One of Us Is Dead(42)

I took a deep breath. We were doing this.





34

Crystal


I held the glass ever so gently, careful not to mess up my freshly done manicure. I went for a soft pink color—no acrylics, no fancy designs or bold colors. Just something simple and practical. I raised the mimosa to my lips and took a long drink, while one of the manicurists worked on my other hand.

So far, so good. We made it past the first potential blowup. I thought for sure Keisha was going to throw Olivia out, but thank Jesus for Karen stepping in. Keisha and Olivia both have strong personalities—who knows what would have happened? I had no idea Olivia manipulated this event. It was completely out of line, as Glow is Jenny’s salon, and she should have asked Jenny first. However, in a way, I could see where Olivia was coming from. Maybe she genuinely wanted it to just be us girls. Maybe she wanted to open up about what was all going on with her and Dean. It wasn’t the best way to do it, but I think her intentions were good . . . at least I hoped so.

The conversation had never really picked up. Remarks were made here and there, but overall, the only noise was from the manicure tools buzzing and the quiet chatter between the contract workers. The tension was so thick that even the hired help felt uncomfortable. Their eyes bounced around the room and then back at the hands they were working on.

Jenny continued to tend to the refreshment table and make small talk when she could. Shannon was sipping at coffee, and Olivia was deep in thought, perhaps figuring out what to say next.

“I caught your big-screen debut,” Olivia finally said.

Shannon’s lips pressed firmly together. “It’s been taken down.”

I still didn’t know what they were talking about. “What video?” I asked.

“Don’t act like you don’t know.” Shannon tilted her head.

I looked at Jenny, then Olivia, and then back at Shannon. My eyes were wide and bewildered.

“Anyway . . . you having any luck on the dating scene, Shannon?” Olivia smirked.

I took a deep breath.

“I’m not looking to date right now. I’m focusing on myself.” Shannon raised her chin.

Good for her. I gave her a slight nod and a smile without realizing it. I hadn’t meant for it to be rude. I was proud of her strength, but Shannon glared at me and returned to her coffee. Something was up. I dropped my head and quickly looked away.

“Well, if you need any help.” Olivia pointed at me. “Crystal over here is really good at picking men.” She threw her head back in laughter. “I’m only kidding.”

Shannon turned red . . . not from embarrassment, but from anger. I turned red . . . not from anger, but from embarrassment. A vein emerged in the center of Shannon’s forehead, and her mouth began to open. Jenny instinctively stepped toward Shannon. My body tensed up. Oh God . . . this was it. Shannon was going to lose it. What the hell was Olivia doing?

The front door chimed, interrupting the impending outburst. The door closed with a bang that sucked all the air out of the room. All that lingered was tension.

“Hello,” a man’s voice called out. We all exchanged glances. Olivia’s face went white.

“One sec,” Jenny said as she made her way to the front. Before she could get there, the curtains burst open and in walked Dean Petrov. He was dressed in a white bedazzled T-shirt and a pair of Philipp Plein jeans. He looked like a real douche.

“Hey, Jenny. I heard about what happened. You doing all right?” he asked.

Jenny nodded as Dean waltzed past her.

“Hey, baby,” Dean said to Olivia. She gave a coy smile as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

“What are you doing here?” Olivia asked.

“Thought I’d get myself a manicure too.” He winked.

“This is a women-only event,” I said, surprising myself.

Dean crinkled his face at me. “Well, I pay the exorbitant fees for this place. Jenny, are you fine with me staying?”

Before Jenny could get a word in edgewise, Olivia spoke up. “Of course, you can stay, baby. Right, Jenny?”

Jenny and Shannon exchanged glances. Shannon shrugged her shoulders in an I-don’t-care-what-you-do kind of way.

“Yes, that’s fine. We have plenty of room, since Olivia decided to make this a private event,” Jenny said with a bit of tautness in her voice. “Take a seat.” She motioned to the chair beside Olivia. Dean sat down with a big grin on his face.

I wasn’t sure why he was here. Was he keeping an eye on Olivia? Trying to ensure she wouldn’t tell us anything he didn’t want us to know? I tried to relax my face. I was scowling at him and didn’t even realize. A manicurist began filing his nails, and Jenny brought him an IPA. He thanked her and took a big swig, making a refreshed ahhh sound afterward.

“What were you ladies talking about before I crashed the party?” Dean asked. He looked at each of us.

“Well, your wife was telling me I should get dating advice from Crystal, since she’s so good at picking men . . .” Shannon spat out the words.

I knew she wouldn’t let go of that dig so easily. It was a low blow and completely uncalled for. Shannon was being as pleasant as she could be—which for a normal person would be a bit cold, but for Shannon, it was rather nice. Sure, she hadn’t been particularly warm or welcoming to me, but I wouldn’t expect that from her considering our history. I could tell she was at least trying. She didn’t hug me or talk to me, but she did nod. A nod was a start.