house is really sentimental to Grace,” Dorina said to Joshua, then gazed at me with sad eyes.

I nodded. “My late mother raised me in that house. She practically designed it herself and everything inside. It’s been my constant. My landing ground. I feel like, if I sell it and it’s torn down, I’ll have nothing left.”

“Well, shit,” Joshua said, resting his head on his hand. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. You’re really in a pickle. And not the good, salty kind.”

I shrugged, loading the drinks I prepared onto a tray. “All right, you two, I have to work.”

Joshua grabbed Dorina’s hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her.”

“Oh my God. Should I be worried?” Dorina wore a mock face of horror.

“Yes, yes, you should.” Joshua let out a sinister laugh.

My chest filled with warmth, seeing my two best friends getting along so well.

At a quarter to twelve, I was in the dungeon, delivering drinks. Bill Salinger, decked out in red leather and a mask, stood by one of the high tables. We made eye contact, and he nodded as I placed the drinks on the table. “Thanks, Peach.”

I bowed my head. “You’re very welcome.”

When I got back to the bar, Ashna was there, wanting to speak to me.

“Listen,” she said, pulling me aside. “We need staff for New Year’s to help serve drinks and champagne. If you want to make some extra cash, we’re paying double time.”

“Double time?” I repeated.

She nodded with enthusiasm, trying to convince me.

I winced. “I have a wedding. An employee’s wedding. I can’t miss it.”

“What time is it? Maybe you could go to the ceremony, stay for dinner, then head down. Like if you’re here by ten, that’d be perfect. We could really use your help, Grace. I’m in a serious pinch.”

I thought about the close distance between X-PLORE and the wedding venue. Then I did the calculations in my head. Between this extra shift and Gavin’s bonus, I had enough to buy nice giftsfor the girls and pay my mortgage and bills this month. Maybe a little extra for myself. I could buy the black gown!

“Okay. I’ll be here by ten.”

***

A week before Christmas, I received a phone call from the boutique down the street informing me the scarves I ordered for the staff gifts were ready to be picked up.

“Here’s my card, and I’ll write my PIN down for you,” Gavin said, jotting his four-digit code on a Post-It.

I took his card and note with a confused furrow. “Is this your personal card?”

“Yes, why?”

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