Page 64 of For the Promise

Awesome. Stacey has decided to be contrary all day. This spa experience is going to be so very relaxing. Maybe I should leave. But guessing by the gleam in Stacey’s eyes, she’s goading me to bail. I’m not letting her win.

A woman enters the reception area. “Good morning,” she greets. “I’m Maeve. If you’d follow me, we have you all set up for mani/pedis.”

“I thought we were doing facials and massages,” Stacey says.

“Don’t worry. We have you all set up for facials and massages after your mani/pedis.”

“Good,” Stacey mutters as she flounces through the door Maeve is holding open. Jenny and Amy follow her.

“Stacey is a perfectionist,” Tiffany explains as we trail behind the other bridesmaids.

Stacey, Jenny, and Amy are already seated when we reach the spa area. I maneuver Tiffany into the chair next to Stacey before sitting on the end away from the rest of them.

“Champagne?” Maeve arrives with a tray of champagne glasses.

“To our girl getting married!” Amy shouts as she lifts her glass in the air.

“Finally,” Tiffany mutters next to me and I nearly choke on my champagne. Maybe today won’t be as bad as I’d feared.

“What is this?” Stacey mutters before shouting, “Maeve! I need another glass. This champagne is not drinkable.”

Tiffany sighs. “And so it begins.”

“What begins?” I whisper.

“Stacey’s perfectionism can switch to bitchiness at the turn of a hat.”

I can’t argue with her since Stacey is currently berating Maeve for the quality of the champagne.

“Why are you friends with her?”

Tiffany shrugs. “We’ve known each other since high school.”

“I can bring you a different bottle, but it’ll be an additional cost,” Maeve says to Stacey.

“Not a problem. We’ll have plenty of money soon enough.” Stacey narrows her eyes on me in challenge.

I do love a challenge.

I widen my eyes and pretend I have no idea she’s referring to Alan winning the lawsuit against me. “Is Alan getting a raise?”

“You know exactly why we’ll have plenty of money soon.”

“You’re getting a raise? Congrats. I didn’t catch what you do for work.”

“At least I don’t make beer.”

“Too bad for you. Brewing beer is fun and exciting and challenging. I love my job.”

Stacey snorts. “Of course, you do. You have no class.”

I bark out a laugh. “You are hilarious. I have no class, but it doesn’t stop you from trying to steal my money. Precious.”

Her hand fists on her glass until her knuckles are white. “It’s not your money. Half of it is Alan’s.”

“He doesn’t deserve half of my inheritance because he was my boyfriend when my parents died.”

“Then, why is he winning the lawsuit?”

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