Page 66 of Golden Girl
“Main Street Gossipwas so close,” Willa says. “Number two on the combined list behind Stephen King.”
“And Stephen King is the most famous writer of modern times, so he doesn’t even count,” Savannah says.
At 5:02, Savannah checks her e-mail. There itis, from Rivera, Flor:Bestseller List 7/25/21.Savannah clicks on the list.
Golden Girlis number two on both the hardcover and the combined list. Number one is a novel calledSatan’s Weekendby someone named D. K. Bolt. The description says it’s the fifteenth book in the Gruesome Goth series.
“Gruesome Goth?” Savannah says. “That sounds dreadful.”
Willa says, “I should have gone onGreat Morning USA.I’m sorry. I just didn’t feel up to it.”
Savannah pulls the bottle of Veuve Clicquot out. “Let’s drink this anyway,” she says. “I know Vivi would want us to.”
“You guys enjoy,” Willa says. “I’m exhausted and Rip is expecting me at home.”
“Oh, just have one glass in your mother’s honor,” JP says. “Number two in the country is nothing to sneeze at.”
“I’m all set,” Willa says. She picks up her canvas NHA tote bag, which is what she uses as a purse, and leaves.
“I’ve lost them,” JP says to Savannah after they hear the front door close. “They never want to hang out with me.”
“You can find them again,” Savannah says. She pops the cork on the champagne. “Have you broken up with Amy yet?”
“Not yet,” JP says. “I’ve been too busy at the Cone. But I’m taking a day off next week, I’ll do it then.”
Savannah brings the Waterford flutes out of the good china and crystal cabinet (which is a beaten and battered pie safe that Savannah’s mother believed might fool potential burglars) and pours each of them champagne. She raises her glass. “To Vivi, number two on the list, number one in our hearts.”
JP clinks Savannah’s glass and drinks. “I don’t know,” he says. “You’re putting a positive spin on this, but all I can think is that wherever Vivi is right now, she’s pissed off.”
Vivi
“Number two?” she says. “I died and Istillcame in second?”
“Satan’s Weekendsounds like the work of someone below,” Martha says, chuckling. “Waybelow.”
“Yes, Darla Kay Bolt,” Vivi says. “I knew her at Bread Loaf. She was myroommate!”
“What are thechances?” Martha says. “The two of you battling it out years later.”
“I’m glad you find this so entertaining,” Vivi says. “You do realize that was my last opportunity to make it to the top? I should have used one of my nudges.”
“I think we both know you didn’t want to get to number one that way,” Martha says.
Vivi silently concedes. She wanted to be first fair and square. Now that will never, ever happen.
“If there’s one thing you learn up here,” Martha says, “it’s never say never. In the past few years, I’ve seen things happen in the world, in our country, and in individual lives that I would have said simply weren’t possible. And I was proved wrong.”
“So you’re saying I can still get to number one?” Vivi says. “How? You have to do it in your first week. It just doesn’t happen otherwise.”
“Please, Vivian, stop with the hyperbole,” Martha says. “I don’t care for it.” She strokes the scarf trailing down her shoulder like it’s the tail of a beloved cat. “Just keep the faith.”
Willa
Brett Caspian arrives on Nantucket on the 10:30 ferry on Friday, July 23, and Willa, who has taken the day off work, is waiting to pick him up. He’s returning to Hyannis on the 2:15, so they will have just shy of four hours to visit. Four hours seemed like the right amount of time—Willa can’t believe she offered to let the man stay in her house; he’s a complete stranger, and if he ends up being a sociopath or a serial killer, she’s in trouble. She hasn’t told anyone that Brett Caspian is coming other than Rip, and he expressed less than no interest in the fact that Willa is meeting with an old friend of Vivi’s from high school.
“I hope he’s legit,” Rip said that morning as he wolfed down a banana slathered with peanut butter and Willa stared into her herbal tea, willing herself not to throw up at the smell. “If not, call 911, because I’ll be buried.”
Rip has ten claims on his desk, the most confounding of which is Marissa Lopresti’s Jeep. Marissa’s mother, Candace, wants to put the loss through insurance, even though there was no accident. Marissa drove the Jeep into the Bathtub out at Eel Point willfully because she was so upset about Leo breaking up with her the night before Vivi died. Rip can’t make that into an accident—he’s spent weeks trying to negotiate with the provider—but Candace is threatening to pull her business if he doesn’t. “The woman is such a…bully. She says she’s going to write a letter to the editor about our crappy customer service. How is it our fault that Marissa acted out a scene fromRisky Business? And it was all pointless anyway! They were back together two weeks later.”
