Page 37 of Enchanted Ventures

“Cherry.”

Karen’s eyes flash with amusement, as do my mother’s.

I scowl at all of them. “I’m so happy I amuse all of you. I need to get to my first official day of work. Andie, Gigi will take you to school. Be a good girl.”

After the tears the first day, she was completely fine. I probably should have done this months ago. I panicked at the beginning of the year when she was so upset. Rookie mistake.

“I will. Gigi wants to come in and meet my new best friend.”

I didn’t know she had a new best friend. “Who is that?”

“Dylan Knight.”

Dylan? I don’t want her first best friend to be a boy. “I think your best friend should be a girl.” I might need to vet this person. Perhaps I should call my private investigator to look into this five-year-old thug.

At the same time, both Andie and Amanda say, “Dylan is a girl.”

I look at Amanda in question. How does she know?

“She’s Jackson Knight’s granddaughter. Cassandra and Trevor Knight are her parents. They’re a hoot. Dylan has a twin brother, Brandon.”

Andie has a dreamy look when she says, “He’sreallycute. He’s in my class too. He has the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

I’m about to rain holy hell when Mom grabs my arm. “Go to work, dear. We’ll see you tonight.”

She and Amanda exchange amused looks as I head out to my first day of work in six years.

Nicoand I drive to the office. I walk in and see Jade immediately. She smiles. I’ve never seen someone whose smile always seems full of mischief like Jade. “Welcome, Beckett. It’s good to have you here.”

“Thank you. I’m excited to get started.”

“It’s perfect timing with Dominic leaving. Poor Skylar has been working herself silly to cover his work and hers for a while now.”

“I’m happy to help.”

“When I interviewed you months ago, you didn’t mention that you met my mother. She told me about it recently.”

“I didn’t know she was your mother at the time.”

I’m going to assume Amanda hasn’t told her about our arrangement. Unless Jade indicates that she knows, I’ll keep my mouth shut.

“Oh, right. I guess I didn’t let on when you noticed her paintings in my office. I think I was surprised you knew her real name. She usually safeguards it.”

“I was introduced to her work when I met her at Reagan’s birthday party. She told me about her pseudonym. I now have a bunch of her pieces. I love them. She’s very talented.”

“She is. Have you maintained any contact with her?”

Jade’s fishing for information. She’s a sneaky one.

“I haven’t reached out. I work directly with a gallery for her pieces.”

She nods. I just then notice the can from which she’s drinking. I’ve never seen it before. What is it? I squint to read the words. No, it can’t be. “What are you drinking?”

“Pussy Juice.”

The drink is legitimately namedPussy Juice.

“There’s a beverage calledPussy Juice?”

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